Translating Detective and Mystery Stories: A Skopos Perspective

Authors

  • Biyu Wu University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
  • Jing Hua School of Foreign Languages, Each China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
  • Ruoyu Chen Xianda College of Economics and Humanities, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46809/jcsll.v6i2.323

Keywords:

Mysteries Translation, Skopos Theory, Functional Equivalence Theory, A Philosophical Difference, Phoney Friend

Abstract

The mysteries or the detective fictions are one type of popular novels which mainly describe the process of reasoning and detection of the case. With translation practice examples of two mysteries and detective fictions——A Philosophical Difference and Phoney Friend, the paper describes the translation skills on the titles, rhetorical devices and references of the mysteries from the perspective of Skopos theory and functional equivalence theory in details. It is found out that liberal translation is the best way to translate the titles with the guidance of Skopos theory, which is easy to attract the readers’ attention. The rhetorical devices like alliteration, pun and acrostic puzzle, can be translated in two ways--literal translation and amplification according to the functional equivalence theory. References can be translated in a repetitive way to realize the coherence in the text.This paper describes the translation skills of the titles, rhetorical devices and references in mysteries and provides a first-hand corpus for theoretical studies of translation, as well as methodological guidance for translation practice. It shows that flexible application of theories in translation can reach a better effect in translation practice.

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Published

2025-01-15

How to Cite

Wu , B. ., Hua , J. ., & Chen, R. . (2025). Translating Detective and Mystery Stories: A Skopos Perspective. Journal of Critical Studies in Language and Literature, 6(2), 11-19. https://doi.org/10.46809/jcsll.v6i2.323

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Section

Articles