On the Translation of the Great Gatsby from the Perspective of Functionalist Translation Theory

Abstract

Many scholars have studied the Great Gatsby from the perspective of literary criticism. The characteristics of the times, as well as Fitzgerald's superb writing skills and literary attainments, make the novel have unique translation value. Among the Chinese versions of the novel, Wu ningkun's version is the most famous and popular. As for the translation study of this novel, the existing literature has explored the effect of translation within the framework of different theories. However, few studies have explored the translation of this novel within the framework of Nida's functional equivalence theory. In order to achieve a better translation effect, it is necessary to find the closest and most natural equivalent target language to the source language, rather than limited to simple formal equivalence, that is, the response of the target readers to the translation should be equivalent to the response of the source readers to the original to the greatest extent. The realization of this functional equivalence depends on the translator's careful translation, including the selection of words with equivalent meaning and effect, the rearrangement of complex English sentences, and the appropriate omission or addition according to the context. It is a new perspective to study Wu ningkun's version of the Great Gatsby within the framework of functional equivalence theory. The research results can provide more references for the translation review of this novel and other novels, which can supplement the existing research and guide the research and application of novel translation theories and techniques.