A Study on the Translation Strategies for English Prose from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory—A Case Study of The Death of the Moth (Lu Gusun’s Translation)

Abstract

Prose translation serves as a vital channel for cross-cultural communication. Previous studies have primarily focused on evaluating the aesthetic value of translation, while lacking the theoretical analysis of translation strategies. Guided by Nida’s functional equivalence theory, this study analyzes the English-Chinese translation strategies for prose at three levels: word, syntax, and text style, with Lu Gusun’s translation of The Death of the Moth as a case study. The research demonstrates that under the guidance of functional equivalence theory, the foreignization strategy accurately conveys the original text’s ideas, while the domestication strategy enhances readability for target-language readers. These two translation strategies complement each other, and integrating their strengths in translation helps readers understand the original text’s essence. Thus, functional equivalence theory can assist translators in selecting appropriate strategies for English prose translation, enabling target-language readers to deeply comprehend both the translation and the embedded source-language culture.