Title: Similarity in Translation

Abstract: In most cases, there is no equivalence between the original and the translated text; instead, there is only similarity between them. There are two levels of similarity: approximate similarity and exceeding similarity. The former is dominant in translation while the latter relatively rare. There are three kinds of similarity: formal similarity, sematic similarity and spiritual similarity. Semantic similarity is the basic requirement for translation; formal similarity is a higher pursuit for translation; and spiritual similarity is an ideal state for translation. In order to achieve similarity between the original and the translated text, the translator should firstly understand accurately the original, and then make flexible use of different complete translation methods and techniques to express correctly and fully the meaning of the original and convey subtly and fully the style of the original.

Keywords: similarity, formal similarity, semantic similarity, spiritual similarity

Author: Haijun Li, Professor, School of Foreign Languages, Changsha University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Fengmei Jiang, Lecturer, School of Foreign Languages, Changsha University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

DOI: 10.19967/j.cnki.flc.2022.04.008