Defining translation functions. The translation brief as a guideline for the trainee translation

Abstract

It can be regarded as widely known that, from a functionalist point of view (cf. Reiss/Vermeer 1984, Nord 1991), the translator’s decisions in the translation process should be governed by the function or communicative purpose the target text (TT) is intended to fulfil in a particular target-culture situation. This is a normative statement which does not describe an existing state of things (otherwise we would not have to lament the poor quality of so many translations) but rather an aim towards which prospective professional translators should be geared in their training.