HANS J. VERMEER'S SKOPOS THEORY AND ITS RELEVANCE IN TRANSLATING CREATIVE WRITING

Abstract

Translation has moved, sort of, from being mainly a language based thing into something that also pays attention to culture, actual readers, and how communication is supposed to work. One of the most influential approaches in that change is Hans J. Vermeer's Skopos Theory, and it basically says that the purpose of a translation should steer the translator’s decisions, even when the text looks familiar. This notion has become particularly relevant for translating creative writing, because in novels, poems, and other imaginative forms, meaning is often tied to style, emotion, and cultural context all at once. This article goes over the core ideas behind Skopos Theory, plus the positions of key scholars who helped shape it, and then asks why it matters specifically when we translate creative writing. Overall, it claims the theory can offer practical support for translators, who have to juggle being loyal to the source text with the expectations of new readers.