Målöversättning

Målöversättning, often translated as "target translation" or "purpose-oriented translation," is a concept in translation studies that emphasizes the intended function and reception of the translated text. Instead of focusing solely on fidelity to the source text, målöversättning prioritizes achieving a specific communicative goal in the target culture. This goal can vary widely, from informing a specific audience to persuading readers, entertaining them, or even triggering a particular action.

Developed primarily by Eugene Nida, the theory distinguishes between formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence. Formal equivalence aims to reproduce the linguistic and stylistic features of the source text as closely as possible. In contrast, dynamic equivalence seeks to convey the same relationship between the receptor and the message as that which existed between the original receptor and the message. This often involves adapting cultural references, idiomatic expressions, and sentence structures to ensure the translation is comprehensible and impactful for the target audience.

Målöversättning is particularly relevant in fields such as Bible translation, where the aim is to make the text accessible and meaningful to diverse religious communities. It also plays a significant role in marketing, advertising, and other forms of communication where persuasion and audience engagement are paramount. The translator, therefore, acts not just as a linguistic conduit but also as a cultural mediator, making strategic decisions to fulfill the intended purpose of the translation.