Skopos

Skopos theory is a functionalist approach to translation studies that holds that the purpose or function (skopos) of a translated text in the target culture determines the translation’s form and procedure. Rather than privileging fidelity to the source text, skopos theory asks what the translation is expected to achieve for its readers in the target context.

Originating in the late 1970s with the work of German scholars Katharina Reiß and Hans Vermeer, skopos theory has become a central component of functionalist translation approaches. It was further developed by scholars such as Christiane Nord and others, who formalized a framework of rules linking client instructions, target audience, and translation strategy.

Core principles include the skopos principle: a translation’s actions are guided by its intended purpose in the target context; the coherence principle: the translation must be coherent within the target culture and meet the expectations of its readers or users; and the cooperation or loyalty principle: translators, clients, and interpreters collaborate to ensure the translation functions as intended. Translators may choose to omit, add, or reformulate material as long as the outcome fulfills the skopos and remains coherent to the target audience.

Applications of skopos theory span localization, marketing, user manuals, legal and financial texts, media subtitling, and other domains where function in the target culture is paramount. The approach supports tailoring translations to specific audiences and purposes, such as producing a persuasive advertisement in one language while maintaining a neutral manual in another.

Critics argue that skopos theory can de-emphasize loyalty to the source text, risk cultural manipulation, and rely on difficult-to-define purposes. Its emphasis on function can also challenge objective evaluation of translation quality and may vary with context, client power, and cultural norms.