1. Introduction Subject matter of the theory of translation

Equivalent effect

It has sometimes been said the overriding purpose of any translation should be to achieve «equivalent effect», i.e. to produce the same effect on the readership of the translation as was obtained on the readership of the original. As it is seen, «equivalent effect» is the desirable result, rather than the aim of any translation, bearing in mind that it is an unlikely result in two cases:

1. 
   if the purpose of the SL text is to affect and the TL translation
   is to inform;
   
2. 
   if there is a pronounced cultural gap between the SL and the
   TL text.
   

However, in the communicative translation of vocative texts, equivalent effect is not only desirable, it is essential; it is the criterion by which the effectiveness and therefore the value of the translation of notices, instructions, publicity, propaganda, persuasive or critical writing and perhaps popular fiction, is to be assessed. The readers respond қ to keep of the grass, to by the soap, to join the Party, to assemble the device қ could even be quantified as a percentage rate of the success of the translation.

If informative texts equivalent effect is desirable only in respect of their insignificant emotional impact: it is not possible if SL and TL culture are remote from each other since normally the cultural items have to be explained by culturally neutral or genetic terms, the topic content simplified, SL difficulties clarified.

Hopefully the TL reader reads the text with the same degree of interest as the SL reader, although the impact is different.