Function plus loyalty

Like the concept of equivalence, Skopostheorie claims to be a general or universal model of translation. Chapter 8 describes my contribution to ‘radical’ functionalism, aiming at the applicability of Skopostheorie in professional translation: the loyalty principle. Loyalty is the responsibility translators have towards the other persons involved in translational action. It must not be confused with fidelity or faithfulness, concepts that usually refer to a relationship holding between the source and the target texts . Loyalty is an interpersonal category referring to a social relationship between people . The function-plus-loyalty model is an answer to those critics who argue that the functional approach leaves translators free to do whatever they like with any source text, or worse, what their clients like. If there is any conflict between the interests of the translator’s partners, it is the translator who has to mediate and, where necessary, seek the understanding of all sides.