TITLE:
A Comparative Study of Nida’s and Koller’s Translation Theories
AUTHORS:
Yan Li
KEYWORDS:
Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory, Koller’s Equivalence Theory, Comparative Study
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Applied Sociology,
Vol.16 No.2,
February
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory and Koller’s Equivalence Theory have formed two representative theoretical paradigms centered around the issue of “equivalence”, exerting a profound influence on the development and practice of translation theory. This article attempts to introduce Nida’s “Analysis-Transfer-Restructuring-Testing” model of Functional Equivalence Theory and the multi-level equivalence types of Koller’s Equivalence Theory, which include “denotative, connotative, text-normative, pragmatic, and formal-aesthetic” aspects, as well as to compare the connections and differences between Nida’s and Koller’s translation theories. The aim is to help readers gain a deeper understanding of Nida’s and Koller’s translation theories and to provide some reference for the more reasonable and flexible selection and application of translation theories in practice.