【正文】 st many typical mistranslated versions on public signs, and try to categorize them. In this way, it would be easier for us to make further exploration on C/E public signs translation. Chapter 3 Skopostheorie and its Application in Public Signs The task of translation is to make the translated signs perform the same functions in English as the original ones. Meanwhile, it is determined by the nature of public signs that they are designed to attract attention of the public, which is the Skopos of public signs. 19 Skopostheorie – A Useful Guiding Principle In 1984, Reiss and Vermeer formally stated the Skopostheorie in their coauthored book General Foundations of Translation Theory. Skopos and Skopos Rule Skopos, which derived from Greek ―skopos‖, means ―purpose, goal‖. It‘s used as the technical term for the purpose of a translation. According to Reiss and Vermeer, translation is viewed not as a specific form of human action. In Skopos theory, knowing the functions of the target text and why a source text is to be translated will be crucial for translators. Skopos has two further general rules: coherence rule and fidelity rule. The coherence rule stipulates that the target text must be sufficiently coherent to allow the intended users to prehend. The starting point for a translation is a text as part of a world continuum. As to the fidelity rule, it concerns intertextual coherence between translation and source text, and stipulates merely that some relationship must remain between the two once the rule of coherence has been satisfied. (Linell, 2021:44～ 45) [6] Application of Skopostheorie Any sourcelanguage text fulfills one or several purposes in the sourcelanguage context. When initiator starts a translation activity, he actually hopes that translation will be able to do well in the target language. In the case of public sign translation, the target text, though it may be only a few words, is intended to achieve a purpose. Skopostheorie 20 is the application of theory to translation practice. What it emphasizes is the anticipated effects of the target text in the target context and culture. One of the most important tasks is to find out what the Skopos of the source text is and who the intended readers are during translating. Concerning public sign translation, we can make it more concrete. Functions of public signs in above chapters should be performed in both Chinese public signs and their English version. The intended receivers are from English speaking countries, not Chinese people. It should be born in mind that the initiator translates these public signs with the purpose that the foreigners could understand them and do as so. Therefore, the English version must be easily and fully understood, which requires the translator to stand his side of the target receivers. In the following chapter, we will deal with public sign translation with the help of Skopostheorie. Causes of Errors in C/E Translation of Public Signs We have discussed some typical mistakes existing in C/E public signs translation in Chapter 2. For the errors of linguistic aspect, the translators don39。s the reason why mistranslations of this type arise. Poor Acceptability Acceptability is very important when judging a piece of translation. As a certain language stands for a certain culture, Chinese stands for oriental culture and English stands for the culture of the west. Due to the big cultural differences, these two languages have much difference in expressing themselves. For example: 江南第二泉 ―Second Spring of Jiangnan‖ 18 Most of foreigners don39。 the correct version should be ―Left Luggage‖. Grammar Errors Grammatical rules are the foundation during the process of translating. It is also true in public signs translation. But various grammar errors still can be found in public signs translation. The Chinese render for consultation service is ―總服務(wù)臺 ‖ or ―咨詢臺 ‖， the existing translation of it are ―Information‖, ―Informations‖, 12 ―Enquiry/Inquiry‖ or ―Enquiries/Inquiries‖(卞正東 , 2021:172)[3], which ones are grammatically correct? ―Information‖ is an uncountable noun and has not the plural form, and ―enquiry/inquiry‖ is countable noun and has plural form. The standard is ―Information‖ or ―Enquiries/Inquiries‖. In the new campus district of Sichuan University, there is a typical mistranslated version of this type: ―時(shí)間是一只永遠(yuǎn)在飛翔的鳥 ‖ (仇全菊 , 2021:57～ 58) [4]. Obviously, this is a motto。 however, when we take a close look at all these socalled English public signs, we may easily find kinds of errors on them. How to correct those mistranslations and standardize our public signs translation bees an urgent task. One school of functionalist theory is Nida‘s functional equivalence. According to this approach, the relation of the target language readers to the target text should be equivalent to that of the source language readers to the source language text. Another school of functionalist theory is textual classification，proposed by Newmark. He divides all text types into expressive text, informative text and vocative text. He points out that the purpose of each type of text is different from the others. Therefore, different strategies and techniques should be employed in translating different types of texts. The third school of functionalist theory is the German Skopostheorie, according to which, one of the most important factors that determine a translation purpose is the intended receiver in the target language. ―Every translation is directed at an intended audience and to translate is to produce a text in a target setting for a target purpose and target addressee in target circumstances‖ (Reiss, 2021:27) [1]. So the focus of translation should be shifted from the source text to the target text. Here in this thes