Equivalence (Nida)

Eugene Nida distinguishes two types of equivalence:

1. dynamic equivalence,
2. formal equivalence.

The dynamic equivalence attempts to convey the thought expressed in a source text (at the expense of literalness, original word order, the source text’s grammatical voice, etc., if necessary), while the formal equivalence attempts to render the text word-for-word (at the expense of natural expression in the target language, if necessary). The two approaches represent emphases, respectively, on readability and on literal fidelity to the source text. There is, however, in reality no sharp boundary between dynamic and formal equivalence.

Reference: E. Nida and C. Taber, The Theory and Practice of Translation, E.J. Brill, Leiden, 1969