Katharina Reiss is a German linguist known for her defense of skopos theory and text typology in translation studies. She argues that the translation unit is the text rather than individual words or sentences. Her text typology includes informative texts that communicate facts, expressive creative works, operative texts meant to persuade actions, and audio medial texts combining words with visual/audio elements. Skopos theory focuses on translation having an intended purpose for a target audience in a given context.

1. Katharina Reiss
(Katharina Reiß)
1923
German linguist and translation scholar.

2. Katharina Reiss
She is a defender of the skopos theory.
Katharina Reiss's approach considers the text rather
than the word or the sentence as the translation unit
and hence the level at which equivalence is to be
sought. Reiss's text typology is: informative,
expressive, operative and the audio medial

3. Skopos Theory
Skopos theory focuses on translation as an activity
with an aim or purpose, and on the intended
addressee or audience of the translation. To translate
means to produce a target text in a target setting for
a target purpose and target addressees in target
circumstances

4. Reiss's text typology
The 'informative‘
text where the content is the main focus. These texts
do plain communication of facts, information,
knowledge, opinions etc. The logical or referential
dimension of language is what is involved.

5. Reiss's text typology
The 'expressive' text
where the focus is on creative composition and
aesthetics. Both the author (the sender) and the
message are what are foregrounded. Imaginative
creative literature exemplifies these texts.

6. Reiss's text typology
The 'operative' text
where the focus is 'appellative' by which what is meant
is that the text appeals to the reader to act in a certain
way, persuading, dissuading, requesting, and cajoling
him. The form of language is dialogic.

7. Reiss's text typology
The audio medial text
where the focus is on visual and audio representations.
The audio medial parts supplement the other three text
types with visual images and music etc.

8. References
Reiss, K. (1981/2000) 'Type, kind and individuality of
text: decision making in translation', translated by S.
Kitron in L. Venuti (ed) (2000), pp. 160-71.
Vermeer, H. (1989/2000) 'Skopos and commission in
translational action', in L. Venuti (ed.) (2000),pp. 221-
32.