1．2 The Makings of a Translator译者的素质
No matter what sort of translation it may be，it surely serves as an intermedium between two different languages and cultures，between the peoples of two countries，just like the matchmaker between a boy and a girl．To be a successful matchmaker one must be very familiar with the boy and the girl．In addition，one should learn some good methods and work flexibly．To do an adequate translation is very like to act as a successful matchmaker．The translator had to be well acquainted with languages，the source language and the target language．Besides，one should learn the methods used in translating and the theory guiding translation．The modern theory is closely related to practices，stylistics，comparative linguistics，sociolinguistics，semantics，psychology，semiotics，comparative literature and logic，and others，among which，comparative linguistics，stylistics and transformational generative grammar are most influential to translation．Therefore，a qualified translator must be also good at linguistics，stylistics and semantics，and he had better be a versatile scholar．The well-known American translator and translation theorist Eugene A．Nida puts forth the following indispensable qualifications，which translators must have if they are to produce satisfactory translations．