A correlative approach to translation

In the last forty years, much translation theory has been dominated by themes such as text typology, languages for special purposes, text linguistics and a rigid functionalism. It has been assumed, following Bühler, and then Nida, Paul Hartmann, Reiß and others, that all texts can be divided approximately into three categories viz. expressive, informative and persuasive (directive, operative), and that each category calls for a different translation method, the expressive leaning towards the authors, their language and their culture; the informative towards the readers and the facts; and the persuasive towards the readers who have to act after being informed. Further, it has been claimed that all translations have clear purposes and that all the translator has to do is to satisfy the employer or the readership.