ABSTRACT
There is an erroneous opinion among some present scholars that translation theories are a modern invention, or at the most going back no further than John Dryden. This chapter explores how theories, particularly focusing on the Target Audience, have been applied in practice to some West Africa dramas written in English, and the Christian scriptures in one West African language. The many modern theories of what a good translation should be like, and how it should be accomplished, certain words occur again and again. It may seem obvious, but is sometimes forgotten, that the many theories extant today vary because they may speak for different Target Audiences (TA). The chapter provides a summary of some of the more modern theories, and, despite their proliferation in modern times, show that they do not depart very much from what has gone before, but often expand and clarify the basic principles.
