In this conclusive article to the edited volume The translation studies reader: second edition, Lawrence Venuti, editor of this volume, reflects on translation and the function of the translated text. Communication is often described as the main function of a translated text, but translation is by no means a simple communicative act. Translation never communicates in an untroubled fashion because teh translator negotiates the linguistic and cultural differences of the foreign text by reducing them and and supplying another set of differences, drawn from the receiving language and culture to enable the foreign to be received there. Furthermore the author reflects on the utopian dimension in translation. The text is illustrated with many examples as an illustration of the author's theory.