In translating, a text in one language is replaced by a functionally equivalent text in another language. Whether and how functional equivalence can be achieved critically depends on two empirically derived (House 1981) types of translation, overt and covert translation. This distinction is tied to a theory of translation (House 1997, 2009).
References
House, Juliane
1981 (2d ed.). A Model for Translation Quality Assessment. Tübingen: Narr.
House, Juliane
1997Translation Quality Assessment: A Model Revisited. Tübingen: Narr. TSB
House, Juliane
2009Translation. Oxford: Oxford University PressBoP