本文对布莱恩.哈里斯于20世纪70年代末提出的颇具争议的“自然翻译”理论及其发展进行了评述。文章介绍了“自然翻译”理论的产生背景、相关定义、三大命题、发展阶段及这一译学思想的不断丰富和完善。随后,文章对该译学思想的理论意义进行了探讨,并指出其相关理论对翻译教学,尤其是当前中国的MTI教学的借鉴作用。 This article reviews the controversial “Natural Translation” theory proposed by Brian Harris in the late 1970s and its development. The paper introduces the background, related definitions, the three major propositions, the stage of development and the constant enrichment and perfection of the translation theory of “natural translation ”. Subsequently, the article explores the theoretical significance of the translatology and points out the reference of its related theories to translation teaching, especially the current Chinese MTI teaching.