Reconsidering the position and role of translation theoriesAbstract: Nida’s ideas on translation have great influence on Chinese translation scholars. His recent statement- “my ideas have changed substantially” -will surely have a negative impact on the development of translation studies in China. This thesis aims at analyzing, from three perspectives, the reasons for nida’s change of views on translation. It will also give a re-evaluation of the position and role of translation theories in translation studies, as well as explore the relation of theory and practice.Key words: translation studies; translation theories; translation practice; descriptive study