application of translation theory to non-literary texts belinda maia universidade do porto
TRANSCRIPT
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Application of Translation Theory to non-literary texts
Belinda Maia
Universidade do Porto
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Translation Theory
• Linguistic theories - at different levels:– general lexicon – terminology– syntax and semantics– sentence organization and word order– text organization
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Translation Theory
• Literary theory
• Cultural studies
• Philosophy
• Translation Studies– function of original– function of translation– context of translation process
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Reality!
• Literary translation does not earn one a living!
• Literary translation accounts for about 5% of translation done annually in the world
• Real-life translation is very varied
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Questions
• Is real-life translation boring?
• Consider the semantics of Bore/Boring
• How does one become interested in anything - and everything?
• How far do translation curricula prepare one being interested in everything?
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A suggestion
• ROBINSON, Douglas. 1997. Becoming a Translator: An Accelerated Course. London and New York: Routledge.
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Translation - the User’s view
• Robinson (1997:6) – External knowledge:
• “A non-translator (especially a monolingual reader in the target language who directly or indirectly pays for the translation – a client, a book-buyer) thinks and talks about translation from ouside the process, not knowing how it is done” but knowing a good translation when s/he sees one
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User’s priorities
• Reliability
• Timeliness
• Cost
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Textual Reliability
• What does the client want?– Literalism
– Foreignism
– Fluency
– Summary
– Commentary
– Summary-commentary
– Adaptation
– Encryption
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Points to ponder
• Think about the different circumstances of translating:– a letter– an agenda for tomorrow’s meeting– advertising copy– instruction manual– a tender– an academic textbook
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Points to ponder
• Consider why different users want different types of translation
• Consider how translators are / should be responsible for interpreting their client’s requirements
• Refer back to translation theory
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Translator reliability 1
• Reliability with regard to the text – Attention to detail – Sensitivity to the user's needs– Research– Checking and Revising
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Translator reliability 2
• Reliability with regard to the client: – Versatility– Promises– Friendliness– Confidentiality– Hardware and software
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Timeliness
• Consider time needed to translate from: – The user's points of view – yesterday!– The translator's point of view – approximately
10 pages per day?
• Consider importance of team work
• Consider using machine (assisted) translation
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Cost
• VERY IMPORTANT!
• BUT – consider differences of opinion between User and Translator as influenced by their different perceptions of the work
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The translator’s view
• Robinson (1997:6) – Internal knowledge:“A translator think and talks about translation
from inside the process, knowing how it’s done, possessing a practical real-world sense of the problems involved, some solutions to those problems, and the limitations on those solutions”
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Who are translators?Adapted from Robinson (1997:26-7)
• Do you think you want to be a full-time translator? • Do you understand why ' translators and (especially)
interpreters all have something of the actor in them'? • Would you describe yourself as 'voracious and
omnivorous readers' and 'hungry for real-world experience'?
• Do you pay attention to how people use language all about you?
• How multi-lingual and multi-cultural are you?
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Professional Pride and Enjoyment
• Do you agree that 'most people ... would rather take professional pride in a job that pays less than get rich doing things they don't believe in'? ( Robinson (1997:26-7)
• Reliability > Do you think that professional pride in reliability should override personal considerations?
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Professional pride
• Involvement in the profession – What do you know about translator associations
in Germany and Europe? – How do you think you can make contact with
other translators?
• Raising the status of the profession– Is this necessary in Germany?
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Ethics
• Would you translate texts:– You find offensive?– You disagree with religiously, politically and
morally?– That are sexist?– That are anti-environmental?– ETC.?
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Speed & Project Management
• How fast do you translate/ word-process?
• What alternatives are there to word-processing?
• Have you experience of Project Management?
• What other considerations need to be taken when you consider speed of work?
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The process of translation
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Working with people
• Do you prefer to work:– Alone at home?– In an office with a team?– In a ‘virtual’ team?
• Would you like administrative or public relations work in a translation company?
• What does such work entail?
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Using technology
• Can you use:– Sophisticated Desktop Publishing software?– Translation memories?– Terminology databases?– Translator’s Workbench?– Machine translation?
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Acquiring culture
• Describe your cultural interests.
• Do you follow the international news on the radio or television?
• Do you read serious newspapers?
• What are you reading at present?
• Describe your favourite books.
• Do you often read non-fiction? If so, what?
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Exploring knowledge
• When asked to do specialized translation, what do you do?– Buy a specialized dictionary or glossary?– Ask the client for their terminology
database/translation memory?– Consult the specialist on the terminology?– Collect and use specialized corpora?– Acquire specialized knowledge on the subject?
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On-line information resources
• Dictionaries, glossaries
• On-line databases – e.g. CELEX, EURODICAUTOM etc
• Corpora
• Translator’s pages
• Specialized sites
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Terminology researchRobinson (1997:158)
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Localization
• Localization = Translating software BUT it involves:– Translation– IT knowledge– Project Management– Teamwork
• See Esselink (2000) for more details
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Multimedia & Translation
• Sub-titling
• Dubbing
• Voice over
• Hypertext
• Webpages
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Translation Theory and Reality
• Would you agree that an appreciation of translation theory:– will improve a translator‘s ability to respond to
a client‘s needs?– will make the process of translation more
interesting?– will contribute to the translator‘s self-respect?
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Bibliography
• ESSELINK, Bert. 2000 A Practical Guide to Localization. John Benjamins
• MAIA, Belinda, Johann Haller & Margerhita Ulrych. 2002. (eds.) Training the Language Services Provider for the New Millennium. Porto: FLUP.
• ROBINSON, Douglas. 1997. Becoming a Translator: An Accelerated Course. London and New York: Routledge.
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Links
• HLT Central: http://www.hltcentral.org/page-83.shtml
• European Commission• http://europa.eu.int/comm/translation/theory/
index_en.htm• ETC.