Application of Translation Theory to non-literary texts

Belinda Maia

Universidade do Porto

Translation Theory

• Linguistic theories - at different levels:– general lexicon – terminology– syntax and semantics– sentence organization and word order– text organization

Translation Theory

• Literary theory

• Cultural studies

• Philosophy

• Translation Studies– function of original– function of translation– context of translation process

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

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?

A suggestion

• ROBINSON, Douglas. 1997. Becoming a Translator: An Accelerated Course. London and New York: Routledge. 

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

User’s priorities

• Reliability

• Timeliness

• Cost

Textual Reliability

• What does the client want?– Literalism

– Foreignism

– Fluency

– Summary

– Commentary

– Summary-commentary 

– Adaptation

– Encryption

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

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

Translator reliability 1

• Reliability with regard to the text – Attention to detail       – Sensitivity to the user's needs– Research– Checking and Revising

Translator reliability 2

• Reliability with regard to the client: – Versatility– Promises– Friendliness– Confidentiality– Hardware and software

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

Cost

• VERY IMPORTANT!

• BUT – consider differences of opinion between User and Translator as influenced by their different perceptions of the work

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”

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?

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? 

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?

Ethics

• Would you translate texts:– You find offensive?– You disagree with religiously, politically and

morally?– That are sexist?– That are anti-environmental?– ETC.?

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?

The process of translation

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?

Using technology

• Can you use:– Sophisticated Desktop Publishing software?– Translation memories?– Terminology databases?– Translator’s Workbench?– Machine translation?

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?

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?

On-line information resources

• Dictionaries, glossaries

• On-line databases – e.g. CELEX, EURODICAUTOM etc

• Corpora

• Translator’s pages

• Specialized sites

Terminology researchRobinson (1997:158)

Localization

• Localization = Translating software BUT it involves:– Translation– IT knowledge– Project Management– Teamwork

• See Esselink (2000) for more details

Multimedia & Translation

• Sub-titling

• Dubbing

• Voice over

• Hypertext

• Webpages

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?

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. 

Links

• HLT Central: http://www.hltcentral.org/page-83.shtml

• European Commission• http://europa.eu.int/comm/translation/theory/

index_en.htm• ETC.