PowerPoint Presentation

Anthony pymTranslation Laws and Universals as signals of risk-aversionBehavioral tendenciesLev, Ji. 1963/2011. Umn pekladu: it is the psychology inherent in the activity of translating that is behind the tendency for translators themselves to opt for generalisation, neutralisation and repetition [as opposed to variation].

Some tendenciesSimplification: the process and/or result of making do with less [different] words (Blum-Kulka and Levenston 1983)Explicitation: making implicit information explicit (Blum-Kulka 1986)Equalizing: avoidance of extremes of language use (Shlesinger 1989) Unique items: items only found in the target language tend not to be used (Tirkkonen-Condit 2004)Some lawsStandardization: conversion of textemes into repertoremes (Toury 1995/2012)Interference: The greater the text unit (phrase, sentence, paragraph, chapter), the greater the interference. (Toury 1995/2012)

PROBLEMS WITH CORPORAAll units are presumed to have the same value. Few probabilistic statistics are in sight. No modeling can be made of translation processes (especially effort). No causes can be identified.

Causes for tendencies?Vinay and Darbelnet (1958): prudence but also ignoranceLev (1963): communication vs. aesthetic functionPopovi (1975): commercialization vs. qualityChesterman (2004): translators are also readersDavidson (1973) charity or rational accommodation Quine (1990, 1995) empathy

Rational risk analysisManage risk of communicative failure (when there a no mutual benefits for partners)Some items are high-risk, others are low-risk. Work hard on high-risk items (i.e. reduce risk) Do not work hard on low-risk items (i.e. accept risk)Blame someone else when high-risk items are not worth the effort (i.e. transfer risk)Run high risk?

A simple translation problem

A simple translation problemTing Ting Maggie Hui, RISK MANAGEMENT BY TRAINEE TRANSLATORS: A STUDY OF TRANSLATION PROCEDURES AND JUSTIFICATIONS IN PEER-GROUP INTERACTION (2012)

Shop fearlessly

Shop fearlesslyNo.SolutionLiteral back-translationProcedureRisk management1!(during the process)Happy shopping!AdaptationR-2!(during the process)Enjoy your tour!SubstitutionR-3(during the process)Wish you happiness when you do the shopping!ExplicitationR-4 (in final TT)Enjoy your tour in the shop.SubstitutionR-Shop fearlesslyC4: Hmm hmmm (ST) Enjoy your adventure ?C7: (ST) Enjoy your adventure, , hahaC4: , C7: , , C4: ! ... ... , !C7: Hmm, !

C4: Hmm hmmm (ST) Enjoy your adventure?C7: (ST) Enjoy your adventure, Love your adventure, hahaC4: Adventure is not good Not to say adventure, how aboutC7: So it means: When you come the first time you enjoy right, when you come the first time you enjoy just come once and you enjoy being hereC4: Right, right! Because it seems to say come to a a place, then you you enjoy making many discoveries so it can be translated as Enjoy the discoveries you make!C7: Hmm, sounds good!Shop fearlesslyNo.SolutionLiteral back-translationProcedureRisk management1Love your adventureLiteralismR -> ST2

Enjoy the discoveries you makeShift of focusR-GET HUNGRY, Shop fearlesslyNo.SolutionLiteral back-translationProcedureRisk management1Get hungry, audaciouslyExaggerationR+2Get hungry, act now!OmissionR-fearless

TRANSLATORS RISK PROFILE

Some tendenciesSimplification: the process and/or result of making do with less [different] words (Blum-Kulka and Levenston 1983)Explicitation: making implicit information explicit (Blum-Kulka 1986)Equalizing: avoidance of extremes of language use (Shlesinger 1989) Unique items: items only found in the target language tend not to be used (Tirkkonen-Condit 2004)Some lawsStandardization: conversion of textemes into repertoremes (Toury 1995/2012)Interference: The greater the text unit (phrase, sentence, paragraph, chapter), the greater the interference. (Toury 1995/2012)

AN EXPLANATIONWith no equivalenceWith no fidelity With no essentialist Skopos or purpose With no assumption of complete information (Lev)With no more than a subject who estimates probable efforts and probable effects.

A universal reward structure?Authors always get the praise for what is good in a translation, and translators just get the blame for what is wrong (Leonardo Bruni 1405)