Babel - Volume 71, Issue 4, 2025

Abstract

Translation universals have been a central focus in corpus-based translation studies (CBTS), providing key insights into translated texts. However, their diachronic aspects remain underexplored despite extensive study. This study addresses this gap using Biber’s (1988) linguistic feature indicators. It primarily investigates the diachronic evolution of register features in translated Chinese texts across four sampling periods, aiming to identify potential translation-specific features that may emerge over time. The study utilizes the CDCMC, a diachronic composite corpus comprising twenty million words sampled over four periods and spanning five genres. The research findings are as follows: (1) from a diachronic perspective, our analysis reveals a notable tendency towards “leveling out” in text variety among translated Chinese texts, with changes being comparatively smaller than those observed in original Chinese texts; (2) diachronic analysis revealed significant differences in four-dimensional features between translated and original Chinese texts, highlighting that translated texts are more informative, logically and semantically explicit, and demonstrate stronger argumentative and persuasive qualities than original Chinese texts; (3) multivariate regression analysis indicates stable linguistic traits over time with significant stage-wise variations, supporting translation as “constrained language” while also suggesting translated Chinese texts possess a degree of “activeness” compared to originals.

Abstract

Drawing on Itamar Even-Zohar’s (1979) polysystem theory and Gideon Toury’s (1978) norms, this study attempts to illuminate the dynamics of Thailand’s Chinese BL publishing industry through interview data collected from six editors of Chinese BL-oriented publishers. The study reveals that participants at various levels can exert their agency in selecting Chinese BL texts, and given the strong demand for Chinese BL, expediency prevails in the decision-making process. Chinese BL imprints under larger publishing companies tend to enforce a broader range of taboo tropes due to their heightened concern for profit margins. Meanwhile, small independent publishers are more generous with their manuscript selection and typically have their own signature themed lines of publications, aimed not only at catering to a niche market but also at satisfying the personal preferences of their executive staff. The competition for Chinese BL has diminished the monopoly of large publishing companies over the acquisition of popular manuscripts, enabling small to medium publishers to gain a foothold in the Chinese BL market. In terms of translation, owing to the visibility of readers (Chang and Zhao 2022), the initial norm of acceptability is prioritized, although the criteria for acceptable translations may differ from one manuscript to another.

Abstract

This corpus-driven study examines how court interpreters utilize Cantonese utterance particles (UPs) in sentence-initial positions within the bilingual discourse of Hong Kong’s courtrooms. By analyzing 57,145 utterances from five sexual assault trials, we find that interpreters systematically employ UPs to manage interactions in court. Notably, the particles 咁 (gam) and 嗱 (na) account for 84% of sentence-initial occurrences, highlighting their significance in this context. Statistical analysis reveals significant differences in UP usage patterns across different cases (p < .001, η² = .878), suggesting the presence of intentional pragmatic strategies. The findings indicate that interpreters use UPs not only to regulate turn-taking but also to assert authority and adjust pragmatic force during witness examinations. This research enhances our understanding of the role of language in legal settings and emphasizes the importance of UPs in facilitating effective communication in bilingual courtroom environments.

Abstract

Video gaming has become a widely popular form of entertainment globally. However, visually impaired individuals frequently encounter challenges when trying to access most games. Audio description (AD) provides a solution by converting visual elements into spoken words, thus making content accessible to those with vision loss. While recent studies suggest translating audio description scripts for films and TV as a cost-effective strategy across languages and cultures, audio descriptions for video games remain relatively underexplored. This paper presents the findings of the TransAD4Games project, which examined whether translating audio descriptions from English is more time and cost-efficient than creating audio descriptions from scratch in Spanish, and also explored the differences between the two versions. Focusing on the game Before I Forget (3-Fold Games, 2020), audio descriptions were translated into Spanish by a professional translator, while another describer generated audio descriptions in Spanish from the ground up. Interviews with both the translator and the describer gathered their insights on the process and the challenges encountered. A subsequent comparison of the two versions highlighted the differences. After outlining the current state of audio description in video games and providing a brief review of existing scholarly discussions on the translation of audio description scripts, the research design and principal findings are shared. The study indicates that translating audio descriptions is faster and more cost-effective than creating it from scratch in Spanish, although the originally crafted Spanish audio descriptions offer greater detail. Future research involving a larger corpus would be essential to validate the findings of this study.

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the strategies used to translate three Arabic songs performed by the Lebanese singer Fairuz, an iconic vocalist and one of the most celebrated singers in the history of the Arab world. The analyzed data comprised the translations of three songs provided by five university professors of English and Translation. The translations were assessed using Low’s (2005) five criteria: singability, rhyme, rhythm, sense, and naturalness. The findings showed that the translators employed strategies such as literal translation, insertion, omission, adaptation, paraphrasing, transposition, and substitution. The analysis indicated that a successful song translation maintains faithfulness in terms of sense and naturalness while retaining musicality in terms of singability, rhyme, and rhythm. Fairuz’s songs also contain many cultural elements, requiring additional skill and awareness in this area. The results further indicated that translators who prioritized faithfulness struggled to achieve musicality, while those who focused on musicality experienced shifts and deviations regarding sense. The study concludes that both content and music are of high relevance, so translators must find a balance between the two.

This article reviews Linguistics for Translators

This article reviews Time, Space, Matter in Translation

This article reviews Queer in Translation: Sexual Politics under Neoliberal Islam

This article reviews Translation under Communism

This article reviews Translation as Creative-Critical PracticeExperimental Translation: The Work of Translation in the Age of Algorithmic Production