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- Volume 9, Issue, 2014
Translation and Interpreting Studies. The Journal of the American Translation and Interpreting Studies Association - Volume 9, Issue 2, 2014
Volume 9, Issue 2, 2014
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Translation as a social fact
Author(s): Sergey Tyulenevpp.: 179–196 (18)More LessThis article proposes a reading of classical works of Emile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of sociology, in light of their applicability to translation research. It is argued that, since translation is a social phenomenon, Durkheimian sociological thought may be of considerable help to Translation Studies (TS). The sociology of translation should be methodologically distinguished from the psychology of translation. In the sociology of translation, even studies of individual translations and translators should be conducted within a social context. In accordance with Durkheimian theory, it is argued that methodology for a sociologically-informed study of translation should avoid relying on common sense, which more often than not turns out to hamper, rather than help, the perception of translation as a social phenomenon. In other words, translation is presented as a social fact and the need to study it as such is strongly emphasized. Examples are borrowed from present-day translation research.
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Self-efficacy in translation
Author(s): Alicia Bolaños-Medinapp.: 197–218 (22)More LessSelf-efficacy is a construct which has been found to influence individuals’ performance and coping abilities, enhancing motivation and facilitating goal-setting, decision-making, academic achievement, and successful persistence in the face of difficulty (Bandura 1995). Although the related notions of self-awareness, self-confidence and self-concept have already been addressed in translatology (Hönig 1995; Kussmaul 1995; Kiraly 1995), no specific research has been conducted on the relationship between self-efficacy and translation. The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of self-efficacy from a social and cognitive perspective, as well as to explore its possible implications for translatology. An exploratory correlational study, based on self-report measures, was performed using the Spanish version of the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE) (Baessler and Schwarzer 1996). The results of this preliminary research suggest that self-efficacy is a construct of relevance for translation process-oriented research, related, in particular, to proficient source language reading comprehension, tolerance of ambiguity, and documentation abilities.
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The interpreter advantage hypothesis: Preliminary data patterns and empirically motivated questions
Author(s): Adolfo M. Garcíapp.: 219–238 (20)More LessThe ‘interpreter advantage hypothesis’ posits that task-specific cognitive skills developed by professional interpreters (PIs) generalize to more efficient linguistic and executive abilities in non-interpreting tasks. This paper reviews relevant studies in order to establish preliminary data patterns and outline new research questions. Though not entirely consistent, the evidence suggests that interpreting expertise enhances aspects of semantic processing, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. The data also gives rise to new related queries: Are linguistic and executive enhancements in PIs independent of each other? Are all the superior skills of PIs cumulatively enhanced by the double influence of bilingualism and interpreting experience? And how soon after the onset of formal training do these advantages appear? Tentative answers to these questions are also implied in the evidence considered.
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A cross-cultural study of metaphoric imagery in Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Author(s): Ali Reza Ghanoonipp.: 239–256 (18)More LessMetaphor is an important literary device, and its translation poses the challenge of switching between different cultural, conceptual, and linguistic frames of reference. This study uses cross-cultural comparison to investigate the metaphoric imagery used in six translations of Shakespeare’s Macbeth into three languages: French, Italian, and Persian. To accomplish the aims of the study, metaphoric images in this play were identified in the source and target texts and then subjected to comparative analysis using Newmark’s categorization of strategies for translating metaphors. After analyzing the translations in the above-mentioned languages, it became apparent that all the translators, including the two Persian translators, tended to retain the same metaphoric images as in the source text. This is somewhat surprising given the greater linguistic and cultural distance between English and Persian. The findings suggest that the literal treatment of metaphors — and not their explicitation — may be a translation universal, at least in regard to canonical texts.
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Questioning translation readers: Investigating the impact of foreignization and domestication in three Chinese-speaking locales
Author(s): Yong Zhongpp.: 257–273 (17)More LessMany claims have been made in translation studies regarding foreignization and domestication, but few empirical studies have been conducted to test those claims. Against this background, a survey was conducted to investigate the impact of foreignized and domesticated translations on three groups of Chinese readers. This study was conducted in two mainland Chinese cities (Beijing and Guangzhou) and one Taiwanese city (Douliou), including a total of 143 readers responding to two renditions of an English source text, one foreignized and one domesticated. The responses were then analyzed to determine the reader’s perception of the text in relation to the concepts of foreignization and domestication. Likewise, the responses were analyzed to determine whether the location of the study had an impact on the respondent’s answers. This paper presents findings of the study and concludes with a number of reflections on the now common concepts of “foreignization” and “domestication.”
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The sociological turn in the interpreter’s role: Discourse interpreting filters
Author(s): Lihua Jiang, Chong Han, Jinlin Jiang and Yue Fengpp.: 274–298 (25)More LessInterpreter-mediated communication, as a complex activity that involves social interaction among all participants, is increasingly important in today’s globalized world. A focus on sociolinguistic questions and on considerations associated with the interpreter’s presence and actions has led to opposing views ranging from that of “verbatim” interlinguistic reproducer or “conduit” to that of “advocate,” “cultural broker,” or “coordinator.” Still, the existing literature has rarely modeled the relationship between the parameters that influence the interpreter’s on-site decisions during a specific communication event. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the interpreter’s scope of action in a given communicative situation within a Triadic Discourse Interpreting Model (TRIM) by means of discourse interpreting filters, which show the interplay of static and dynamic TRIM parameters. Thus, the interpreter’s role is no longer defined by the verbatim-mediation dichotomy but rather reflects a decision-making continuum that evolves as the communication develops and offers a better understanding of the interpreter’s complex and important social role.
Volumes & issues
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Volume 19 (2024)
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Volume 18 (2023)
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Volume 17 (2022)
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Volume 16 (2021)
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Volume 15 (2020)
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Volume 14 (2019)
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Volume 13 (2018)
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Volume 12 (2017)
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Volume 11 (2016)
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Volume 10 (2015)
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Volume 9 (2014)
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Volume 8 (2013)
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Volume 7 (2012)
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Volume 6 (2011)
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Volume 5 (2010)
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Volume 4 (2009)
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Volume 3 (2008)
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Volume 2 (2007)
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Volume 1 (2006)
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