Catherine Way, Translation as social action

TL;DR

Translation social action explores the evolving role of translators as intercultural mediators and experts in intercultural communication, with implications for fields such as legislation, treaty translation, and even manual writing.

Transcript

uh translation social action is a topic which you won't perhaps see as frequently uh as other topics particularly in in research although it is something that has been uh buzzing around for some time uh but is not has not been taken up very much by by Academia yet it's something we've been working on for some time now in the Avanti research group u... Read More

Key Insights

• 🚨 Translation social action is an emerging field that explores the changing role of translators as intercultural mediators and experts in intercultural communication.
• 🏑 The traditional role of translators has expanded to include active intervention in various fields, such as treaty translation and legislation drafting.
• 💁 Debates exist regarding the extent to which translators should intervene and make explicit information implicit in their translations.
• 🙈 Practical applications of translation social action can be seen in countries like the Netherlands, where intercultural mediators are being used in hospitals.
• 🥺 There is a need for clearer guidelines and professional standards for translators, as variations in translations can lead to mistrust from authorities and clients.
• ❓ Translation social action has the potential to address social injustice and improve communication in various contexts.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the traditional role of translators evolved in recent years?

The traditional role of translators as intermediaries between original and target languages has expanded to include active intervention as intercultural mediators and experts in intercultural communication.

Q: What are some examples of the changes brought about by translation social action?

Changes can be seen in the translation of treaties and legislation, with a shift towards co-drafting and involving translators, lawyers, and politicians in the process. Some companies also involve translators from the beginning in writing different language drafts of manuals.

Q: What are the debates surrounding the level of intervention by translators?

There is debate over whether translators should restrict themselves to translating words or if they can intervene to make implicit information explicit. Different authors have different viewpoints on this matter.

Q: How is translation social action being applied in practical settings?

Some countries, such as the Netherlands, are exploring the use of intercultural mediators in social processes, such as hospitals. There are also discussions about the role of translators in addressing social injustice and improving communication.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The traditional role of translators as intermediaries between original and target languages has shifted to include a greater field of communication and active intervention as intercultural mediators.

• Translation social action has led to changes in areas such as treaty translation, legislation drafting, and even manual writing, with translators involved from the beginning rather than simply translating texts.

• There is debate over the extent to which translators should intervene and make explicit information implicit in their translations, but the role of translators as social agents within the translation process is gaining recognition.