How general is translation?

TL;DR

Translation studies as an academic discipline has developed differently in the United States compared to Europe and Canada, with implications for its generalizability and application in various contexts.

Transcript

I'm here to talk about translation and particularly translation studies my title is how general is translation and that should be I think a no-brainer if this is the plenary that brings together people from all these separate language sessions in linguistics language teaching and literature translation is presumably something that is in some way co... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇺🇸 The development of translation studies differs across countries, with the United States having a different approach due to the emphasis on trained translators and interpreters.
• ℹ️ The Western translation form, with concepts such as source and target texts, is not applicable to all translation practices and traditions.
• 🧑‍🏭 Translation practices vary across cultures and languages, influenced by historical, religious, and linguistic factors.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the development of translation studies in the United States differed from that in Europe and Canada?

In the United States, there is a smaller emphasis on trained translators and interpreters, resulting in a lack of focus on translation as an academic discipline. Instead, translation is now being studied in departments of comparative literature and world literature, leading to a different theoretical framework.

Q: What are some challenges in defining translation within the Western translation form?

The Western translation form relies on concepts such as source and target texts, complete interpretive resemblance, and quantitative invariants. However, these concepts do not account for translation practices such as intra-lingual translation, orality, and adaptive translations that exist outside of the Western tradition.

Q: How has the concept of translation evolved in different cultures and languages?

Different cultures and languages have their own ideas of translation, influenced by historical, religious, and linguistic factors. Some cultures prioritize the source language, while others emphasize the target language. Western translation studies has spread to other cultures, leading to a mix of Western concepts and local translation practices.

Q: What is the speaker's proposal in rethinking translation concepts?

The speaker suggests reevaluating the foundational splits and divisions in translation studies. This includes reconsidering the divisions between written and spoken translation, redefining equivalence or fidelity in translation, and recognizing the impact of technological advancements on translation practices.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Translation studies has been primarily developed in Europe and Canada, but its establishment in the United States has been different due to the prominence of trained translators and interpreters in the country.

• The exclusion of translation from second language teaching in the United States has limited the academic focus on translation.

• Recent developments in departments of comparative literature and world literature have given translation a theoretical framework in the United States.

• The speaker brings the discipline of translation studies from a European Canadian tradition and questions how it can fit in the United States' academic landscape.