Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do Porto Línguas e Literaturas Modernas INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION STUDIES Power Point 14 Monday, 3 Decem Monday, 3 December 2007

Theory of “translatorial” or “translational action” by Justa Holz- Mänttäri, 1984 Please read this link from Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies (available in the FLUP library) ( BOQC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=justa+%22holz +m%C3%A4ntt%C3%A4ri%22+translatorial+ action+model&source=web&ots=MfzQGerih0& sig=NP_ZpFAFqiyF9fUKKKfK1T_oA64) BOQC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=justa+%22holz +m%C3%A4ntt%C3%A4ri%22+translatorial+ action+model&source=web&ots=MfzQGerih0& sig=NP_ZpFAFqiyF9fUKKKfK1T_oA64http://books.google.com/books?id=T8Mt8ObE BOQC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=justa+%22holz +m%C3%A4ntt%C3%A4ri%22+translatorial+ action+model&source=web&ots=MfzQGerih0& sig=NP_ZpFAFqiyF9fUKKKfK1T_oA64

Criticisms levelled at the skopos theory The theory claims to be ‘general’, i.e. applicable to every text, but is in fact valid mostly for non- literary texts. Reiss’s functions and Vermeer skopoi are different functional phenomena and this might be confusing. The linguistic nature of the ST is neglected and smaller segments of text may be inadequately translated even if the general objective is fulfilled. The metalanguage coined for the theory (translatum, skopos, etc.), just as in Holz-Mänttäri case, confuses rather than clarifying matters.

Nord’s Text Analysis in Translation: (1988/91) Textanalyze und Übersetzung: Theoretische Grundlagen, Methode und didaktische Anwendung einer übersetzungsrelevanten Textanalyze Textanalyze und Übersetzung: Theoretische Grundlagen, Methode und didaktische Anwendung einer übersetzungsrelevanten Textanalyze (published in Heidelberg in 1988) Text Analysis in Translation:Theory, Methodology and Didactic Application of a Model for Translation-Oriented Text Analysis (translation published in Amsterdam by Rodopi, in 1991)

Nord’s model takes into account the criticisms of Skopostheorie and offers a new functionalist approach. She distinguishes between: Documentary translation (readers are aware that it is a translation; e.g., literary T, word-for-word T, literal T, ‘exoticizing T’, i.e., to keep some of the ‘local colour’ of the ST) Documentary translation (readers are aware that it is a translation; e.g., literary T, word-for-word T, literal T, ‘exoticizing T’, i.e., to keep some of the ‘local colour’ of the ST) Instrumental translation (TT receivers read the TT believing it is a ST written in their own language for a specific communicative situation) (Munday: 72-73) Instrumental translation (TT receivers read the TT believing it is a ST written in their own language for a specific communicative situation) (Munday: 72-73)

Nord’s guidelines seek to give T students a model to analyse STs “which is applicable to all text types and translation situations”. It has a lot in common with Reiss and Vermeer’s as well as Holz-Mänttäri work (functionalism, translation action and its players)

Translation as a Purposeful Activity 1997 With this new book, Nord revises her model to make it more flexible. The “3 aspects of functionalist approaches that are particularly useful in translator training” are:  The importance of the translation brief (T commission)  The role of ST analysis  The functionalist hierarchy of T problems

1. The importance of the T brief The translators compare the profiles of the ST and the TT as defined in the brief. The T brief should carry the following info for both texts: The intended text functions The intended text functions The addresses (sender and recipient) The addresses (sender and recipient) The time and place of text reception The time and place of text reception The medium The medium The motive (why the ST was written and why it is being translated) Munday:82 The motive (why the ST was written and why it is being translated) Munday:82

2. The role of ST analysis ST is analysed according to the following intratextual factors: Subject matter Subject matter Content: including connotation and cohesion Content: including connotation and cohesion Presuppositions: real-world factors of the communicative situation presumed to be known to the participants; Presuppositions: real-world factors of the communicative situation presumed to be known to the participants; Composition: including micro- and macrostructure Composition: including micro- and macrostructure Non-verbal elements: illustrations, italics, etc. Non-verbal elements: illustrations, italics, etc. Lexis: incl. dialect, register and specific terminology Lexis: incl. dialect, register and specific terminology Sentence structure Sentence structure Suprasegmental features: incl. stress, rhythm etc. Suprasegmental features: incl. stress, rhythm etc. Munday: 83

3. The functional hierarchy of translation problems a. Decide on intended function of T (documentary or instrumental) b. Identify elements to be adapted to TT receivers’ situation (after analysis of T brief) c. The T type determines the T style (oriented towards the SC or the TC) d. Deal with text problems at a lower linguistic level (as in the ST analysis in 2)

This approach combines strong points from the various functional and action theories, namely  Holz-Mänttäri’s emphasis on T commission and its players  Text functions follow Reiss and Vermeer’s skopos, but the skopos here is not the all dominant factor.  ST analysis (influenced by Reiss) highlights the communicative function and genre features of the ST type and language, but it is more flexible than the other functional theories

TASK Work in pairs or groups of three. Each group will receive a ST and its corresponding TT. Follow Nord’s model and produce a case study in which you establish The ST-TT profiles and you conduct a ST analysis choosing 3 or 4 elements form Nord’s list of intratextual factors. (Refer to Munday’s Case study on p )