Approaches to Translation Ju Miao Nankai University

Questions  Why do we need research?  What is related to research?  What will be the outcome of research?  How do we conduct research?

About this course  The benefits/ objectives --- to answer the questions; --- to have a better understanding of translation --- to conceive a map of Translation Studies --- to be able to do research

About this course  The ultimate goal --- to get ready for your prospective research and thesis writing --- to know what and to know how  The final result ---To Graduate!

The outline of this course

Why research?  From practice to theory  From doing to understanding  From impression to rationalization  To understand better--- to do better  To make progress

Why research?  Human activities--- purposeful  ---for survival---for life---for work  ---for freedom---progress---culture  ---civilization---art---communication

is related to research? What is related to research?  Objects of study  Methods/ methodology  Perspectives/ approaches/ paradigm  Theme/ focus  Hypotheses/ presupposition  Processes

What outcome?  Objectives/ aims  Conclusions/ theories  Confirmation/ verification  Significance/ value  Contributions

How do we conduct research?  Logical reasoning---inductive--- deductive  Empirical---qualitative---quantitative  Case study  Descriptive studies

Empirical descriptive  To observe/ observational study  To describe  To explain  To predict  Characteristics---  objective, scientific, systematic, data- based, experimental,

Research areas of translation  Product--- the translated text  Process--- the thinking process, the mental mechanisms,  Subject--- the translator--- the translation competence  Craft--- methods---strategies--- skills/techniques

Research areas of translation  Extra-textual factors---  socio-cultural--- influencing--- contextual---  historical---ideological---power  market

Theoretical models of translation  Linguistic perspective--- Comparative, source-oriented, descriptions on linguistic forms and levels of the source and target texts, Comparative, source-oriented, descriptions on linguistic forms and levels of the source and target texts, semantic/ textual/ contextual analyses, microscopic view semantic/ textual/ contextual analyses, microscopic view

 Descriptive studies--- on the products, processes, functions; on the products, processes, functions; all translational phenomena, all translational phenomena, the real world of our experience, the real world of our experience, macroscopic perspective/analysis macroscopic perspective/analysis

 German Functionalist--- text types and their functions text types and their functions purpose-oriented, skopos theory, communicative functions purpose-oriented, skopos theory, communicative functions communicators and receivers communicators and receivers

 The philosophical theories of translation  Deconstructionist approach  Philosophical hermeneutics: traditional---the hermeneutic circle traditional---the hermeneutic circle modern---Gadamar’s 3 propositions modern---Gadamar’s 3 propositions

 Cognitive approaches to translation process-oriented, the thinking process process-oriented, the thinking process mental mechanisms, mental mechanisms, problem-solving and decision-making process; strategies problem-solving and decision-making process; strategies

The text-linguistic model  Posited by Albrecht Neubert, cofounder of the Leipzig School of Translation Theory  Monograph: Translation as Text  Original insights:  the nature of translation  translation and text  models of translation  the textual perspective on translation

 Propositions:  Translation is text-centered. The text is the central defining issue in translation.  Text as the primary object of research  Potential to act as a unifying concept in the discipline of Translation Studies  The text and the features which give it textuality--- an integrating concept for the interdiscipline of translation.

 Defining research---  “systematic investigation towards increasing the sum of knowledge” (Chambers 1989),  “creating new knowledge” (Gillham 2000), increasing the sum of our knowledge (Williams2002)

 The map in Translation Studies---  The uncharted territory for research where you find your place, position, or area of interest.

 Research process---  Choosing an area  Making a preliminary plan  Searching through the literature  Reading and thinking

 Defining the research question  Revising the plan  Collecting data  Analyzing the data  Processing the results

 Writing a draft  Evaluating, eliciting feedback  Thinking of implications  Finalizing the text  Presenting your research report

The proposal  1. The background of the research  2. Objects of study and objectives  3. Literature review  4. The significance and contributions of the research

The proposal  5. The theoretical basis/framework  6. Methodologies  7. Outline of the contents  8. References

 Introduce your theme, reasons for selecting the topic, and research questions.  Review relevant research, previous studies, references, sources.  Plan the steps/ procedures to carry out the research.

The thesis structure  Title  Abstract  Introduction  1. The background of and reasons for the research,  2. Objects of study and objectives  3. Literature review  4. The theoretical basis/framework

The main body: chapters  Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4

Inherent relations:  relevant parts, closely related,  all supporting to the central theme  in the correct order,  reflecting a progression, deeper in the analysis  a coherent whole in overview

Conclusion  1. A summary of the research  2. The significance and contributions of the research  3. Emphasize your important/major points, concluding thoughts.

Bibliography  A list of your references  Keep complete bibliographic records

 The title---reflecting the central theme of the paper  The central theme going through the paper  Chapters contributing to / supporting the central theme  The conclusions derived from the chapters.

Suggestions for writing the Conclusion ：  Clarify the central theme of your study and the objectives of the research.  Give a general review of the whole research/writing, by going over the main contents.

 Explain the relationship of the parts in the structure, how they are related to support each other, contributing to the central theme.  Explain the characteristics, the originality and the methodology of your research.

 Outline what you have done / achieved, and the significance of the results.  Emphasize your important/major points.  Summarize your concluding thoughts.  State your original contributions and the significance of the research results.

e.g. Your contributions: Providing new data; suggesting answers; testing/refining hypothesis, theory, or methodology; proposing new ideas, hypothesis, theory, methodology. e.g. Your contributions: Providing new data; suggesting answers; testing/refining hypothesis, theory, or methodology; proposing new ideas, hypothesis, theory, methodology.  Look forward to the future with comments, suggestions, and predictions.