1. Introduction to Translation
LESSON 2

2. Reiss’s Text Types (1/4) Katharina Reiss (1977) TEXT-LEVEL EQUIVALENCE
Three functions of language (by Karl Bühler):
Informative function
Expressive function
Appellative function  that she will call “operative”

3. Reiss’s Text Types (2/4)
Reiss links these functions to the corresponding language “dimensions” and to the text types or communicative situations in which they are used
Munday, 2001: 112

4. Reiss’s Text Types (3/4)
For each text type, Reiss gives examples of text varieties (Textsorte) associated with them - which we would now call genres 7 Munday, 2001: 113

5. Reiss’s Text Types (4/4)
The transmission of the predominant function of the ST is the determining factor by which the TT is judged (Reiss, 1976: 20) A specific translation method for every text type INFORMATIVE TEXT  “plain prose”, without redundancy and with the use of explicitation EXPRESSIVE TEXT  “identifying method”, trying to transmit the aesthetic and artistic form of the ST OPERATIVE TEXT  “adaptive method”, the TT should produce the desired response in the TT receiver

6. Reiss’s Instruktionen
INSTRUCTION CRITERIA to assess the adequacy of a TT
(with varying importance according to the text type!)
LINGUISTIC COMPONENTS
Semantic equivalence
Lexical equivalence
Grammatical and stylistic features
NON – LINGUISTIC COMPONENTS
Situation
Subject field
Time and place
Receiver
Sender
“affective implication” (irony, emotion, etc.)

7. The TT – called the translatum – has to be fit for PURPOSE
Skopos Theory (1/3)
Katharina Reiss & Hans J. Vermeer’s Grundlegung einer allgemeine Translationstheorie (1984)
The TT – called the translatum – has to be fit for PURPOSE
The TT has to be “functionally adequate”, therefore knowing why a ST is to be translated and what the function of the TT will be is crucial for the translator (Munday, 2001: 122)

8. Skopos Theory (2/3) SKOPOS THEORY’S RULES:
A translatum (TT) is determined by its skopos
A TT is an offering of information (Informationsangebot) in a TC and TL concerning an offering of information in a TC and TL
A TT does not initiate an offer of information in a clearly reversible way
A TT must be internally coherent
A TT must be coherent with the ST
The five rules above stand in hierarchical order, with the skopos rule predominating
(Reiss and Vermeer, 1984: 119)

9. Skopos Theory (3/3)
RULE 4 and 5 – “A TT must be internally coherent” and “A TT must be coherent with the ST” - concern how the translation has to be judged, that is, on its FUNCTIONAL ADEQUACY RULE 4 – COHERENCE RULE The TT must be translated in such a way that it makes sense for the TT receivers, given the circumstances, knowledge and needs RULE 5 – FIDELITY RULE There must be coherence between the translatum and the ST or, more specifically, between: 1) the ST information received by the translator; 2) the interpretation the translator makes of this information; 3) the information that is encoded for the TT receivers

10. References
HOLMES, J. S “The name and nature of translation studies”, in L. Venuti (ed) The Translation Studies Reader. London and New York: Routledge. MUNDAY, J Introducing Translation Studies. Theories and Applications. London and New York: Routledge. REISS, K Texttyp und Übersetzugsmethode: Der operative Text. Kronberg: Scriptor Verlag. REISS, K. and H. J. Vermeer Grundlegung einer allgemeine Translationstheorie. Tübingen: Niemeyer.

11. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
PROF.SSA LAURA LIUCCI