LINGUA E TRADUZIONE PER L'IMPRESA INTERNAZIONALE - Dott.ssa LAURA PICCHIO Lezione 6

LINGUA E TRADUZIONE
PER L’IMPRESA
INTERNAZIONALE
Dott.ssa LAURA PICCHIO
Lezione 6

DO YOU REMEMBER?
   Translating advertising  over languages and
    cultural barriers
   Translating advertising  TT should be functionally
    communicative for the receiver
   Translating cross-cultural advertising:
o   “painting the tip of an iceberg” (not only words but
    also culture)
o   culture acts as a filter  do not be culturally
    insensitive
o   culture influences copy and graphic  we may apply
    cultural filters
o   HCC vs LCC (Hall)
o   power distance; individualism/collectivism (Hofstede)
o   advertising styles

HOMEWORK

 Analysis
 Translation

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Beverly Adab, Cristina Valdes, Special Issue The
  translator, St. Jerome, 10:2, 2004
 Jeremy Munday, Introducing translation studies,
  Routledge, 2001
 Lucia    Molina,     Amparo      Hurtado    Albir,
  Translation techniques revisited: a dynamic and
  functionalist approach, Meta, XLVII: 4, 2002, pp.
  498-512

TRANSLATION ANALYSIS: WHAT DOES IT
MEAN?

 Translation         Translation analysis

Translation analysis allows us to understand how
translation works, how it functions in the TL/TC;
how the translator has achieved his/her goal,
which method and strategies s/he has applied in
his/her project.

(I) Translation analysis may refer to:
o Textual elements  text/product, process

o Extra-linguistic elements  context

(II)
o Context  extra-linguistic elements of ST vs TT
  (e.g.: audience)
o Text, Product  textual units of ST vs TT

o Process  how the translator has carried out
  his/her work

(III)
o Text, Product (micro-level of analysis)

 translation techniques: how TT unit functions in
  relation to the corresponding ST unit
o Process (macro-level of analysis)

 translation method: which option the translator
  applied to his/her translation project
 translation strategies: how the translator solved
  translation problems

Translation method, strategies and techniques can
  be seen as “an instrument of textual analysis
  that […] allows us to study how translation
  equivalence works in relation to the original
  text.”
  (Molina and Albir, 2002: 498)

EQUIVALENCE AND EQUIVALENT EFFECT
 Roman Jakobson (1995)
 Eugene Nida (1964)

 Peter Newmark (1981, 1985)

   Roman Jakobson: intralingual, interlingual,
    intersemiotic translation
o   Interlingual translation:
    SL  TL
   Linguistic meaning: linguistic sign (arbitrary) =
    signifier + signified
   Equivalence: no full equivalence between code-
    units, therefore “interlingual translation involves
    substituting messages in one language not for
    separate code-units but for entire messages in
    some other language.” (Munday, 2004: 37)
     2 equivalent messages in 2 different codes (SL
    vs TL).

   Eugene Nida
o   Meaning is not fixed, but it varies according to
    context (and culture)  denotative vs connotative
    meaning
o   Formal equivalence “focuses attention on the message
    itself, in both form and content. One is concerned that
    the message in the receptor language [TL] should
    match as closely as possible the different elements in
    the SL” (Nida in Munday, 2004: 41)
o   Dynamic equivalence is based on the “principle of
    equivalent effect, where the relationship between
    receptor and message should be substantially the
    same as that which existed between the original
    receptors and the message” (Ibid.: 42)  TT has to be
    tailored to the needs and the expectations of its
    readers.

   Peter Newmark
o   Semantic translation “attempts to render as
    closely as the semantic ans syntactic structures
    of the second language [TL] allow, the exact
    contextual meaning of the original.” (Ibid.: 44)
o   Communicative translation “attempts to produce
    on its readers an effect as close as possible to that
    obtain on the readers of the original.” (Ibid.)

o   According to Newmark (cf. table 3.1 in Munday,
    2004: 45), communicative translation is
    appropriate for advertisements because:
•   it is TT reader focused
•   It is oriented towards TL and TC
•   it transfers foreign elements into the TL
•   it is loyal to TL norms

•   Examples with idioms [look at the following
    slides]

   All bark and no bite    Can che abbaia ma
                             non morde
                            Tutto fumo e niente
                             arrosto

   Like a bull in a china      Come un elefante in
    shop                         una cristalleria

   Hold your horses      Aspetta un attimo!

EQUIVALENCE AND TRANSLATING
ADVERTISING

   So… translating advertising  it should look for
o   2 equivalent messages
o    dynamic / communicative equivalence 
    equivalent effect (and function! [functionalist
    theories])

   In other words… translating advertising
o   it should act as an instrumental translation (Nord
    1988/91)
o   It should act as a covert translation (House 1997),
    applying cultural filters

So as to produce a functionally communicative and
  adequate TT

    “Very often we see products advertised, and although
    we know that the manufacturer is not based in our
    home country, we assume that the message is
    meant for us.”
    (Adab, Valdes, 2004: 161)

TRANSLATION ANALYSIS
 Translation method
 Translation strategies

 Translation techniques

TRANSLATION ANALYSIS: TRANSLATION
METHOD

   Translation method refers to the way a particular
    translation process is carried out. It depends on
    the aim of the translation, on the goal the
    translator wants to achieve. It may be described
    as “a global option that affects the whole text.”
(Molina, Albir: 507-508)

   This global option determines the overall
    strategy the translator applies: each solution will
    respond to this method.

   [Looking at slides 21-22], In translating
    advertising, one of the most useful methods is the
    “interpretative-communicative” one, which has
    the aim of translating the sense of the ST (cf. Ibid.:
    508).

TRANSLATION ANALYSIS: TRANSLATION
STRATEGIES

 When translating, the translator may encounter
  some problems. In these cases, s/he activate
  translation strategies.
 “Strategies are the procedures (conscious or
  unconscious […]) used by the translator to solve
  problems that emerge when carrying out the
  translation process.”
    (Molina and Albir: 508)

 Thanks to strategies the translator finds a
  suitable solution for a problematic translation
  unit. This solution will be materialized and
  actualize in a particular technique.
 Therefore, strategies and techniques occupy
  different places in problem solving: strategies are
  part of the process, techniques are part of the
  result.
    (Ibid.)

TRANSLATION ANALYSIS: TRANSLATION
TECHNIQUES

   Translation techniques describe the actual steps
    taken by the translator in each textual micro-
    unit, according to the general methodological
    option chosen and the particular strategy
    applied.
(Ibid.: 499)

   Translation techniques help you reflect and
    comment on your translation choices.

Method
   Process
(‘abstract’ level)
                     Strategies

    Product
(‘concrete’ level)   Techniques

   The validity of translation techniques depends
    on:
o   The genre of a text
o   The text type
o   The purpose of translation
o   The target audience
o   The translation method

A    POSSIBLE   CLASSIFICATION            OF
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
   Adaptation
   Equivalence
   Amplification vs Reduction
   Description
   Borrowing
   Calque
   Compensation
   Generalization vs Particularization
   Literal translation
   Transposition
   Variation
   Modulation

   Some of these techniques focus on domestication,
    while others focus on foreignization

 Domestication  moves the ST towards the
  target audience
 Foreignization  moves the target audience
  towards the ST
    (Venuti, 1995)

DOMESTICATION OR FOREGNIZATION?

ADAPTATION
 Domesticating technique  A shift in cultural
  environment
 Adapting a culture-bound element of the ST, by
  replacing it with one from the target culture, i.e.
  a cultural equivalent.

 E.g.: [legal drinking age] 21 years  18 anni
 Moana  Oceania

ESTABLISHED EQUIVALENT
 Domesticating technique
 Using a term or expression recognized (by
  dictionaries or language in use) as an equivalent
  in the TL

   E.g.: Like a bull in a china shop  come un
    elefante in una cristalleria

 But… pay attention to contest.
 E.g.: [Peta ad] Alive and kicking  vivo e vegeto?

AMPLIFICATION VS REDUCTION
AMPLIFICATION               REDUCTION

   Domesticating              Domesticating
    technique                   technique
   Addition of further        Omission of redundant
    information and             and unnecessary
    explicative material,       elements, which become
    which are not               implicit in the TT.
    formulated and/or
    explicit in the ST.
                               E.g.: il Ramadan, il
   E.g.: il Ramadan, il        mese del digiuno
    mese del digiuno
                               E.g.: “overflows the
   E.g.: le patatine           wafer”
    Popchips

DESCRIPTION
 Domesticating technique
 Replacing a term or expression with a description
  of its form or/and function, a sort of paraphrase.

   E.g.: panettone  traditional Italian cake eaten
    on New Year’s Eve.

BORROWING
 Foreignizing technique
 To take a word or expression straight from
  another language

BORROWING
PURE                        NATURALIZED

 Foreignizing               Domesticating
  technique                   technique
 Taking a word or
                             Borrowings adapted to
  expression straight         fit the TL
  from another
  language.                   grammar/spelling
                              rules
   E.g.: “Maxfactor. The
    make-up of make-up         E.g.: to chat 
    artists”                    chattare

CALQUE
 Foreignizing technique
 Literal translation of a foreign word or phrase.

 E.g.: skyscraper  grattacielo
 E.g.: weekend  fine settimana

COMPENSATION
 Domesticating technique
 Introducing a ST element of information or
  stylistic effect in another place in the TT because
  it cannot be reflected in the same place as in the
  ST.

   E.g.: Tangled  Rapunzel. L’intreccio della torre.

GENERALIZATION VS PARTICULARIZATION
GENERALIZATION           PARTICULARIZATION

 Domesticating           Domesticating
  technique                technique
 Using a more general    Using a more precise
  or neutral term or       or concrete term
  phrase.

   E.g.: Teddy Bear       E.g.: assault weapon
    peluche                   kalashnikov

LITERAL TRANSLATION
 Foreignizing technique
 Translating a word or an expression word for
  word.

   E.g.: Drink Coca-cola  Bevi Coca-cola

TRANSPOSITION

 Domesticating technique
 Changing a grammatical category

 E.g.: I wrote to you early this year  ti ho scritto
  all’inizio dell’anno
 He limped to his car  ha raggiunto la macchina
  zoppicando

VARIATION

 Domesticating technique
 Changing linguistic elements that affect aspects
  of linguistic variation.

 E.g.: children vs adult audience (diastratic
  variation)
 Nutella Teddy Bear Toast  porta la creatività
  in tavola con Nutella
 Chocolaty filling Ripieno cioccolatoso

MODULATION
    Domesticating technique
   Changing the point of view, focus or cognitive
    category in relation to the ST, using a phrase that is
    different in the source and target languages to convey
    the same idea.

   E.g.: I clear my throat  mi schiarisco la voce
   Forecasts say  in base alle attuali previsioni
   Negative/positive: It is difficult  non è semplice
   Active/passive: He is said to be funny  dicono sia
    divertente
   Abstract/concrete: I haven’t heard a word from him
    non ho avuto sue notizie

   Let’s compare https://www.apple.com/ and
    https://www.apple.com/it/

ASSIGNMENT
 Try to comment on your translation of “Strut like
  a fish” (Nike ad 1, slide 3). Justify your choices by
  making reference to the aforementioned
  translation techniques and theories as well as to
  the overall method and strategies you have
  applied.
 Analyse,    translate and comment on your
  translation of “Heavy as a feather” (Nike ad 2,
  slide 51).