ST-TT Analysis

1. ST-TT Analysis Descriptive-explanatory approaches

2. Principles • Actual translations are studied • no decontextualized examples or speculation • Descriptive approach is taken • not prescriptive • A group of translations may be studied (rather than single one)

3. Toury 1 • Divide text into textual segments • small-scale linguistic units • Map ST units onto TT units • Translation relationships involve similarities/differences • Focal concept is invariance: each pair shares an invariant core either in substance or function • Establish relationships exhibited by the pair • Compile sets to establish relationship for entire text

4. Lambert and van Gorp • Preliminary Data • title and title page, paratexts, general strategy (e.g. partial/complete translation) • generate hypotheses to investigate on macro and micro level • Macro-level • division of texts (chapters, etc.), relation between types of narrative, dialogue, description, etc., narrative structure • Micro-level • shifts on linguistic, stylistic levels • Systemic Context • intertextual relations, genre relations

5. van Leuven-Zwart 1 • Microstructural shifts • below sentence level • Macrostructural shifts • fictional world, themes, characterisation, point of view • Assumption: frequent or consistent microstructural shifts lead to macrostructural shifts

6. van Leuwen-Zwart 2 • Divide sentences (ST and TT) into transemes: a comprehensible text unit • Establish the archi-transemes (ATR): the common denominator of meaning between corresponding ST and TT transeme • Establish the types of relationship

7. van Leuwen-Zwart 3 Relationships: Modulation • with respect to the ATR, one transeme manifests conjunction, while the other manifests disjunction • semantic (and subcategories) • stylistic (and subcategories)

8. van Leuwen-Zwart 4 Relationships: Modification • each transeme has an aspect of disjunction with respect to ATR • semantic (and subcategories) • stylistic (and subcategories) • syntactic-semantic (and subcategories) • syntactic-stylistic (and subcategories)

9. van Leuwen-Zwart 5 Relationships: Mutation • it is generally impossible to establish an ATR due to the lack of any aspect of conjunction

10. Chesterman (1997) • Describes strategies • less theoretical, more practical application • syntactic strategies • subcategories, e.g. transposition • semantic strategies • subcategories, e.g. emphasis change • pragmatic strategies • subcategories, e.g. explicitness change

11. Sources of explanation 1 • Norms (Toury, Chesterman) • desire by translator to conform to norms • Toury: initial norms, preliminary norms, operational norms • Chesterman: expectancy norms, accountability norms, communication norms, relation norms • Laws (Toury) • state inherent relations between all variables found to be relevant to translation • state likelihood that a kind of behaviour, or surface realization, would occur under a set of specifiable conditions

12. Sources of explanation 2 • Systemic position (polysystem theory): • position of the system of translated texts in the target culture governs translational norms • Cognitive and socio-cultural factors (Chesterman) • Contexts of production • Translator’s attitudes

13. Challenges • Categories predefined or emerging from the data? • Dealing with complexities of analytical categories • Performing microanalysis on larger quantities of text • selection of excerpts? • on what basis? • Establishing link between micro and macroanalysis • Combining textual analysis and socio-cultural analysis • Moving from description to (hypothesised) explanation

14. Reading • Brownlie, Siobhan (2003)‘Investigating Explanations of Translational Phenomena: A Case for Multiple Causality’ Target 15(1): 111-152. • Chesterman, Andrew (1998) ‘Causes, Translations, Effects’ Target 10(2): 201-230. • Chesterman, Andrew (1997) Memes of Translation, Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins. • Hermans, Theo (1999) Translation in Systems; Descriptive and Systemic Approaches Explained, Manchester: St Jerome. • van Leuven-Zwart, Kitty (1989) ‘Translation and Other: Similarities and Dissimilarities I’ Target 1(2): 151-181. • van Leuven-Zwart, Kitty (1990) ‘Translation and Other: Similarities and Dissimilarities II’ Target 2(1): 69-95. • Toury, Gideon (1995) Descriptive Translation Studiesand Beyond, Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.