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Paper 8. The descriptive paradox, or how theory can affect practice

  • Andrew Chesterman
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Reflections on Translation Theory
This chapter is in the book Reflections on Translation Theory

Abstract

The paper discusses and illustrates the potential tension between theory and the practice that it describes, beginning with the claim by Jean Boase-Beier that theory can affect translation practice. By way of introduction, a comparison is made with the way artists are influenced by theories e.g. of perspective and colour, following Gombrich. With respect to translation practice, three possible channels are proposed whereby theory might affect practice: prescriptive teaching, tacit theory, and descriptive theory. Each of these channels raises problems. Prescriptive theory is mentioned only briefly; most translators nowadays are untrained. More attention is given to tacit, implicit theory, and its role in the practice of (trained or untrained) translators. But the main focus is on the descriptive paradox itself, as manifested in Descriptive Translation Studies. This paradox arises when the act of describing affects the phenomenon described, so that the description itself no longer fits. The author then draws on his own experience of how his explicit knowledge of translation theory may have influenced his translation of a Finnish novel (Canal Grande, by Hannu Raittila; not yet published in English). He is not entirely convinced, however, that he can actually prove the influence of theory in this case.

Abstract

The paper discusses and illustrates the potential tension between theory and the practice that it describes, beginning with the claim by Jean Boase-Beier that theory can affect translation practice. By way of introduction, a comparison is made with the way artists are influenced by theories e.g. of perspective and colour, following Gombrich. With respect to translation practice, three possible channels are proposed whereby theory might affect practice: prescriptive teaching, tacit theory, and descriptive theory. Each of these channels raises problems. Prescriptive theory is mentioned only briefly; most translators nowadays are untrained. More attention is given to tacit, implicit theory, and its role in the practice of (trained or untrained) translators. But the main focus is on the descriptive paradox itself, as manifested in Descriptive Translation Studies. This paradox arises when the act of describing affects the phenomenon described, so that the description itself no longer fits. The author then draws on his own experience of how his explicit knowledge of translation theory may have influenced his translation of a Finnish novel (Canal Grande, by Hannu Raittila; not yet published in English). He is not entirely convinced, however, that he can actually prove the influence of theory in this case.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Section I. Some general issues
  5. Paper 1. On the idea of a theory 3
  6. Paper 2. Shared ground in Translation Studies 17
  7. Paper 3. What constitutes “progress” in Translation Studies? 25
  8. Paper 4. Towards consilience? 35
  9. Section II. Descriptive and prescriptive
  10. Paper 5. The empirical status of prescriptivism 45
  11. Paper 6. Skopos theory 55
  12. Paper 7. Catford revisited 71
  13. Paper 8. The descriptive paradox, or how theory can affect practice 81
  14. Section III. Causality and explanation
  15. Paper 9. Causes, translations, effects 97
  16. Paper 10. A causal model for Translation Studies 123
  17. Paper 11. Semiotic modalities in translation causality 137
  18. Paper 12. On explanation 147
  19. Section IV. Norms
  20. Paper 13. From ‘is’ to ‘ought’ 167
  21. Paper 14. A note on norms and evidence 185
  22. Section V. Similarities and differences
  23. Paper 15. On similarity 195
  24. Paper 16. Problems with strategies 201
  25. Paper 17. The unbearable lightness of English words 213
  26. Section VI. Hypotheses
  27. Paper 18. The status of interpretive hypotheses 225
  28. Paper 19. Reflections on the literal translation hypothesis 237
  29. Section VII. “Universals”
  30. Paper 20. Beyond the particular 253
  31. Paper 21. What is a unique item? 269
  32. Paper 22. Kundera’s sentence 281
  33. Paper 23. Universalism in Translation Studies 295
  34. Section VIII. The sociological turn
  35. Paper 24. Questions in the sociology of translation 307
  36. Paper 25. The name and nature of Translator Studies 323
  37. Paper 26. Models of what processes? 331
  38. Section IX. Translation ethics
  39. Paper 27. Proposal for a Hieronymic Oath 347
  40. Paper 28. An ethical decision 363
  41. References 369
  42. Name index 391
  43. Subject index 395
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.132.c8

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Section I. Some general issues
  5. Paper 1. On the idea of a theory 3
  6. Paper 2. Shared ground in Translation Studies 17
  7. Paper 3. What constitutes “progress” in Translation Studies? 25
  8. Paper 4. Towards consilience? 35
  9. Section II. Descriptive and prescriptive
  10. Paper 5. The empirical status of prescriptivism 45
  11. Paper 6. Skopos theory 55
  12. Paper 7. Catford revisited 71
  13. Paper 8. The descriptive paradox, or how theory can affect practice 81
  14. Section III. Causality and explanation
  15. Paper 9. Causes, translations, effects 97
  16. Paper 10. A causal model for Translation Studies 123
  17. Paper 11. Semiotic modalities in translation causality 137
  18. Paper 12. On explanation 147
  19. Section IV. Norms
  20. Paper 13. From ‘is’ to ‘ought’ 167
  21. Paper 14. A note on norms and evidence 185
  22. Section V. Similarities and differences
  23. Paper 15. On similarity 195
  24. Paper 16. Problems with strategies 201
  25. Paper 17. The unbearable lightness of English words 213
  26. Section VI. Hypotheses
  27. Paper 18. The status of interpretive hypotheses 225
  28. Paper 19. Reflections on the literal translation hypothesis 237
  29. Section VII. “Universals”
  30. Paper 20. Beyond the particular 253
  31. Paper 21. What is a unique item? 269
  32. Paper 22. Kundera’s sentence 281
  33. Paper 23. Universalism in Translation Studies 295
  34. Section VIII. The sociological turn
  35. Paper 24. Questions in the sociology of translation 307
  36. Paper 25. The name and nature of Translator Studies 323
  37. Paper 26. Models of what processes? 331
  38. Section IX. Translation ethics
  39. Paper 27. Proposal for a Hieronymic Oath 347
  40. Paper 28. An ethical decision 363
  41. References 369
  42. Name index 391
  43. Subject index 395
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