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Translators as cultural mediators

Wish or reality? A question for Translation Studies
  • David Limon
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Why Translation Studies Matters
This chapter is in the book Why Translation Studies Matters

Abstract

Translators are referred to with increasing frequency as ‘cultural mediators’ or experts in intercultural communication, but to what extent does translation practice confirm this description? Do most translators see themselves in this way and are they viewed as such by those who employ or commission them? Does the relative status of the translator within a particular society make it more or less likely that he or she is going to function as a genuine cultural mediator, or is this more dependent on institutional attitudes to translation or even on the type of translation being carried out? How does the translation brief (or lack of it) and the way the translation is evaluated influence the translator’s strategy? How significant are cultural differences with regard to text production, as well as the differing status of the two cultures involved? These are the kinds of questions that Translation Studies should be able to answer. They will be discussed here in relation to a specific cultural context and textual genre: the translation from Slovene to English of online texts about Slovenia’s natural heritage.

Abstract

Translators are referred to with increasing frequency as ‘cultural mediators’ or experts in intercultural communication, but to what extent does translation practice confirm this description? Do most translators see themselves in this way and are they viewed as such by those who employ or commission them? Does the relative status of the translator within a particular society make it more or less likely that he or she is going to function as a genuine cultural mediator, or is this more dependent on institutional attitudes to translation or even on the type of translation being carried out? How does the translation brief (or lack of it) and the way the translation is evaluated influence the translator’s strategy? How significant are cultural differences with regard to text production, as well as the differing status of the two cultures involved? These are the kinds of questions that Translation Studies should be able to answer. They will be discussed here in relation to a specific cultural context and textual genre: the translation from Slovene to English of online texts about Slovenia’s natural heritage.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Part 1. Does TS matter?
  5. Why interpreting studies matters 3
  6. What matters to Translation Studies? 15
  7. Part 2. Translation and society
  8. Translators as cultural mediators 29
  9. Censorship in the translations and pseudo-translations of the West 41
  10. A world without God 57
  11. Manipulating the matricial norms 69
  12. Knowledge in Translation Studies and translation practice 83
  13. Part 3. Language issues
  14. Is Translation Studies going Anglo-Saxon? 97
  15. Slowakisch: Brückensprache zur slawischen Welt? 105
  16. Translation Studies and mass media research 115
  17. Register shifts in translations of popular fiction from English into Slovene 125
  18. Getting the ACCENT right in Translation Studies 137
  19. Die Kirche im Dorf oder die Regierung im Wald lassen 153
  20. Part 4. Assessment and training
  21. Magnifying glasses modifying maps 167
  22. Effects of short intensive practice on interpreter trainees’ performance 183
  23. Corpora in translator training 195
  24. Part 5. Psychology
  25. Psycholinguistik, Übersetzungswissenschaft und Expertiseforschung im Rahmen der interdisziplinären Forschung 211
  26. Interpreting Studies and psycholinguistics 223
  27. fMRI for exploring simultaneous interpreting 237
  28. Part 6. Postscript
  29. Why Translation Studies matters 251
  30. Name index 263
  31. Concept index 267
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.88.04lim

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Part 1. Does TS matter?
  5. Why interpreting studies matters 3
  6. What matters to Translation Studies? 15
  7. Part 2. Translation and society
  8. Translators as cultural mediators 29
  9. Censorship in the translations and pseudo-translations of the West 41
  10. A world without God 57
  11. Manipulating the matricial norms 69
  12. Knowledge in Translation Studies and translation practice 83
  13. Part 3. Language issues
  14. Is Translation Studies going Anglo-Saxon? 97
  15. Slowakisch: Brückensprache zur slawischen Welt? 105
  16. Translation Studies and mass media research 115
  17. Register shifts in translations of popular fiction from English into Slovene 125
  18. Getting the ACCENT right in Translation Studies 137
  19. Die Kirche im Dorf oder die Regierung im Wald lassen 153
  20. Part 4. Assessment and training
  21. Magnifying glasses modifying maps 167
  22. Effects of short intensive practice on interpreter trainees’ performance 183
  23. Corpora in translator training 195
  24. Part 5. Psychology
  25. Psycholinguistik, Übersetzungswissenschaft und Expertiseforschung im Rahmen der interdisziplinären Forschung 211
  26. Interpreting Studies and psycholinguistics 223
  27. fMRI for exploring simultaneous interpreting 237
  28. Part 6. Postscript
  29. Why Translation Studies matters 251
  30. Name index 263
  31. Concept index 267
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