2013 12 23_cordoba_upload_edit
DESCRIPTION
A presentation to the II Jornadas sobre Ciencia y Traducción, University of Córdoba, Spain, April 2013. Presenters Julian Bourne and Bryan Robinson, Dept of Translation and Interpreting, University of Granada, Spain.TRANSCRIPT
[email protected]@ugr.es
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
Interventions that foster client loyalty?
The translator as mediator between researchers,
referees and editors
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Background
Focus: correspondence between authors and editors/referees of scientific journals
• Potentially conflictive situation• Authors may often be in disagreement with editors, but must show deference
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Translator’s role (1)
According to Brown and Levinson (1987), politeness is conditioned by• Social Distance• Power between interlocutors
In author/editor correspondence:• Social distance; + power (editors)
“Publish or perish!”
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Translator’s role (2)
In situations of asymmetrical power, X (- power) will typically:•Promote face of YoShow deference, gratitude,
agreement•Protect face of YoMinimize criticism and
disagreement, hedge requests
Intuition: translator often does this on behalf of author
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Hypothesis
Professional translators often mediate in the complex relation between the authors of scientific articles (their clients) and the referees of scientific journals (their clients’ clients).
Objectives:Identify how they mediateApply results to classroom
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Pilot questionnaire
12 fragments from authentic correspondence•Literal, correct translation into English•Arguably contravene politeness conventions:oInsufficiently deferentialoEncode disagreement, criticism
etc.Respondents: Would you amend this translation in any way?
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Demographic characteristics of sample
Population 9
Age 41-55 456 or older 5
Gender Female 4Male 5
EducationBachelor’s degree 6Doctoral degree 3
Language combination
Spanish into English 9
Language variety EN-US 3EN-UK 6
Professional statusFull-time freelance 6Part-time 3
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Categories of comment
Editing only
Implicit mediation
Explicit mediation
No suggested
change
TOTAL RESPONS
ES
28 18 36 14 9629.2% 18.8% 37.5% 14.6% 100%
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Editing only [9]
Delete, not eliminate.
The internal references have been eliminated in spite of the fact that in the author’s guide examples of citations with internal references were found.
We include the information requested of us, some of which was eliminated when we were asked to shorten the study and now we are including it again.
Manuscript or report, not study.We have not been able to go into more detail on this point since we were asked not to extend the manuscript further.
Lengthen, not extend.
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Implicit mediation [3]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Spanish English
Agradecemos las correcciones editoriales que nos ha hecho, ya han sido tomadas en consideración.
Thank you for the editorial corrections you have made. They have now been taken into consideration.
Yes 6
No 3
Referees suggest changes, not corrections.
Thank you for your suggestions, which we have taken into consideration.
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Explicit mediation [5]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Spanish English
Lo que nos pide el revisor en este punto supone entrar en un extenso debate que puede alejarnos del objetivo de este trabajo.
What the referee asks of us on this point would mean entering into a long debate which may divert us from the objective of this article.
Yes 7
No 2
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Explicit mediation [5]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Yes 7
No 2
“I would rewrite entirely and delete any hint at emotionalism or subjectivity.”“I don’t feel that ‘accusing’ the referee of ‘diverting us from our objective’ is a tactful remark in English.”Suggest that what the referee asks is “undoubtedly interesting but, in our opinion, would be the subject of another article.”
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Spanish English
Se han eliminado las referencias internas a pesar de que en la guía del autor se encontraron ejemplos de citas con referencias internas
The internal references have been eliminated in spite of the fact that in the author’s guide examples of citations with internal references were found.
Julian Bourne and Bryan Robinson Department of Translation and InterpretingUniversity of Granada, Spain
Explicit mediation [9]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Yes 8
No 1
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
“Personally, I wouldn’t ‘antagonize’ the referee by pointing out this lack of coherence.”
“Again, not a thing to point out to the referees. Save it for a separate letter to the Editor…
We have deleted the internal references as requested.
Explicit mediation [9]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Yes 8
No 1
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Spanish English
Esperamos que ahora puedan aceptar nuestro artículo.
We hope that now you can accept our article.
“Perhaps a little too direct and putting the onus firmly on the referee. I would try something less personal and more polite…” “This seems to me to be putting a little pressure on the referee and I think we would have to be much more indirect in English”
Explicit mediation [12]Would you amend this translation in any way?
Yes 8
No 1
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Categories of comment
Editing only
Implicit mediati
on
Explicit mediati
on
No suggest
ed change
TOTAL RESPON
SES
28 18 + 36 = 54 14 9629.2% 18.8% + 37.5% =
56.3%14.6% 100%
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Discussion
Provisional confirmation of hypothesisHypersensitive?
•Many editors not from Anglosaxon culture•But not worth risk of delaying/jeopardizing publication
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Next steps
•Modify questionnaire•Send to larger sample•Explore other language combinations•Devise teaching materials to incorporate RRC mediation in scientific translation training
Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors
Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and
InterpretingUniversity of Granada
Spain
[email protected]@ugr.es
Thank you!You can see this presentation at…
www.slideshare.net/bryanrobinson3/