FACOLTÀ DI STUDI UMANISTICILingue e culture per la mediazione linguistica

Traduzione

Prof.ssa Olga Dentia.a. 2015-2016

LESSON 2

Language functions & translation

What words come to your mind when talking about language functions & translation?

Topic of this lesson

• The pragmatic aspects of translation• The interaction of language forms and

functions within & across language boundaries, in relation to the addresser’s aims and text communicative purpose

• Jakobsons’s lg functions: referential, emotive, conative, poetic, metalingual, phatic.

Introduction

• From the SL to the TL: knowledge of both lgs, of their formal and functional levels and of how they interact, of the ST in its linguistic and extralinguistic contexts and its transmission into the TT

• Example: Ulrich 1992: 31 “Dove vuoi che vada?” Where should I go? Where do you want me to go? Where do you expect me to go? Where do you think I’m going?-> What is her purpose? How do we translate

incorporating it?

Language functions (1)

• Language is used to reach diverse purposes• J. Austin (1962) speech acts:Locutionary – literal meaningIllocutionary – communicative forcePerlocutionary – effect/reaction in the

addressee/recipient

Language functions (2)• Searle’s (1969, 1976) taxonomy of speech acts

(microfunctions):Speech Acts Purpose Types

Representatives representation Stating, telling, insisting

Expressives stance Deploring, admiring

Verdictives assessment Assessing, estimating

Directives ask for action on the receiver’s part

Ordering, requesting, warning, prohibiting, daring

Commissives commitment Promising, vowing, pledging

Declarations declaration Blessing, baptizing, dismissing

The role of the translator

• The translator the receiver of the ST the sender of the TL

• Equivalence of content and intention (conceptual meaning and illocutionary force)

• Relationship between form & function: “Vuol leggere o non vuol leggere?”

Not offering an alternativeFormality hides a threat

Therefore…

1. Are you going to read o not?2. Are you going to read or aren’t you?3. Do you want to read or don’t you?4. Ha intenzione v ha voglia “To misconstrue or misinterpret the

illocutionary force of the utterance is to mistranslate and misrepresent the author’s actual intent” (Ulrich 1992: 35)

• As translators: text as a whole, equivalence of illocutionary structure:

1. Breaking down discourse in constituent speech acts

2. Render them in the TL as a whole (as interrelating chains of acts)

• Example: public directives: requests, commands, warnings, prohibitions, built through passives, modal verbs, imperatives, the determiner no, the impersonal infinitive form, etc.

• The use of different structures for the same function

Jakobson’s act of verbal communication

CONTEXTADDRESSER MESSAGE ADDRESSEE

CONTACTCODE

Aspects of the discourse situation -> ≠ macrofunctions of language and

≠ structures

Macrofunctions (Jakobson 1960)

REFERENTIALEMOTIVE POETIC CONATIVE

PHATICMETALINGUAL

• Emotive f.: internal states and emotions of the addresser (1st p. I, interjections, personal style)

• Conative f.: aims at influencing the internal states and emotions of the addressee (2nd p. you, vocative & imperative

• Referential f.: informative function (3rd p., objects, events, facts in the context; nominalisation, premodification, passives, stative verbs; less formal, 1st p.p. & dynamic active verbs)

• Poetic f.: aesthetic f., the form of the message (sound-effect, rhythm, figurative language, phonological resemblance) as an crucial part of the message meaning & force

• Examples: political slogans, ads, sayings.• Phatic f.: sets contact between the addresser and

the addressee (opening and checking the channel of communication)

• Examples: Can you hear me?, Well, here we are. I see.

• Metalingual f.: “attention on the code to clarify or re-negotiate it” (Ulrich 29) “what do you mean?”

In terms of translation… (1)• Close to text types & discourse genres• Writer’s communicative purposeChoice of language for the TL version• Although multifunctional, one predominant

function & typologyEmotive (expressive) function -> author-centred

(author’s feelings)- Characterised by: author’s personal style + idiosyncrasies

-> intact translation- Ex.: literary texts, autobiographies, speeches, author’s

prefaces, personal correspondence

Referential (informative) function -> content-centred (information provided)

- Not the author’s feelings but the content in an accurate & appropriate way

- Ex.: textbooks, technical reports, scientific articlesConative (vocative) function -> reader-centred

(affecting the reader’s behaviour) - Ex.: Advertising, propaganda, official

recommendations, polemical & persuasive writing- Use of lg geared towards the receiver of the TT. TL

conventions + pragmatic equivalence bet ST & TT- Use of formality in addressing people: you < tu, Lei,

loro

In conclusion,

• ≠ types of texts, predominant function• Focus: author, information, reader• Denotative, neutral, connotative lg• Polemical, persuasive, authoritative judgmental

(warnings, recommendations, advice)• Thus, Expressive text – SL-oriented (personal

component), informative text – text-oriented (accurate and intelligible message to the intended TT reader), vocative text- TL-oriented (comprehensible + warning, recommending, instructing, persuading)

In terms of translation… (2)

Poetic (aesthetic) function -> centred on form of the message (sensitivity to stylistic aspects (phonological features, rhythm & rhyme

- To be relayed into the TT or through some compensation strategies

Phatic function -> socialisation – contact set up- Standard phrases – standard equivalents- Ex. Openings & closings of official correspondence

Metalingual (aesthetic) function - Ex.: Standard terminology as lexicographic

annotations in dictionaries, explanations, descriptions in grammar books or lg textbooks

- Clarify or re-negotiate the code

• The identification of text types & genres builds expectations on the lg content. The translation may more smoothly make hypotheses & lexical, grammatical, syntactic choices

Rhetorical functions

• Next step: what rhetorical functions has the SL writer used

• Persuasion by: narrating, describing, arguing & counterarguing

• Werlich’s dominant contextual focus (the predominant function of the text)

• Lg MARKERS identify each text type• Translator’s aid to select linguistic features in

the TL

Werlich’s text types

• The textual organisation of the domain is reflected in the way linear relations develop: they stand for temporal, causal, spatial, or social relations between referents in the world described by that text (Ramm 2000, 156).

• Narrative, descriptive, expository, instructive and argumentative

Narrative text types• Ex. My itinerary was a 3 day one, during the peak

of summer in Mid July. The 1st night I stayed in Pisa, from memory the last train from Pisa central to Monterrosso was at 9.30pm and to be conservative I did not think I would arrive in time to make the train. (JD Chronicles)

• Historic/temporal factual or conceptual events, action-recording sentences .

• Events and participants are chronologically portrayed through temporal circumstances or participant roles.

• Narration is often agent-oriented. Narration refers to the development of the trip through the use of predicate verbs such as start and change. Facts develop along an itinerary: we spotted, we did not, we continued, we came across, etc. Adverbials of place but especially of time are frequent.

• 1st ps + simple past. The report as the most formal one

• positions and directions in space, to technical objective descriptions

• By means of a judicious mixture of concessions and tax relief, Eleonora brought the country under control within a few months. Her popularity increased when, in 1392, she published the Carta de Logu, a written constitution … (Insight Guide 2001: 49)

• In 1478 yet another Sardinian dream of maintaining the island’s independence was shattered near the little town of Macomer, which lies some 15 km (810 miles) further southwards. (ibid.: 226)

Descriptive text types

• Analysis of places, people and relations (subject matter), by the use of spatial chaining strategies indicated by spatial positions in the sentence.

• Spatial circumstances occupy the theme position • Descriptions range from technical, objective neutral

properties to, and more frequently, attitudinal and evaluative/hyperbolic, metaphorical, comparative and evocative viewpoints

• Subjective impressions of relations and qualities, impressionistic descriptions. Adverbials of place to reinforce the style.

• “There’s only so much panini, pizza and pasta you could stomach everyday so we went to a Chinese restaurant just downstairs our hostel for dinner. The food was not bad but we had the most ridiculous fried wantan here, which was a deep fried ravioli actually lol” (vkeong).

• Use of the simple past + simple present of static or motion verbs (not leading to a change) is existential (e.g., There’s) and shows timelessness. We may get a vivid image of the writer’s experience.

• Use of 1st p and of a non-personal third p.

• Following Via Cagliari, 3 km south of Oristano is the suburb of Santa Giusta, named for a local martyr and her church, set in a fine position on a low hill, in front of a little park incongruously lit by street lamps from a Jetson cartoon. (2002: 126)

• Dominating a high point in the centre of Santa Giusta, virtually a satellite of Oristano just 3km south on the Stagno di Santa Giusta lagoon, is the proud basilica of the same name. (Lonely Planet 2003: 177)

• Three kilometres south of Oristano, eucalyptus woods round the Stagno di Santa Giusta provide shade for picnics and birdwatchers …. (Rough Guide 2002: 175)

Instructive text type• Stages to be followed by the reader, constructed through

sequential chaining strategies of temporal circumstances or processes. People and objects are related through intended future behaviour (Bondi 1999: 16). The reader is expected to follow the steps: “ Start out at the FORK WHERE THE SURFACED ROAD ENDS by following the gravel track to the right. (…) Cross the bridge, go up the opposite embankment for a few paces. And turn right at the junction. Now follow …” (Flower Landscapes 2001: 70)

• Recipes, instructions or prescriptions “Bring your binoculars: the lagoons are flamingo heaven … you’ll find blinds where you can watch them …” (Cadogan Guide 2003: 157)

• An evident future behaviour, an action-demanding sentence, constructed through sequential chaining strategies of temporal circumstances or processes. The reader is expected to follow the steps, through the use of the imperative form, e.g., Trust me, always remember, the passive voice and modal verbs.

• Would is used to give advice and when history is uncertain; must shows evaluation, e.g. “must be painful”; will is employed when giving recommendations and introducing the following site on the itinerary, as in “you will need to spend at least three good hours to see…”, “you will also see …”.

• If clauses are employed with the same purpose: persuasion. Directions are followed on the authority of practical validity

• The point of view may be subjective, as in instructions, or objective, as in directions and regulations. It is expressed through the 1st person or the 2nd person

Argumentative text type

• Present, through the use of through- and counter-argument patterns, and of a conjunctive theme: “Summer would be the best time to see Rome, when the temperature is at an average 25°C and the weather is calmer too. But that is also during the tourism peak season so plan your trip early, especially the accommodation part.” (vkeong)

• Attitudes sustained in relation with their opposites. Recommendation is often introduced by expressions such as It is advisable, would be the best time, or

• “Dripping with washing strung across the balconies, many of the high blocks are run-down and don’t admit much light, though the lack of fuss or traffic makes for an agreeable stroll through the long alleys …” (2002: 73)

• “Although Poetto may do for a morning dip or an evening out, it probably won’t meet your requirements for the perfect beach – and you don’t need to go very far from Cagliari to find something nearer the mark.” (ibid.: 94)

• Typical expressions are opinion verbs, or expressions of intention, decision, expectations and beliefs. Expectations may not be fulfilled: “But honestly most of the food did not really suit our tastebuds, and I am not a drinker so I wasn’t able to appreciate their wine too. So, only the spicy roast pork managed to leave us with a memorable taste.” (vkeong, 2010, Rome).

• Negative sentences and contrastive expressions • Five types of argumentative style: informal, ironical,

appreciatory, depreciatory, and persuasive (1st p. s. & present tense)

Expository text type

• Involved where generic concepts are dealt with, through characterisation specified by participant roles.

• Ideas and impressions are summarised or analysed

• The writer’s presentation of statement & stance aiming at persuading the reader and generate consensus

For the translator…

• Understand the dominant contextual focus to understand how the text is manipulated & its main lg markers

• Identification of the lg function “for the creation and reception of coherent discourse and for successful communication and translation” (Ulrich 64)

• Interpretation of SL writer, matching them w the linguistic features of the TL to achieve same effect in the TT