Introduction to Translation

1. Introduction to Translation Culture and Translation 9 March 2010

2. Introduction to Translation Broad definition of culture: • The sum total of all human activity (i.e., culture is what makes us human) • Mentalist view: ‘shared mental model or map of the world … The model is a system of congruent and interrelated beliefs, strategies and cognitive environments which guide the shared basis of behaviour’ Katan (1999: 17)

3. Introduction to Translation Culture consists of: • physical artefacts (types of food, clothing, shelter, artistic works, etc) • learned body movements (handshaking, dance steps, facial expression, etc) • language • cognitive elements and beliefs

4. Introduction to Translation • Non-verbal features to consider in translation • Layout • Symbolic value of type of illustration • Social value of images and messages • Typography • Dress Code • Colour • Visual Code Switching • Interdependence between image and text • Religious and legal sanctions

5. Introduction to Translation Multiple cultures in all societies which overlap • American vs British culture • biker culture, goth culture as two sub-cultures that they share • cricket, baseball as ones they do not • BUT • Americans share baseball with the Japanese, • The British share cricket with many ex-colonies

6. Introduction to Translation Think about culture as being that which needs to be translated. • In the example about the US and the UK, anything that the two cultures share does not need to be translated, and thus is not a ‘cultural factor’ to consider • Anything that they do not share (cricket, baseball) does need to be translated • Culture as something that is always constructed (active, not passive role of people)

7. Introduction to Translation Factors influencing culture: • Physical environment • Type of sport played in a culture often associated with weather: • Political environment • Germany divided versus Germany after reunification • Space • shape and maintenance of public versus private space • Built environment • Dress • formal versus informal, for example • Food, drink, etc.

8. Introduction to Translation Problems with culture and translation: • Categorisation • Lexical and conceptual gaps • Cultures tend to construct a sense of identity of themselves and of others that is often not based on any day-to-day reality • Culture and advertising

9. Audi Advert

10. Audi Advert Vorsprung durch Technik • "Vorsprung durch Technik" is Audi's tagline in Germany. Literally translated, it means "advancement through technology"; however, English cannot fully capture the meaning of "Vorsprung" which means "to leap ahead." The slogan describes Audi's ambitions in the development of new vehicles and technology; the perpetual challenge is to question existing concepts and adopt innovative approaches. (http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/tools/ glossary)

11. Introduction to Translation • Translation Strategies • Globalisation • Localisation • Glocalisation

12. Globalisation

13. Localisation Jaegermeister • Official US site • German site • Official UK site

14. Introduction to Translation Translators as cultural mediators sometimes need to: • Add information Guardian translation of Le Monde article (Hatim and Mason 1990: 94) ST: les deux auteurs directs de l’attentat…ont quitté Auckland… l’un pour Nouméa, l’autre pour Sydney (Australie). English gloss : The two men who carried out the attack left Auckland….one for Noumea, the other for Sydney (Australia) TT: The two men who carried out the attack left Auckland .. one for Noumea, in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, and the other for Sydney.

15. Introduction to Translation Translators as cultural mediators sometimes need to: • change or delete information • Translation of Italian shoe label: Compliments! You chosed the Blackwell shoes realized with materials of high quality. The leather, carefully selected in the specialized slaughter-houses, after different proceeding of manufacture, becomes softier and supplier. • More culturally appropriate translation: Your Blackwell shoes have been carefully made from the finest quality materials.

16. Introduction to Translation Strategies for dealing with cultural factors in translation • Identify culture-specific items • Evaluate importance of the reference(s) in the text • Decide on a strategy to adopt • Omission • Use of a more general term • Borrowing (perhaps with gloss or explanation) • Cultural translation (substitution of something specific to the target culture)

17. Introduction to Translation Examples • Example from Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾: • Adrian’s friend is called Maxwell House (Katan 1999: 151-152) • Maxwell House = personal name AND brand of coffee • Maxwell as name: connotation of class • Maxwell House: comic effect AND household name • Cultural substitution?

18. Introduction to Translation • Text on life in New York by Tom Wolfe: frequent, explicit reference to price of items to convey effort, sacrifice, success, taste etc. of character • In another culture, this incessant talk about money might be perceived as vulgar and materialistic • You would then have to decide if you wanted to do something like move to a different register of language, using words like ‘luxury’, ‘designer’, ‘exclusive’ rather than always discussing the exact price

19. Introduction to Translation Even before the close of February, the Italian government is already well into its own ‘annus horribilis’ (Guardian) • Cultural context of ‘annus horribilis’ (Queen Elizabeth, 1992), associations of scandal, upheaval, turmoil, public criticism, etc [derived from annus mirabilis] • Intertextuality

20. Introduction to Translation Possible tasks • Describe the culture-bound meaning of the following passage: • While some people would not be seen dead in a shell-suit, some feel equally uncomfortable in Lagerfield or Armani creations. Yet over recent decades certain models of leisurewear have become widely adopted for situations that do not require business dress. There are still subtle distinctions (Lacoste, Gap and BHS). (Sunday Times)

21. Introduction to Translation Possible tasks • Decide how to handle in translation: • Exposed front moves in from the WestA streaker interrupted a television weather forecast when he boarded the huge floating map used by the This Morning programme. Mark Roberts was completely naked as he came into view while Fred Talbot, the forecaster, was predicting a warm sunny day. (Daily Telegraph)