Perspectives and reflections in clauses and texts in translation

Abstract

Linguistics and the Language of Translation, by Kirsten Malmkjaer, is the fifth published volume in the Edinburgh Textbooks in Applied Linguistics series and is directed to translation, language and linguistics students. The book is based on the premise that it is crucial for both translators and translation critics to be aware of what they are doing and what is going on in a translation. Therefore, it offers a basis for the investigation of how notions and linguistic concepts can be activated in the study of the language of translation, as well as in the creation, description and constructive criticism of translations. The book’s entry point in this discussion is the “clause” as a linguistic unit, which is considered to be the locus where the three linguistic systems (the Transitivity system, the Mood system, and the Theme and Rheme system) simultaneously realize the three main functions of human language, namely, the ideational function, the interpersonal function, and textual function, which justifies taking it as the level of analysis in order to study the language of translation.http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-4237.2014n15p178Linguistics and the Language of Translation de Kirsten Malmkjaer é o quinto volume da série Edinburgh Textbooks in Applied Linguistics, direcionado a alunos de tradução, línguas e linguística. O livro está baseado na premissa de que é crucial tanto para tradutores quanto para críticos de tradução estarem conscientes do que fazem e do que acontece na tradução. Oferece, pois, uma base para a investigação de como noções e conceitos linguísticos podem ser ativados no estudo da linguagem da tradução, bem como na criação, descrição e crítica construtiva de traduções. Seu ponto de entrada nessa discussão é a unidade linguística “oração”, considerada o locus onde os três sistemas linguísticos (o sistema de Transitividade, o sistema de Modo e o sistema de Tema-Rema) realizam, simultaneamente, as três funções centrais da linguagem humana, quais sejam, a função ideacional, a função interpessoal e a função textual, o que justifica sua escolha como nível de análise para estudar a linguagem da tradução.ABSTRACTLinguistics and the Language of Translation, by Kirsten Malmkjaer, is the fifth published volume in the Edinburgh Textbooks in Applied Linguistics series and is directed to translation, language and linguistics students. The book is based on the premise that it is crucial for both translators and translation critics to be aware of what they are doing and what is going on in a translation. Therefore, it offers a basis for the investigation of how notions and linguistic concepts can be activated in the study of the language of translation, as well as in the creation, description and constructive criticism of translations. The book’s entry point in this discussion is the “clause” as a linguistic unit, which is considered to be the locus where the three linguistic systems (the Transitivity system, the Mood system, and the Theme and Rheme system) simultaneously realize the three main functions of human language, namely, the ideational function, the interpersonal function, and textual function, which justifies taking it as the level of analysis in order to study the language of translation.Keywords: Translation studies; Linguistics; Language of Translatio