The Monitor Model Revisited: Evidence from Process Research

Research on human translation processes to date reveals that there are many routes to successful performance and that consciousness raising helps to identify undesirable tendencies and routines. Research on translation processes also shows that expertise calls for monitoring skills and self-awareness. This paper focuses on the monitor model of translation and reports on empirical evidence that supports the model. It shows that tendencies towards literal translation emerge in the products and processes of novices and experts alike. It also argues for further research into the hypothesized literal translation automaton and its monitoring mechanism.La recherche dans le domaine des processus de la traduction humaine montre que les chemins pour arriver à de bons résultats sont nombreux et que la conscience joue un rôle important dans l’identification des tendances et routines indésirables. Cette même recherche met également en relief que l’expertise dans le domaine qui nous intéresse exige des compétences de monitoring et de conscience de soi. Cette étude se concentre sur la modélisation du monitoring de la traduction basée sur des données empiriques. Il ressort clairement de nos études, que la tendance à la traduction littérale se retrouve dans les produits et processus aussi bien chez les apprenants que chez les experts. Le présent article plaide également pour d’autres recherches dans le domaine de la supposition d’un automaton de la traduction littérale ainsi que de ses mécanismes de monitoring

Think-Aloud Protocol Analysis in Translation Studies

Think-Aloud Protocol Analysis in Translation Studies: This paper reports on think-aloud protocol (TAP) research in Finland and Germany. It discusses some methodological issues: choice of subjects, TAPs in a language-learning and in a professional context, monologue and dialogue protocols, the use of models provided by psycholinguistics. Two types of processes - successful and less successful ones - are distinguished and specified as to the subjects' comprehension and reverbalisation processes, their focus of attention, decision-making, monitoring, flexibility, creative thinking and attitude toward the task. Some tentative results of the research going on in Germany and Finland are presented. The results are expected to serve as hypotheses for the teaching of translation.L'analyse par « Think-Aloud Protocol » en traductologie — Cet article rend compte d'une recherche en traduction menée en Finlande et en Allemagne selon le protocole de l'analyse « à haute voix » (TAP). Il aborde certains points de méthode : le choix des sujets, les TAP en apprentissage des langues et en contexte professionnel, les protocoles par monologue et par dialogue, l'utilisation de modèles issus de la psycholinguistique. On distingue deux types de processus - certains réussissant mieux que d'autres - du point de vue de la compréhension et de la reverbalisation des sujets, du point de vue de la focalisation de l'attention, de la prise de décision, du contrôle, de la souplesse, de la pensée créatrice et de l'attitude face au travail. Sont présentés certains résultats provisoires de la recherche menée en Allemagne et en Finlande. Ces résultats sont susceptibles de servir d'hypothèses en didactique de la traduction

Argumentative text structure and translation

This study proposes a method for describing the structure of argumentative texts. Two sample texts are described, and the descriptions are used as tools in translation quality assessment. The method contains problem-solution analysis, interactional and illocutionary analysis, and macrostructure analysis. The texts are shown to be hierarchical organisations of minitexts, in which the 'PS-components' of situation, problem, solution, and evaluation are identified. The problem alone can constitute a minitext. The text is looked at as an implicit dialogue in which an imaginary reader is assumed to challenge the writer. Therefore the problem component has an assertive illocution: the reader's agreement is not taken for granted. The problem component conveys the writer's thesis and its justification. The solution component has a directive illocution: it conveys a recommendation or a proposal. These features of the problem and solution are presented as text type markers. The relations inside and between minitexts are hypotactic or paratactic along the principles suggested by Grimes (1975). Macrostructure analysis organises the content of the texts into typologically distinct sets of macropropositions, which constitute summaries of the PS-components. The descriptions of the sample texts are used to assess translations of extracts from them. It is tentatively suggested that success or failure in the conveyance of the structure highlighted by the method may account for overall impressions of translation equivalence. It is also suggested that access to the entire text may help translators to perceive such structure and to convey it in the translation. Experiments are outlined for the testing of these hypotheses