SFL and Descriptive Translation Studies:Systemic-functional grammar as a framework for the analysis of shifts in translation

This article is concerned with demonstrating the methodological relevance of Systemic-Functional Grammar (SFG) for Descriptive Translation Studies. More specifically, the article establishes a framework for the analysis of so-called shifts in translation, i.e. lexicogrammatical changes occurring between source and target texts. It is thus argued that SFG may serve to fill a methodological void within Translation Studies, since, while other typologies of microstrategies exist, these other taxonomies typically serve a pedagogic purpose, being aimed at alerting translator trainees to a relatively limited number of broad options available to them in the translation process. This means that, given the didactic nature of such frameworks, the level of granularity is typically too low to be suitable for the retrospective analysis of a translation product in comparison with its source. Hence it is argued that what is needed for retrospective research is a much more fine-grained framework with clearly defined categories derived from an elaborate grammatical theory such as SFG. Therefore, on the basis of key SFG concepts such as paradigmatic organization, metafunction, rank and cline of delicacy, the very nature of shifts in translation is theorized and an outline of a systems network is presented in the central sections of the article. The framework is exemplified first and foremost by means of English-into-Danish translations of LSP texts within the fields of medicine and business, but in order to illustrate the appliability of the framework to the retrospective analysis of any kind of derivational text generation, whether inter- or intralingual, the example material also includes the monolingual rewriting of a specialized source text into a lay-oriented version, and the registerial adaptation (also monolingual) of formal, standard documents from public-sector authorities into more accessible, modernized versions

Lexical Strategies in Intralingual Translation between Registers

Being concerned with (what has hitherto been) a marginal and under-researched area of Translation Studies, viz. intralingual translation, this paper focuses on the particular type of monolingual rewriting which consists in the transformation of specialized LSP texts into a new text type aimed at lay readership. As a specific example of this type of transformation, the paper investigates the rewriting of pharmaceutical product specifications into medicinal package inserts (so-called patient information leaflets). In Translation Studies terms, in other words, the pharmaceutical texts are treated as source texts and the patient information leaflets as target texts. The paper examines certain core intralingual translation strategies employed to make the specialized information accessible to the non-expert audience. The focus is primarily on strategies employed to convert medical terminology into more lay-friendly wordings. The exact linguistic nature of these strategies is examined, and the ways in which they contribute to target-text lay-friendliness are charted

Coherence in hybrid texts:The case of the Patient Information Leaflet genre

This article investigates the degree of coherence in a particular type of hybrid text, viz. the Patient Information Leaflet, which is a lay-oriented genre fusing original and derived textual elements. Having their source in the specialized genre named Summary of Product Characteristics, derived segments undergo various kinds and degrees of registerial simplification in the transfer to the Patient Information Leaflet. Given this complex textual genesis, the aim of the article is to investigate the nature and degree of coherence in the Patient Information Leaflet genre, and, more specifically, to investigate the degree of integration between derived and non-derived elements. Following Halliday/Hasan’s (1976) definition of the coherence concept, the article examines the genre’s contextual coherence in the form of registerial consistency and its text-internal coherence in the form of cohesiveness. For the investigation of cohesiveness, the analytical framework known as Cohesive Harmony Analysis (Hasan 1984, 1985) has been applied to a sample text from the genre, and likewise to a parallel lay-oriented, but non-hybrid text from the health column of a British quality newspaper, which serves as a control. While the investigation confirms already well-known problems with registerial consistency in the Patient Information Leaflet genre, the analytical results reflect a high degree of cohesiveness, and one that is even markedly higher than that of the non-hybrid control text. Further, the results reflect a high level of integration between derived and non-derived segments in the Patient Information Leaflet

Coherence in hybrid texts: The case of the Patient Information Leaflet genre

This article investigates the degree of coherence in a particular type of hybrid text, viz. the Patient Information Leaflet, which is a lay-oriented genre fusing original and derived textual elements. Having their source in the specialized genre named Summary of Product Characteristics, derived segments undergo various kinds and degrees of registerial simplification in the transfer to the Patient Information Leaflet. Given this complex textual genesis, the aim of the article is to investigate the nature and degree of coherence in the Patient Information Leaflet genre, and, more specifically, to investigate the degree of integration between derived and non-derived elements. Following Halliday/Hasan’s (1976) definition of the coherence concept, the article examines the genre’s contextual coherence in the form of registerial consistency and its text-internal coherence in the form of cohesiveness. For the investigation of cohesiveness, the analytical framework known as Cohesive Harmony Analysis (Hasan 1984, 1985) has been applied to a sample text from the genre, and likewise to a parallel lay-oriented, but non-hybrid text from the health column of a British quality newspaper, which serves as a control. While the investigation confirms already well-known problems with registerial consistency in the Patient Information Leaflet genre, the analytical results reflect a high degree of cohesiveness, and one that is even markedly higher than that of the non-hybrid control text. Further, the results reflect a high level of integration between derived and non-derived segments in the Patient Information Leaflet

Operationalizing the Autonomy dimension of Legitimation Code Theory: A Hallidayan approach

This article is a theoretical one aimed at elaborating and operationalizing one of the more recently developed aspects of the educational theory named Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) (e.g. Maton 2014). LCT is a sociological theory with a markedly interventionist streak, which is reflected in endeavours to identify and recommend ways of removing obstacles to knowledge-building for learners. Out of three active dimensions in LCT, this article is focused on the particular dimension termed Autonomy. As applied to situations of knowledge communication, Autonomy appears to be concerned with the degree of insulation or focus with which a given topic is treated, i.e. whether the topic of, e.g., a school lesson, is ‘autonomous’ in that lesson or whether competing topics and perspectives are brought in to further the educational process. However, the concept of Autonomy is in need of both concretization and operationalization and will therefore be interpreted through the lens of certain aspects of Hallidayan linguistic theory that may fruitfully elucidate the concept. The operationalization will be exemplified through two cases of knowledge communication

The Heterogeneity of Intralingual Translation

The aim of this article is to contribute to the establishment of a sub-field of translation studies, namely a sub-field devoted to the research of intralingual translation. The article’s contribution to this project is both theoretical and empirical. In the theoretical part of the article, an already existing, five-partite typology of intralingual translation is reviewed and on certain points refined. The empirical part is taken up by three case studies, each representing a particular subcategory of intralingual translation. The first study investigates translation between two geographical dialects (American and British English), the second examines the rewriting of a specialized, pharmaceutical product summary into a register aimed at lay readers, and the third investigates the modernization of one of Shakespeare’s plays. A primary concern of the case studies is to chart the range and nature of the translation strategies employed in the transformation of source texts into intralingual target texts. Translation strategies are conceptualized as shifts in the article, and well-known concepts from translation studies are applied in the analyses. The analytical results reflect clear differences, but also certain striking similarities between the types of shifts manifested in the individual cases.L’objectif de cet article est de contribuer à l’établissement de la traduction intralinguale comme sous-domaine de la recherche traductologique. L’article apporte une contribution à la fois théorique et empirique à ce projet. La partie théorique se compose d’une revue de la typologie pentapartite actuellement appliquée en traduction intralinguale, ainsi que d’un raffinement de certains de ses critères. La partie empirique comprend trois études de cas, chacune recouvrant l’une des catégories spécifiques à la traduction intralinguale. La première étude se penche sur la traduction entre deux dialectes géographiques (anglais américain et anglais britannique), la deuxième étude examine la retranscription d’un résumé de produit pharmaceutique dans un registre destiné aux non-experts, tandis que la troisième étude est consacrée à l’investigation de la version modernisée d’une des pièces de Shakespeare. Les études de cas s’appliquent à recenser la nature et la portée des stratégies de traduction employées dans la transformation des textes source en textes cible intralinguaux. Dans l’article, les stratégies de traduction sont conceptualisées comme des shifts, alors même que des concepts traductologiques reconnus sont appliqués tout au long des analyses. Les résultats analytiques reflètent de nettes différences, mais aussi des similitudes frappantes entre types de shifts se manifestant dans chaque cas individuel.Con este artículo se pretende contribuir con la creación de un subcampo de los estudios de traducción, dedicado a la investigación de la traducción intralingüística. El objetivo es a la vez teórico y empírico. En la parte teórica se revisan y se perfeccionan cinco tipologías existentes de traducción intralingüística. La parte empírica se compone de tres estudios de casos, cada uno representando una subcategoría particular de traducción intralingüística. El primero estudia la traducción entre dos dialectos geográficos (inglés americano e inglés británico), el segundo examina la reescritura de una nota relativa a un producto farmacéutico en un registro destinado a un público no especialista y el tercero analiza la modernización de una obra de Shakespeare. El objetivo principal de estos tres estudios de caso consiste en inventariar la naturaleza y el alcance de las estrategias de traducción adoptadas para transformar los textos originales en textos meta intralingüísticos. En el artículo, las estrategias de traducción se conceptualizan como shifts y los análisis se basan en conceptos muy conocidos de los estudios de traducción. Los resultados revelan claras diferencias, pero igualmente notables semejanzas entre los tipos de shift que aparecen en cada caso