DEVELOPING LATVIAN TERMINOLOGY OF TRANSLATION STUDIES: THE FIRST STEPS

The rapidly increasing number of translatological publications in the Latvian language, as well as the necessity to read theoretical courses in Latvian, which is the common language for Master-level students majoring in translation with different working languages, makes a compilation of an Explanatory Dictionary of Latvian Terminology of Translation Studies a topical issue. The article gives a brief insight into the first step that has up to now been taken in this direction, characterising creators and users of terms in the contemporary world, providing an overview of Translation Studies research in Latvia, listing the general characteristics of the terminology of Translation Studies, explaining the procedure of term approval in Latvia, familiarising the readers with the existing core set of translatological terms, providing the author’s suggestions concerning the enlargement of the list of Latvian translatological terms with the goal to select’ longlivers’ and avoid ’ephemera’

Acquiring Translation Competence through the Use of Subtitling. Enhancing Language Learning through Translation and Translating.

The research work presented here is the result of two interconnected factors: on the one hand the results of a preliminary study on the skills of students of the degree courses “Mediazione Linguistica e Culturale” [Linguistic and Cultural Mediation] and “Lingue, Letterature e Culture Moderne” [Modern Languages, Literature and Cultures] to analyse and assess the translation of audiovisual products and on the other hand the analysis of the most recent literature on language learning and audiovisual material, in particular interlingual subtitling. The first shows that the competences acquired during the three years of study do not always guarantee satisfying language and translation skills – in particular, a rather literal approach to texts persists –; while the second presents encouraging results on the use of subtitling in foreign language teaching, although the studies conducted so far are few and on small samples. Hence, the need for students to abandon their word-for-word approach and the intrinsic characteristics of interlingual subtitling and of audiovisual texts (i.e. the time and space constraints imposed on the text) are the starting point of this dissertation. Although the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) acknowledges translation as part of the activities necessary to language learning, its status is not yet clear since it is sometimes included in reception and production skills. The lack of specific descriptors then, makes the role played by translation in language learning still uncertain. To this end a methodology based on the use of two pieces of software was designed and implemented, namely LvS 2.5.2 a subtitling simulator for didactic purposes and Translog 2006 that allows to record all cursor movements and keystrokes. The first was used to analyse the processes and products of the translation of audiovisual texts, while the latter to create subtitles from English to Italian. One of the innovative aspects of this project lies precisely in the combination of these two pieces of software for the survey and development of language and translation competence for English L2 learners. The first stage of this investigation consisted in a pilot study with 18 volunteers of the third year of the degree course “Mediazione Linguistica e Culturale” over three lessons. The main purpose of the pilot study was to test students' reactions to the use of LvS and Translog and improve the methodology, as well as the quality of the learning material. This provided us with positive reactions on the part of students and with preliminary data on translation processes that proved helpful to the trial. The most striking datum found is that around 40% of the students observed do not read the text before translating, with negative consequences on the working speed and quality of their translations. The trial had a larger sample of students (27) and took place over a period of about two months (10 lessons). Students underwent an initial profiling activity, so that their translation style and initial competence and were instructed on how to use LvS and Translog. The activities carried out during the trial were structured according to the main stages of the translation process (orientation, drafting and end-revision). Therefore, every lesson would entail three stages: a group watching of the material and students' comments on the content and possible translation problems, then the translation with Translog and a transposition on LvS, and finally a group discussion with students' proposals. The material was administered on the basis of the learner-centred approach in which the teacher was a mere facilitator and encouraged a critical dialogue among students as much as possible rather than impose her own perspective. The definition of competence the study and the analysis refer to is that proposed by the PACTE group (“the underlying system of knowledge required to translate”). The audiovisual texts propose to students were selected on the basis of a number of “Rich Points”, which were then the specific object of the qualitative and quantitative analysis. Special attention was paid to the three basic stages of the translation process and their evolution, the duration of pauses, number of re-elaborations and the quality of the solutions of Rich Points. Moreover, the trial group's translation performance was compared to that of a control group to allow better data validation. The results of the study have contributed to gather precious information on learners' translation style and techniques and seem to encourage the use of this practice in foreign language teaching through the analysis and translation of audiovisual material. In fact, the trial group outperformed the control group both as far as the general approach to translation is concerned and specific problems considered representative of the most common translation difficulties

Sketches by boz de Cjarles Dickens: uma análise descritiva

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Comunicação e Expressão, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Estudos da Tradução, Florianópolis, 2012.A presente pesquisa propõe uma análise descritiva de Sketches by Boz (1836), a primeira obra publicada do escritor inglês Charles Dickens (1812-1870). Para tal, tomo como ponto de partida uma crônica jornalística traduzida para o português por Marcello Rollemberg no livro denominado Retratos Londrinos (2003). O texto selecionado - à guisa de recorte - para esta pesquisa é: Shabby-genteel People, com tradução em português, Os decadentes, que é analisado sob a ótica dos Estudos Descritivos da Tradução (DTS): a Teoria dos Polissistemas (Even-Zohar 1978), as pesquisas de Toury neste campo, e o esquema Lambert & Van Gorp para traduções (1985). Nesta pesquisa, são investigados elementos relacionados ao processo de criação do tradutor. Segundo os Estudos Descritivos da Tradução, esses elementos abrangem o aspecto histórico, o social, assim como questões relacionadas ao mercado editorial e à disseminação de obras traduzidas.Abstract : This thesis proposes a descriptive analysis of the work Sketches by Boz (1836), the first published work by the English writer Charles Dickens (1812-1870). To do this, it will be taken, as a starting point a journalistic chronicle translated into Portuguese by Marcello Rollemberg in the book called Retratos Londrinos (2003). The text selected by this research is Shabby-genteel People (journalistic chronicle), which will be discussed from the perspective of Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS): the Plolysystem Theory (Even-Zohar, 1978), The Gideon Toury#s research in this field, and Lambert and Van Gorp schema for translation (1985). This study will investigate elements related to the creating process of the translator, which, according to Descriptive Translation Studies, can be of social and historical nature, as well as questions related to the publising and to the dissemination of translated works

ON FILM TITLES: TRANSLATION OR RETITLING?

The purpose of the article is to show the translation of film titles into English and their retitling to develop in parallel, and both processes involve transformations. Methodology and Approach to analyze the Internet sources materials are based on comparative and descriptive method of their linguistic and lexicographic constituents. The results. Differences of film titles in the source and target languages are resolved in course of the realization of translational strategies, based on transformations and modulations. The presence of variations in translation into one and the same language is caused by the practice to demonstrate films in various countries. Theoretical and Practical Implication. General approach to film titles translation once again proves transformation to be the principle means to reach understanding of the target audience along with strategies of modulation and retitling. The analysis of the material is useful for theoretical and applied translation studies, including compilation of special dictionaries and manuals and teaching wide profile translators.Цель работы - показать, что перевод названий фильмов на английский язык и их замена-переименование развиваются параллельно, и оба процесса включают трансформации. Процедура и методы исследования. Анализ материала из интернет-источников основан на сравнительно-описательном методе их лингвистической и лексикографической составляющих. Результаты исследования. Различия названий фильмов на языке оригинала и языке перевода преодолеваются за счёт реализации переводческих стратегий, основанных на трансформациях и модуляциях. Наличие вариантов перевода на один и тот же язык обусловлено практикой показа фильма в разных странах. Теоретическая и практическая значимость. Общий подход к переводу названий фильмов подтверждает, что трансформация - основной способ достижения понимания в целевой аудитории наряду с приёмами модуляции и замены. Анализ материала полезен для теоретического и прикладного переводоведения, включая составление специальных словарей и справочников, подготовку переводчиков широкого профиля