| Pages in topic: < [1 2] | Poll: Do you find translation theories useful for your professional practice? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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Mario Chavez (X) 
Local time: 12:32
English to Spanish
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| About translation theories and their applicability | Jan 27, 2014 |
I am with Muriel on this. During my master's studies in 2005-2009, I found the following book very useful to comb through the pros and cons of translation theory:
Can Theory Help Translators? by Andrew Chesterman and Emma Wagner (ISBN 1-90065-049-5).
Chesterman is a translation educator and Wagner is an independent translator. The book is structured as a dialogue. I highly recommend it.
Now, I'd like to address a certain bias among practicing translators, especially those who seem decidedly against translation theories because they are useless in practice.
First, grab a dictionary and review the definition of the word theory. A theory is not an hypothesis, a conjecture or a speculation. When I hear translators (and translation teachers) talk about how inapplicable translation theories are in real-life situations, I'm reminded of those who oppose evolution because it's a theory.
Second, approach the subject of translation theory with an open mind. Read about it from different sources (Wikipedia does not count). Then form your own personal conclusions and opinions about it.
Many translation theories (from Saussure to Nida, for example) were based on literary translation. Well, take them with a grain of salt. Not much is being publicly discussed about applied translation and translation theory in the realm of commercial and/or technical translation, let alone other fields, such as videogame and software localization.
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:32
French to English
Sorry, but my attitude can be summed up in the scathing joke about the engineer who saw two men putting a vehicle together without any knowledge of aerodynamics etc. They managed to get their vehicle moving despite the engineer's protests that it wouldn't work, upon which the engineer started to muse that "this is all very well but would it work in theory?"
I did find it very funny that the (unsufferable) guy who was top of the theory class I took didn't actually manage to graduate ... See more Sorry, but my attitude can be summed up in the scathing joke about the engineer who saw two men putting a vehicle together without any knowledge of aerodynamics etc. They managed to get their vehicle moving despite the engineer's protests that it wouldn't work, upon which the engineer started to muse that "this is all very well but would it work in theory?"
I did find it very funny that the (unsufferable) guy who was top of the theory class I took didn't actually manage to graduate that year.
Just sayin'. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:32
French to English
Tatty wrote:
This is a really good poll. Of course, only those translators who are actually familiar with such theories will be able to answer. I don't, so I really couldn't say - Other.
Well you've obviously survived without!
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dsd-sl wrote:
At the end of his interesting speech, he was ready to answer some questions.
After a while I asked a silly 1-Million-Dollar question: "What is the secret of a good translation?"
Very simply and honestly he answered: "Just let it rest for a while, better one night.
I don't know why, but you will surely find the way to improve it at your very best".
That's my rule, always. That's why I do not accept jobs longer than one page with delivery within the day.
[Modificato alle 2014-01-27 14:29 GMT]
Wise words!!
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Yaotl Altan
Mexico
Local time: 10:32
Member (2006)
English to Spanish
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| Exactly, Texte Style. | Jan 27, 2014 |
Your example is exactly what this is all about. People kiss each other, control a football or rides a bike with common sense more than theory.
Yes, there could be deep theories, analyses on saliva, the perfect angle to hold the others face to give a proper kiss, how to press the lips with the lips, how to move the feet in order to control the ball, how to move the legs on the bike, et al... but they are not signbificant in these cases.
But, when an elderly uses ... See more Your example is exactly what this is all about. People kiss each other, control a football or rides a bike with common sense more than theory.
Yes, there could be deep theories, analyses on saliva, the perfect angle to hold the others face to give a proper kiss, how to press the lips with the lips, how to move the feet in order to control the ball, how to move the legs on the bike, et al... but they are not signbificant in these cases.
But, when an elderly uses her bike to go the store and buy some food, is it really necessary to know the whole aerodynamics of her helmet? Come on Frankly, a "translation theory" manual shouldn't exceed 50 pages. ▲ Collapse
| | | | DianeGM
Local time: 19:32
Member (2006)
Dutch to English
+ ...
When I think about translation theory interesting, curious, ... and similar such words spring to mind more readily than useful.
I've looked at translation and linguistic theories from many angles over the years, I guess I've absorbed and incorporated what I found helpful or applicable to some extent, directly or indirectly and archived the rest at the back of my mind somewhere in the 'don't throw out - possibly useful at some point' pile.
So, useful in the sense that any interesting... See more When I think about translation theory interesting, curious, ... and similar such words spring to mind more readily than useful.
I've looked at translation and linguistic theories from many angles over the years, I guess I've absorbed and incorporated what I found helpful or applicable to some extent, directly or indirectly and archived the rest at the back of my mind somewhere in the 'don't throw out - possibly useful at some point' pile.
So, useful in the sense that any interesting idea can encourage you to look at something differently ... yes.
Useful in the sense that a well written manual would be ... not yet ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 12:32
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Apples to apples, please | Jan 27, 2014 |
Texte Style wrote:
Sorry, but my attitude can be summed up in the scathing joke about the engineer who saw two men putting a vehicle together without any knowledge of aerodynamics etc. They managed to get their vehicle moving despite the engineer's protests that it wouldn't work, upon which the engineer started to muse that "this is all very well but would it work in theory?"
I did find it very funny that the (unsufferable) guy who was top of the theory class I took didn't actually manage to graduate that year.
Just sayin'.
You are conflating two different concepts in the name of theory. And please spare us the teen lingo (Just sayin').
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 12:32
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Translation theory manuals | Jan 27, 2014 |
Yaotl Altan wrote: Your example is exactly what this is all about. People kiss each other, control a football or rides a bike with common sense more than theory. Yes, there could be deep theories, analyses on saliva, the perfect angle to hold the others face to give a proper kiss, how to press the lips with the lips, how to move the feet in order to control the ball, how to move the legs on the bike, et al... but they are not signbificant in these cases. But, when an elderly uses her bike to go the store and buy some food, is it really necessary to know the whole aerodynamics of her helmet? Come on Frankly, a "translation theory" manual shouldn't exceed 50 pages.
I take issue with your oversimplification of the matter. Have you actually read anything substantial about translation theory?
Your comparison is way off the mark.
Let's keep the discussion well informed, please.
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Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 09:32
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
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| Translation theory | Jan 27, 2014 |
All translators have a "translation theory", whether it is informed by formal translation theories or not. I have found translation theories useful, but my knowledge in linguistics has been even more useful.
| | | | Tatty
Local time: 18:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
I actually did a four-year translation degree and didn't study any translation theory. We were supposed to read a book on translation theory but we weren't tested on it, so I only skimmed through it. It contained some good stuff I seem to remember.
Nowadays we have the Internet and can use parallel texts and Linguee.com to see how other translators have tackled a problem. All good stuff.
Like Michelle, I have worked out my own theory by now and I am very methodologica... See more I actually did a four-year translation degree and didn't study any translation theory. We were supposed to read a book on translation theory but we weren't tested on it, so I only skimmed through it. It contained some good stuff I seem to remember.
Nowadays we have the Internet and can use parallel texts and Linguee.com to see how other translators have tackled a problem. All good stuff.
Like Michelle, I have worked out my own theory by now and I am very methodological in my approach to translating. I only rely on my ear for the final reading. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Allison Wright (X)
Portugal
Local time: 17:32
| Translation theory | Jan 27, 2014 |
Translation theory is a useful study before moving on to the much more interesting field of comparative linguistics, which has practical applications for all translators.
When I first came upon translation theory as a student, it seemed (in a general sense) to echo thoughts I had already had on the matter. In a way, it gave me labels to affix to things I already knew existed, but did not know the name of.
I was quite lucky in that the course I took had a heavy practical... See more Translation theory is a useful study before moving on to the much more interesting field of comparative linguistics, which has practical applications for all translators.
When I first came upon translation theory as a student, it seemed (in a general sense) to echo thoughts I had already had on the matter. In a way, it gave me labels to affix to things I already knew existed, but did not know the name of.
I was quite lucky in that the course I took had a heavy practical component. The examples given by all the theorists were not in the bidirectional language pair of the course (English-Afrikaans), which gave our class ample opportunity to "test" these theories on transference from English to Afrikaans and vice versa.
That turned the dry bread of translation theory into a succulent meal!
To be fair though, theory is not for everybody. I was one of two in a class of 12 who had any enthusiasm for it.
Do I use what I learnt in translation theory classes in 1983 and 1984 today?
Inasmuch as I absorbed the information to me presented then, yes. I would like to think that the intervening years of experience have me producing - sometimes at speed - much more intuitive, context-appropriate texts that no amount of theory back in the previous century would have helped me do.
Then again, typing all those dastardly performance guarantees and insurance policies in my first job as a secretary and translator, working for a firm of accountants (and typing countless memoranda and articles of association, and lodging same with the Registrar of Companies), the experience of working for a paper manufacturing conglomerate, and all the banking procedures involved in running an export flower business, and working on a farm, and even playing golf for years, etc. have been just as helpful, if not more so.
[Edited at 2014-01-28 07:32 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Tatty wrote:
I actually did a four-year translation degree and didn't study any translation theory. We were supposed to read a book on translation theory but we weren't tested on it, so I only skimmed through it. It contained some good stuff I seem to remember.
Nowadays we have the Internet and can use parallel texts and Linguee.com to see how other translators have tackled a problem. All good stuff.
Like Michelle, I have worked out my own theory by now and I am very methodological in my approach to translating. I only rely on my ear for the final reading.
The Internet in general is invaluable, but I find Linguee mostly useless. 95% of the times I have used Linguee to find a difficult term I have found mostly wrong answers, and when they are correct, most of the time they have nothing to do with what I am translating.
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Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 12:32
English to Spanish
+ ...
Jose Arnoldo Rodriguez-Carrington wrote: Tatty wrote:
I actually did a four-year translation degree and didn't study any translation theory. We were supposed to read a book on translation theory but we weren't tested on it, so I only skimmed through it. It contained some good stuff I seem to remember.
Nowadays we have the Internet and can use parallel texts and Linguee.com to see how other translators have tackled a problem. All good stuff.
Like Michelle, I have worked out my own theory by now and I am very methodological in my approach to translating. I only rely on my ear for the final reading. The Internet in general is invaluable, but I find Linguee mostly useless. 95% of the times I have used Linguee to find a difficult term I have found mostly wrong answers, and when they are correct, most of the time they have nothing to do with what I am translating.
I've done the same, José, but I make sure that I can corroborate and/or confirm the equivalent term in a more suitable source elsewhere (Internet or a good old printed book).
In my experience (English>Spanish and Spanish>English), many translations cited in Linguee are poorly written or miss the concept entirely.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 18:32
Spanish to English
+ ...
I have to agree, Linguee is rubbish. I'd say it sucks, but don't wish to be ticked off for using "teen lingo"...
| | | | Kay Denney
France
Local time: 18:32
French to English
| Just conflatin' :-D | Jan 28, 2014 |
Mario Chavez wrote: Texte Style wrote:
Sorry, but my attitude can be summed up in the scathing joke about the engineer who saw two men putting a vehicle together without any knowledge of aerodynamics etc. They managed to get their vehicle moving despite the engineer's protests that it wouldn't work, upon which the engineer started to muse that "this is all very well but would it work in theory?"
I did find it very funny that the (unsufferable) guy who was top of the theory class I took didn't actually manage to graduate that year.
Just sayin'. You are conflating two different concepts in the name of theory. And please spare us the teen lingo ( Just sayin').
I have only actually ever heard people my age using that expression. Maybe it's reserved for teens in your part of the world but hey, teenagers are people too (however much they may seem more like changelings) so please let's avoid ageism here.
Not sure what "concepts" I am conflating either. I thought I was sharing a couple of things I found funny in the hopes of raising a laugh. Didn't even know I knew how to conflate either!
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