This work springs from the subjective need for limiting the translation bias. It has been noticed that a considerable amount of translation is allowed to be published and read mainly due to the importance of its readability in the target language and often overlooking the goal(s) of the source text. This seems to derive from two common presumptions: (1) That a text goal is the result of an irretrievable and indescribable intentionality and (2) That target text readability and the preservation of the source text goal are two incompatible goals of translation. And this is in turn the result of the long lived dichotomy of translation studies into literal and free or text-based and reader oriented approaches. This work attempts to show that both (I) and (2) are misconceptions. Given a reasonable characterisation, intentionality is retrievable from the text itself and revealing of the text goal, the preservation of which does not exclude the readability of the TT and vice versa. Based on pragmatic insights drawn mainly from the Gricean Maxims and Cooperative Principle, Speech Act theory and the Text Linguistic model, this work proceeds to argue the case by analysing three Arabic texts and their twenty-two translations (each text is translated seven to eight times by different translators). These are of three most common types of prose: the expository, the argumentative and the instructive types. The analysis revolves around the identification of the text goal in the SL and its preservation in the TL. During this process a number of models and theories that constitute a controversial view of intentionality are outlined and discussed with a view to breaking the polarity they form and finding a medium path that is apt for charting more plausibly the context, the text and the process of translation. It is hoped that the implications of such work will help improve the quality of translation, provide a more explicit and plausible contribution to the account for the process and to further the effort towards standardising the theory.

No description available.

Translation is enjoying growing recognition in today’s globalised world. It plays an important role in all spheres of human activities and is fundamental to intercultural communication, particularly in international organisations. This empirical research therefore explores how the profession is practised at the African Union, particularly at the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). More specifically, it establishes the profile of translators in both institutions, assesses the quality of translations, and determines if translations are source or target-oriented. To this end, this study uses statistical and documentary research as well as quantitative and qualitative data gathering through personal interviews with translators and a supervisor. Further, it critically evaluates four original texts and their translations using House’s (1997) model of translation quality assessment. Except for the Solemn Declaration of Oath of Allegiance, the evaluated texts displayed ideational features purposefully aimed at informing the readership. These result in a covert translation strategy being employed by translators and a cultural filter being applied in order to achieve a functional equivalence. A critical analysis of questionnaires and personal interviews with translators and one supervisor through purposive sampling shows that translation plays a strategic role in the smooth running of the two institutions. Translators mostly adhered to original texts, while ensuring that the translation was natural and fluent.

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of Portuguese

University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

Simultaneous interpretation (SI) is a special kind of translation where the interpreter listens to a speaker, processes the spoken (or signed) source language message and produces an equivalent output in a target language, i.e., the interpreter produces one part of the message in the target language while simultaneously listening to the next part of the message in the source language. This thesis examines the process of simultaneous interpretation from an information processing point of view and describes the implications of such an approach for practical SI. Following an overview of research issues in SI literature, a definition of SI is given, pointing out the special characteristics of SI and the features that distinguish it from written translation and consecutive interpretation. A model incorporating various structural and functional components is then used to describe SI in terms of information processing. The focus of this investigation is on the integrative use of bottom-up and top-down processing mechanisms as typical features of human information processing systems. Subsequently the implications of the observations made about SI as an information process are considered within the context of practical SI. The various factors that influence the quality, speed and reliability of interpretation at all stages of the process are examined. Finally suggestions for the training of simultaneous interpreters are made. The thesis is concluded with the observation that SI is indeed a special kind of human information processing. Modelling SI in terms of information processing can contribute to the understanding of this complex process and its components. It is a powerful tool to enlighten the mechanisms and skills involved in SI and to establish efficient training programs for simultaneous interpreters.

As yet, few explicit, practical and easy to implement marking scales for evaluating the quality of translations have been proposed. The purpose of this study is to introduce a new marking guide for making quantitative assessments of the quality of non-literary translations, and to test its practicality through a case study using the Arabic language. On the basis of the results, some generalizations about translation and translation quality assessment are made. Early treatments which dealt with the evaluation of translations are discussed, showing their merits and defects. The new marking guide is then described, including classification of errors and examples of each type of error. Guidelines are presented for the holistic subjective assessment, the guidelines are evaluated and the outcome discussed / Master of Arts (Hons)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 38).

Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-83).