Translation Laws and Universals as signals of risk-aversion

1. Translation Laws and Universals as signals of risk-aversion Anthony pym

2. Behavioral tendencies • Levý, Jiří. 1963/2011. Uměnípřekladu: “it is the psychology inherent in the activity of translating that is behind the tendency for translators themselves to opt for generalisation, neutralisation and repetition [as opposed to variation].”

3. Some tendencies • Simplification: “the process and/or result of making do with less [different] words” (Blum-Kulka and Levenston1983) • Explicitation: making implicit information explicit (Blum-Kulka1986) • Equalizing: avoidance of extremes of language use (Shlesinger 1989) • Unique items: items only found in the target language tend not to be used (Tirkkonen-Condit 2004)

4. Some laws • Standardization: “conversion of textemes into repertoremes” (Toury 1995/2012) • Interference: “The greater the text unit (phrase, sentence, paragraph, chapter), the greater the interference.” (Toury 1995/2012)

5. PROBLEMS WITH CORPORA • All units are presumed to have the same value. • Few probabilistic statistics are in sight. • No modeling can be made of translation processes (especially effort). • No causes can be identified.

6. Causes for tendencies? • Vinay and Darbelnet (1958): “prudence but also ignorance” • Levý (1963): “communication” vs. “aesthetic function” • Popovič(1975): “commercialization” vs. “quality” • Chesterman (2004): “translators are also readers” • Davidson (1973) “charity” or “rational accommodation” • Quine (1990, 1995) “empathy”

7. Rational risk analysis • Manage risk of communicative failure (when there a no mutual benefits for partners) • Some items are high-risk, others are low-risk. • Work hard on high-risk items (i.e. reduce risk) • Do not work hard on low-risk items (i.e. accept risk) • Blame someone else when high-risk items are not worth the effort (i.e. transfer risk) • Run high risk?

8. A simple translation problem

9. A simple translation problem • Ting Ting Maggie Hui, RISK MANAGEMENT BY TRAINEE TRANSLATORS: A STUDY OF TRANSLATION PROCEDURES AND JUSTIFICATIONS IN PEER-GROUP INTERACTION (2012)

10. “Shop fearlessly”

11. “Shop fearlessly”

12. “Shop fearlessly”

13. “Shop fearlessly”

14. “GET HUNGRY, Shop fearlessly”

15. “fearless”

16. TRANSLATOR’S RISK PROFILE

17. Some tendencies • Simplification: “the process and/or result of making do with less [different] words” (Blum-Kulka and Levenston1983) • Explicitation: making implicit information explicit (Blum-Kulka1986) • Equalizing: avoidance of extremes of language use (Shlesinger 1989) • Unique items: items only found in the target language tend not to be used (Tirkkonen-Condit 2004)

18. Some laws • Standardization: “conversion of textemes into repertoremes” (Toury 1995/2012) • Interference: “The greater the text unit (phrase, sentence, paragraph, chapter), the greater the interference.” (Toury 1995/2012)

19. AN EXPLANATION • With no equivalence • With no fidelity • With no essentialist Skopos or purpose • With no assumption of “complete information” (Levý) • With no more than a subject who estimates probable efforts and probable effects.

20. A universal reward structure? • “Authors always get the praise for what is good in a translation, and translators just get the blame for what is wrong” (Leonardo Bruni 1405)