ABSTRACT

This chapter will …

present a conceptual map for doing practitioner research in translation studies, with such areas as register, text, genre and discourse analysis occupying centre stage;

suggest topics and research questions, as well as types of data and analytic procedure, for translators and translator trainees intending to embark on research in translation studies.

Discourse enabled by texts and genres

Within the textual strand of the linguistics-oriented paradigm, current research into the diverse range of translation phenomena has been informed mainly by a register model of textual practices. Genre theory and the study of cross-cultural factors governing textual norms have also emerged as important sources of ideas for translation research. Finally, dealing with such important themes as ideology has necessitated that translation research focus on discourse or the use of language as a vehicle for the expression of cultural values and belief systems (racism, cultural hegemony, etc.) within and across languages. This multi-faceted research output in translation studies is set out in Concept Map VI.

The original triangle (Concept Map II, p. 49) is re-arranged here to highlight the new emphasis on the need in translation to communicate not only content but also values. The left-hand side now reflects a concern with ‘text’, subsuming the various aspects originally dealt with under ‘register’ (use, user, cohesion, etc.). This is seen in conjunction with the right-hand side of the triangle, which now reflects a concern with cultural norms and constraints, including those which specifically govern ‘genre’ as an aspect of language use. The base line of the triangle reflects contextual factors such as ideological perspective and socio-cultural attitudes dealt with under ‘discourse’.

Text coherence and cultural norms https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315832906/91ddf75e-514b-4c1c-95e5-91ac579a8e41/content/map6_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>