Quality in translation
A Lesson for the Study of Meaning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.2005.1.3.403Keywords:
translation, human translation, translation studies, languageAbstract
This paper brings together translation and linguistics, with the stated aim of offering a modest contribution to the on-going discussion of the nature of meaning in language and the nature of quality in translation. In translation, the paper contrasts two streams in translation theory: the long-standing tendency to attempt to find the one best approach to translation that applies to all circumstances and the more recent Functionalist movement that emphasizes specifications based on the function of the translation being commissioned for a particular audience and purpose. In linguistics, the paper contrasts two streams in the study of meaning: the long-standing dyadic perspective based on the usual reading of Saussure’s signifier-signified contrast and the less known ‘semiogenic’ perspective based on the work of C. S. Peirce. The term ‘semiogenic’ is borrowed, slightly modified from Halliday’s term ‘semogenic’ (for systems that involve the dynamic creation of meaning). Meaning is so fundamental that it is hard, to say the least, to evaluate perspectives on meaning in any direct way. However, given two approaches to translation (one-best vs. specifications) and two perspectives on meaning (dyadic vs. semiogenic), the paper applies the following indirect methodology: if each approach to translation can be paired with a perspective on meaning, and if one approach to translation can be shown to be more useful and applicable in the real world, then we can at least tentatively conclude that the perspective on meaning to which it is paired is to be preferred.
References
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Bell, R. T. (1987) Translation theory: where are we going? META 32(4): 403–15.
Catford, J. (1965) A Linguistic Theory of Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chomsky, N. (1971) Basic principles. In J. P. B. Allen and P. van Buren (eds) Chomsky: selected readings 1–21. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Deacon, T. (1997) The Symbolic Species: the co-evolution of language and the brain. New York: W. W. Norton.
Derrida, J. (1976) Of Grammatology. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.
Eco, U. (1997) The Search for the Perfect Language. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd.
Frege, G. [1892] (1985) On sense and meaning. In A. P. Martinich (ed.) The Philosophy of Language 200–12. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Friedrich, H. [1965] (1992) On the art of translation. In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 11–16. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Fromkin, V. and Rodman, R. (1988) An Introduction to Language. (Fourth edition.) New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2001) Towards a theory of a good translation. In E. Steiner and C. Yallop (eds) Exploring Translation and Multilingual Text Production: beyond content 13–18. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2005) On matter and meaning: two realms of human experience. Linguistics and the Human Sciences 1(1): 59–82.
Hammond, M. (1995) A new wind of quality from Europe. In Translation and the Law, Volume VIII, American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series 233–45. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Harris, R. (2003) Saussure and his Interpreters. (Second edition.) Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Jackendoff, R. (2002) Foundations of Language: brain, meaning, grammar, evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jakobson, R. (1992) On linguistic aspects of translation. In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 144–51. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Koller, W. (1995) The concept of equivalence and the object of translation studies. Target 7(2): 191–222.
Lakoff, G. (1990) The invariance hypothesis: is abstract reasoning based on image-schemas? Cognitive Linguistics 1(1): 39–74.
Langacker, R. (1987) Foundations of Cognitive Grammar. Stanford, CA: Standford University Press.
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Melby, A. K. and Warner, C. T. (1995) The Possibility of Language: a discussion of the nature of language, with implications for human and machine translation. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Munday, J. (2001) Introducing Translation Studies: theories and applications. Oxford: Routledge.
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Nord, C. (1997) Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist approaches explained. Manchester, UK: St. Jerome Publishing.
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Robertson, J. S. (1994) A Peircean categorial analysis of the English inflectional morphemes –ing, -ed, and –s. Semiotica 102: 179–223
Robinson, D. (2001) Literal translation. In M. Baker and K. Malmkjaer (eds) The Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies 125–27. Oxford: Routledge.
Robinson, D. (2003) Becoming a Translator: an introduction to the theory and practice of translation. London: Routledge.
Saussure, F. de [1910] (1993) Saussure’s Third Course in General Linguistics (1910–1911). Oxford: Pergamom Press.
Seleskovitch, D. (1976) Interpretation, a psychological approach to translation. In R. Brislin (ed.) Translation 92–116. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Steiner, E. and Yallop, C. (2001) Exploring Translation and Multilingual Text Production: beyond content. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Thibault, P. J. (1997) Re-reading Saussure: the dynamics of signs in social life. London: Routledge.
Venuti, L. (1986) The translator’s invisibility. Criticism 28(2): 179–212.
Vermeer, H. J. (1989) Skopos and commission in translational action. In A. Chesterman (ed.) Readings in Translation Theory 173–87. Helsinki: Finn Lectura.
Vermeer, H. J. (1996) A Skopos Theory of Translation. Heidelberg, Germany: TEXTconTEXT-Verlag.
von Humbolt, W. [1816] (1992) From the introduction to his translation of Agamemnon. (Translated by S. Sloan.) In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 55–9. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Bell, R. T. (1987) Translation theory: where are we going? META 32(4): 403–15.
Catford, J. (1965) A Linguistic Theory of Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Chomsky, N. (1971) Basic principles. In J. P. B. Allen and P. van Buren (eds) Chomsky: selected readings 1–21. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Deacon, T. (1997) The Symbolic Species: the co-evolution of language and the brain. New York: W. W. Norton.
Derrida, J. (1976) Of Grammatology. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.
Eco, U. (1997) The Search for the Perfect Language. Oxford: Basil Blackwell Ltd.
Frege, G. [1892] (1985) On sense and meaning. In A. P. Martinich (ed.) The Philosophy of Language 200–12. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Friedrich, H. [1965] (1992) On the art of translation. In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 11–16. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Fromkin, V. and Rodman, R. (1988) An Introduction to Language. (Fourth edition.) New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Inc.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2001) Towards a theory of a good translation. In E. Steiner and C. Yallop (eds) Exploring Translation and Multilingual Text Production: beyond content 13–18. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Halliday, M. A. K. (2005) On matter and meaning: two realms of human experience. Linguistics and the Human Sciences 1(1): 59–82.
Hammond, M. (1995) A new wind of quality from Europe. In Translation and the Law, Volume VIII, American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series 233–45. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Harris, R. (2003) Saussure and his Interpreters. (Second edition.) Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Jackendoff, R. (2002) Foundations of Language: brain, meaning, grammar, evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Jakobson, R. (1992) On linguistic aspects of translation. In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 144–51. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Koller, W. (1995) The concept of equivalence and the object of translation studies. Target 7(2): 191–222.
Lakoff, G. (1990) The invariance hypothesis: is abstract reasoning based on image-schemas? Cognitive Linguistics 1(1): 39–74.
Langacker, R. (1987) Foundations of Cognitive Grammar. Stanford, CA: Standford University Press.
Lank, S. (2000) We have our standards! Language International, February: 38–9.
Larson, M. L. (1984) Meaning-based Translation: a guide to cross-language equivalence, Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Manning, A. D. (1989) The invariant code-significance of lexical items. Semiotica 73: 101–19.
Manning, A. D. (1996) Supposition Error: a novel (and primer in the philosophy of C. S. Peirce). Superior, WI: Parlay Press.
Melby, A. K. (1990) The mentions of equivalence in translation. META, 35(1): 207–13.
Melby, A. K. and Warner, C. T. (1995) The Possibility of Language: a discussion of the nature of language, with implications for human and machine translation. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Munday, J. (2001) Introducing Translation Studies: theories and applications. Oxford: Routledge.
Nabokov, V. [1955] (1992) Problems in translation: Onegin in English. In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 127–43. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Neubert, A. and Shreve, G. M. (1992) Translation as Text. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press.
Newmark, P. (1990) The curse of dogma in translation studies. Lebende Sprachen 35(3): 105–8.
Nida, E. (1976) A framework for the analysis and evaluation of theories of translation. In R. W. Brislin (ed.) Translation: application and research 47–91. Gardner Press.
Nord, C. (1997) Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist approaches explained. Manchester, UK: St. Jerome Publishing.
Palmer, F. R. (1976) Semantics. (Second edition.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Peirce, C. S. (1931-35) Collected Papers Vols 1–6. Edited by C. Hartshorne and P. Weiss (eds) Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.
Pym, A. (1996) Material text transfer as a key to the purposes of translation. In A. Neubert, G. Shreve and K. Gommlich (eds) Basic Issues in Translation Studies, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference Kent Forum on Translation Studies II 337–46. Kent OH: Institute of Applied Linguistics.
Robertson, J. S. (1994) A Peircean categorial analysis of the English inflectional morphemes –ing, -ed, and –s. Semiotica 102: 179–223
Robinson, D. (2001) Literal translation. In M. Baker and K. Malmkjaer (eds) The Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies 125–27. Oxford: Routledge.
Robinson, D. (2003) Becoming a Translator: an introduction to the theory and practice of translation. London: Routledge.
Saussure, F. de [1910] (1993) Saussure’s Third Course in General Linguistics (1910–1911). Oxford: Pergamom Press.
Seleskovitch, D. (1976) Interpretation, a psychological approach to translation. In R. Brislin (ed.) Translation 92–116. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Steiner, E. and Yallop, C. (2001) Exploring Translation and Multilingual Text Production: beyond content. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Thibault, P. J. (1997) Re-reading Saussure: the dynamics of signs in social life. London: Routledge.
Venuti, L. (1986) The translator’s invisibility. Criticism 28(2): 179–212.
Vermeer, H. J. (1989) Skopos and commission in translational action. In A. Chesterman (ed.) Readings in Translation Theory 173–87. Helsinki: Finn Lectura.
Vermeer, H. J. (1996) A Skopos Theory of Translation. Heidelberg, Germany: TEXTconTEXT-Verlag.
von Humbolt, W. [1816] (1992) From the introduction to his translation of Agamemnon. (Translated by S. Sloan.) In R. Shulte and J. Biguenet (eds) Theories of Translation: an anthology of essays from Dryden to Derrida 55–9. Chicago: University of Chicago.
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Published
2007-02-18
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How to Cite
Melby, A. K., Manning, A. D., & Klemetz, L. (2007). Quality in translation: A Lesson for the Study of Meaning. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 1(3), 403-446. https://doi.org/10.1558/lhs.2005.1.3.403
