Challenging The Traditional Axioms: Translation Into A Non-mother Tongue (benjamins Translation Library)

Annotation Translation into a non-mother tongue or inverse translation, especially of literary texts, has always been frowned upon within Translation Studies in Western cultures and regarded by literary scholars and linguists as an activity of dubious worth, doomed to fail. The study, which received an award from EST in 2001, sets out to challenge the established view and to critically question some of the axiomatic assumptions of Western theorists. Its challenge is supported by extensive empirical research involving reader response to translations of specific literary texts. The conclusion reached is that the quality of the translation, its fluency and acceptability in the target language environment depend primarily on the as yet undetermined individual abilities of the particular translator, his/her translation strategy and knowledge of the source and target cultures, and not on his/her mother tongue or the direction in which s/he is translating Challenging the Traditional Axioms......Page 2 Editorial page......Page 3 Title page......Page 4 LCC data......Page 5 Table of contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Open definitions of the terms "native speaker'' and "mother tongue''......Page 14 The concept of "mother tongue''......Page 15 Defining the term "native speaker''......Page 19 Mystification of the native speaker - the translator as owner of the TL......Page 38 The idealisation of the translator - a perfect bilingual translator......Page 41 A hidden traditional conviction......Page 43 Translation into a non-mother tongue and team translation as a part of translation practice......Page 47 Method and corpus for analysis......Page 52 Granting the status of a native speaker to immigrants......Page 55 Presentation of the translators analysed in the corpus......Page 58 Ivan Cankar and his style......Page 62 The Ward of Our Lady of Mercy......Page 68 A Cup of Coffee......Page 70 Children and Old People......Page 74 The Ward of Our Lady of Mercy by Henry Leeming......Page 78 A Cup of Coffee by Louis Adamic......Page 90 A Cup of Coffee by Agata Zmajic and M. Peters-Roberts......Page 96 A Cup of Coffee by Joze Paternost......Page 100 A Cup of Coffee by Elza Jereb and Alasdair MacKinnon......Page 102 Children and Old People by Anthony J. Klancar......Page 104 Children and Old People by A. J. Klancar and George R. Noyes......Page 107 Louis Adamic......Page 110 Agata Zmajic and M. Peters-Roberts......Page 111 Joze Paternost......Page 112 Henry Leeming......Page 113 Anthony J. Klancar......Page 114 Anthony J. Klancar and George R. Noyes......Page 116 Native speakership in the analysed translations......Page 117 Native speaker intuitions......Page 120 Conclusion......Page 132 Appendix I. Questionnaire......Page 138 Appendix II. Responses in the questionnaire......Page 146 Notes......Page 160 Bibliography......Page 162 Index......Page 174 The series Benjamins Translation Library......Page 178 Translation Into A Non-mother Tongue Or Inverse Translation, Especially Of Literary Texts, Has Always Been Frowned Upon Within Translation Studies In Western Cultures And Regarded By Literary Scholars And Linguists As An Activity Of Dubious Worth, Doomed To Fail. The Study, Which Was Awarded By Est In 2001, Sets Out To Challenge The Established View And To Critically Question Some Of The Axiomatic Assumptions Of Western Theorists. Its Challenge Is Supported By Extensive Empirical Research Involving Reader Response To Translations Of Specific Literary Texts. The Conclusion Reached Is That The Quality Of The Translation, Its Fluency And Acceptability In The Target Language Environment Depend Primarily On The As Yet Undetermined Individual Abilities Of The Particular Translator, His/her Translation Strategy And Knowledge Of The Source And Target Cultures, And Not On His/her Mother Tongue Or The Direction In Which S/he Is Translating.--jacket. Introduction : A Questioning Approach To Translation Studies -- Open Definitions Of The Terms Native Speaker And Mother Tongue -- Translation Into A Non-mother Tongue In Translation Theory : Challenging The Traditional -- Method And Corpus For Analysis -- Analysis Of The Texts : Presentation Of The Selected Originals -- The Ward Of Our Lady Of Mercy -- A Cup Of Coffee -- Children And Old People -- Analysis Of The Texts : Presentation Of The Selected Translations -- The Ward Of Our Lady Of Mercy By Henry Leeming -- A Cup Of Coffee By Louis Adamic -- A Cup Of Coffee By Agata Zmajic And M. Peters-roberts -- A Cup Of Coffee By Joze Paternost -- A Cup Of Coffee By Elza Jereb And Alasdair Mackinnon. Nike K. Pokorn. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [149]-159) And Index.