Translation Studies: Cultural Turn & CTS

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Questions and Answers

What is a key limitation of relying solely on quantitative analysis in Corpus-Based Translation Studies (CTS)?

It relies on overly complex statistical methods that are not widely understood within the field.

It focuses on subjective interpretations rather than using empirical data, making it less reliable.

It provides too much insight into the emotional aspects of translation, obscuring the overall trends.

It may overlook qualitative aspects of translation, such as emotional or ideological nuances introduced by human translators. (correct)

Why might a corpus consisting mainly of legal texts limit the findings of a Corpus-Based Translation Study?

Because it may not capture the complexity of literary or creative translations. (correct)

Because legal texts are too complex to be analyzed effectively.

Because the use of legal texts can cause problems with copyright laws.

Because legal texts always require highly specialized translation techniques not seen elsewhere.

What is the ethical consideration related to the use of certain texts in corpora for Corpus-Based Translation Studies?

That the data is difficult to digitize properly when there are translation problems.

That doing so raises privacy and copyright issues, especially with sensitive or proprietary content. (correct)

That such texts are too boring and do not engage adequately with the topic.

That they always require expert translators to interpret correctly.

How can the size and balance of corpora affect the validity of findings in Corpus Translation Studies?

Corpora may not be large or balanced enough to produce reliable results. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How might limitations in the scope of a corpus lead to biased or incomplete conclusions in a Corpus-Based Translation Study?

When the data does not fully reflect the diversity of translation practices or cultural nuances in the real world. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the 'cultural turn' in translation studies?

The impact of culture, politics and ideology on translation. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Who are considered the key figures in formally establishing the 'cultural turn'?

Bassnett and Lefevere (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key approach associated with the 'cultural turn'?

Feminist Translation Studies (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary criticism of the 'cultural turn'?

It has been used to push personal or political agendas. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of Corpus-based Translation Studies (CTS)?

The use of large text corpora to analyze translation (D) Signup and view all the answers

Who are prominent figures in the introduction of Corpus-based Translation Studies?

Tory and Barker (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a valid type of corpora used in CTS?

Parallel corpora (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a major point of criticism regarding the use of corpora in CTS?

The potential lack of representativeness of the corpus. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cultural Turn (1990s)

Shifted focus from purely linguistic aspects of translation to the influence of culture, politics, and ideology.
Built upon earlier theories like functional approach and polysystem theory.
Key figures include Bassnett and Lefevere.
Feminist Translation Studies: Examined how gender is represented in translated texts, often arguing that women are treated as inferior, mirroring societal subordination.
Studies on Identity and Sexual Orientation: Explored how terms related to gender and sexual identity are handled in translation.
Postcolonial Translation Theory: Investigated how translation reflects power imbalances and reinforces colonial power dynamics.
Criticism: Some argue that the cultural turn has been used to promote personal or political agendas.

Corpus-Based Translation Studies (CTS) (Emergence ~1998)

Emphasizes a more empirical and transparent approach to translation theory using large corpora of texts.
Key figures include Tory and Barker.
Methodology: Uses corpora of original and translated texts to analyze translation processes and products.
Corpus Types:
- Monolingual (single language)
- Bilingual (two languages)
- Multilingual (multiple languages)
- Parallel/Comparable (texts on the same topic in different languages)
Purpose: To uncover the nature of translated texts as mediated communicative events and used in translator training.
Criticism:
- Representativeness of the Corpus: Corpora may not represent the full diversity of languages, cultures, and linguistic features.
- Size and Balance of Corpora: Corpora may not be large or balanced enough to produce reliable results.
- Limitations in Capturing Translation Quality: CTS may overlook qualitative aspects of translation.
- Homogeneity of Texts: Corpora may consist of texts that are too similar in genre, subject matter, or translation style.
- Ethical Issues: Concerns arise regarding the ethical implications of using certain texts in corpora, especially sensitive material, proprietary content and privacy/copyright issues.

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Description

Explore the transformative phases in translation studies from the cultural turn in the 1990s to the emergence of corpus-based translation studies. Understand the impact of culture, politics, and ideology on translation practices, as well as the role of feminist, postcolonial, and identity perspectives. Dive into key theories and figures that shaped this evolving field.