Translation Theories. Note-taking in Interpretation and its Relation to Cognitive Theory

Exposé Écrit pour un Séminaire / Cours , 2015 , 9 Pages , Note: A

Science de Langue / Linguistique (interdisciplinaire)

The ideal translation of a work is transparent and not an obscurity of the original work. Note taking is not about writing what one hears verbatim, but more about preserving the meaning. In addition, it requires careful consideration of the context in order to get the meaning.

Note taking facilitates translation by allowing individuals to outsource memories onto an external source. Traslation theories aid in understanding note taking by specifying constituent processes of interpretation and translation tasks. In vertical translation, there is greater construction of meaning and the loss of specific linguistic forms contained in the original work.

However, horizontal translation implies more direct processes of change from a single linguistic code to another where most of the lexical representation is preserved. Best practices of note taking include considering the context of the work, immediate writing and focusing on meaning. Note taking should be performed as a creative process and not just a mechanical process.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

References

Abstract

The ideal translation of a work is transparent and not an obscurity of the original work. Note taking is not about writing what one hears verbatim, but more about preserving the meaning. In addition, it requires careful consideration of the context in order to get the meaning. Note taking facilitates translation by allowing individuals to outsource memories onto an external source. Traslation theories aidin understanding note taking by specifying constituent processes of interpretation and translation tasks. In vertical translation, there is greater construction of meaning and the loss of specific linguistic forms contained in the original work. However, horizontal translation implies more direct processes of change from a single linguistic code to another where most of the lexical representation is preserved. Best practices of note taking include considering the context of the work, immediate writing and focusing on meaning. Note taking should be performed as a creative process and not just a mechanical process

Introduction

Interpreting has been practiced for years with each translator approaching the subject from different perspectives. The ideal translation of a work is transparent and not an obscurity of the original work. Rather than standing in the light of the original work, it allows the language (strengthened by its medium) to weave a clearer path to understanding the idea of the original (Benjamin, 1923). Essentially, the aim of a translation is to ensure that the target language and source language share a similarity, and the inherent structures of the source language are preserved as much as can be allowed but not too much as to distort the meaning within the target language. Herein lies one of the most critical strategies in note taking. It is not about writing what one hears verbatim, but more about preserving the meaning (Hopkinson, 2009). The meaning should be given precedence to ensure it is preserved in the notes. For instance, when translating a book that has illustrations, such as the Grimm fairytales, rather than writing exactly what the writers wrote about what a piece of art looks like, the translator should write about what they understand. Note taking requires careful consideration of the context in order to get the meaning (Choi, 2002). For instance, the Swahili word for ‘like’ and ‘love’ is the same, that is ‘penda’. Depending on the context, it could mean either like or love. For this reason, translating it as exclusively like or love will result in a distortion of meaning.

Body

Before embarking on more best practices of note taking emerging from translation theories, it is important to highlight the role of note taking in translation. The process facilitates translation by allowing individuals to outsource memories onto an external source, which in this case is a paper (Zaromb & Roediger, 2010). The content on this paper can be used for future reference, which is critical in translation. For instance, while reading a text, a translator may take notes pertaining to the use of particular words in particular contexts, further understanding will be achieved by looking at where the words had been used previously and applying them to situations at a later time. If one wishes to find out the rhyme scheme of a poem, they will need to make note of the rhyme they have identified in the first lines, then refer to them later to create the complete rhyme scheme.

Robert Burns writes

Oh my love’s like a red red rose …a

That’s sweetly sprung in June …b

Oh my love’s like a melody …c

That’s sweetly played in tune …b

The letters after each of the poem’s lines are the notes that one then refers to later one coming up with the rhyme scheme a, b, c, b. As one takes notes, critical learning occurs as their minds connect ideas and process content as they read. This is especially important in translation where the mind not only needs to understand, but also to generate content that can be understood by others who do not understand the language of the original text (Szpunar et al., 2013). This semantic processing of information connects the translator with the ideas, allowing them to fully immerse their minds in the translation process. Broader learning outcomes are achieved from note taking, which enhance mastery of content owing to generative processing (Vekaria, 2012). Essentially, note taking is allowing an individual to apply knowledge to novel contexts which is similar to translation, which involves applying translating capabilities to the context of transforming a text into a different language.

Though it may seem like a trivial matter, there are complex processes involved in the art of translation. However, the very fact that the emerging work is a translation ensures it is never given the ‘respect’ it deserves. It is derivative and a subsidiary art; thus, it is rarely granted the dignity of the original (Schreck, 2013). It suffers in general judgment and this inherent underestimation lowers the art’s standard. Consequently, neither the difficulty nor the importance of the translation is comprehensively grasped by scholars and other interested parties.

Note taking should be performed as a creative process and not just a mechanical process. The translator should allow himself leeway to be a creator and not just one who reproduces work by others. More often, the end result of the translation is analyzed, but not the process of translation itself. Translating is not a linear process, but a nexus of processes that are employed to translate a particular piece of work (Schreck, 2013). There are different approaches to translation from the methods and tools applied as well as the level of interaction that the translator has with the work. This interaction is not limited to syntaxic matters alone, but also to influence from other disciplines. For this reason, when an individual is taking notes on a particular subject, it is good practice to get some knowledge on that topic, which in turn helps in placing the translation within a relatable context. For instance, there are words that were used before that are now considered offensive in the society. Hence, a translator has to use equivalents that are less offensive in the society.

Since translation is a practice that is arguably done by all individuals almost every day, both internally and externally, theories that describe the methods used in translation. These include theories in psycholinguistics and those in cognitive psychology. Despite the unique nature of translation, it remains to be a function of language processing. These theories may not apply in a direct manner and without reservation. Padilla, Bajo and Padilla (n.d.) present a comprehensive theory of language that is applicable in translation. The theory specifies constituent processes of interpretation and translation tasks. The psychological processes on comprehension are taken into account. The premise upon which this is based is that memory and attention are present in mental operations; thus, a better understanding of the tasks will allow a better understanding of translation.

The theory also outlines aspects within the task of interpretation and translation, which result in differences between analysis and comprehension tasks (Catford, 1965). One of those aspects is temporal parameters. These are the aspects that require more interpretation than translation. It is more literal than other tasks and requires immediate note taking to show the translation. The processing unit is often already present in a complete text. In order to translate it, the whole text must be read first for the creation of the mental model. However, when interpreting occurs simultaneously, such as when one is listening to a speaker, the processing units are conditioned by the pauses within the discourse (Bajo, Padilla & Padilla, 2000). Note taking occurs when the rhythm of the speech allows it to. Comprehension of the speech, reformulation and translation occur serially with constituent processes such as the oral production, the listening and the reformulation to a different language.

Translating a book will be different from translating what a speaker is saying. The book is finished and is in fact required to be finished if successful translation is to occur. The structure of expectation must be complete before translation begins. The mental mode is retained in memory and the short term memory is not required as much as it is in interpreting. There are different demands on the attention and memory resources in these different cases. When translation occurs immediately such as in the case of listening to a speaker, horizontal translation occurs (Bajo, Padilla & Padilla, 2000). However, when the unit is fully availed before translation occurs, such as when translating a book, vertical translation occurs. While note-taking occurs in both cases, the mental processes involved in each case are different.

In vertical translation, there is greater construction of meaning and the loss of specific linguistic forms contained in the original work. Once the listener has comprehended the language, their task is to produce the same in another language. However, horizontal translation implies more direct processes of change from a single linguistic code to another where most of the lexical representation is preserved. Note taking is present in both cases, but is done in different ways and during differing cognitive and mental processes (de Groot, 1997).

As mentioned before, translation involves a number of complex mechanisms within the brain. Confronted with these diverse information transmission activities, note taking is critical to avoid forgetting. Perhaps one of the most obvious best practices of note taking is that one should write down an idea as soon as they perceive it. It is also important since some cases of translation require looking for information from different sources to facilitate the translation of a particular text. For instance, translating a text written in old English will require learning about older English from other sources. Note taking as a way to store information is a surface role that reflects deeper activities such as reflection.

Note taking is used to facilitate a number of intellectual processes, including making decisions, judging, and resolving issues. These are all issues that confront individuals while translating, including considering the context of production of the original text as well as the context of further comprehension by the reader of the produced work (Wiles & Hall, 2005). Translating and interpreting are among the oldest activities in the annals of human history. Most available records of translation go back 2000 years, but the reality is probably that the activities go back to the beginning of time. Though the activities are similar, the types of notes taken as well as the nature of the source material differ. For instance, it can be argued that the Rosetta stone is a note aimed to help in the translation of older texts. It is a collection of codes that can be used to translate different types of information sources (Lederer, 1998). This is similar to notes that one takes over time, which they then use to translate a particular information source. Though this practice has been around for years, its modern form (Horizontal) manifested in 1917 during the negotiation at the Versailles Treaty.

The interpretive theory of translation is also applicable in translation. The principles of the theory can be applied to varying language combinations (Lederer, 1998). Principles of translation apply to scientific, political, commercial, economic, and technical texts (de Bot, 2000). It is not applicable only to poetry of literature, but in any context where linguistic elements are transferred. The simple transference is not translation, but rather the process of transcoding the end result of the second language (Choi, 2002). The translated piece should produce the same esthetic, affective and cognitive effects on readers as the original work. As one reads a piece of work, they can make notes on these features and the parts of the text that illicit these feelings.

Conclusion

The interpretive theory of translation gives guidelines for cultural features in translation, as well (Choi, 2002). Sense in the translated work is not contained the text or in language, but in the cues that are made available by the cognitive complements and language from the targeted reader (Dillinger, 1994). For instance, when translating a joke, its being funny may only be applicable (in a literal sense) to the source language context and not the target language owing to cultural differences (Gutt, 2000). Cultural aspects are essential in understanding the author’s meaning in both horizontal and vertical translation. When an author talks about a colonialist in the colonial period, the translator will need to relay the features of a colonialist to the target audience. Note taking allows an individual to experience the work of art as both intellectual and aesthetic. These two are intertwined in translation such what individuals see as being aesthetic is perceived intellectually, as well (Manalo et al, 2013). Note taking is an exercise that is facilitated and it also facilitates translation (Van der Meer, 2012). Best practices include considering the context of the work, immediate writing and focusing on meaning, among others (Gutt, 2000).

References

Benjamin, W. (1923). The Task of the Translator, 1923; trans. Harry Zohn, 1968

Bajo, M. T., Padilla, F., & Padilla, P. (2000). Comprehension processes in simultaneous interpreting, In Translating in Context: Selected papers from the EST congress, Granada, 1998, A.Chestman, N. Gallardo San Salvador and Y Gambier (eds), 127-142. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins

Catford, J. C. (1965). A Linguistic Theory of Translation: An Essay in Applied Linguistics. London: Oxford University Press.

Choi, J. W. (2002). Note Taking. Seoul: Hankukmunhwasa. de Groot, A. M. B. (1997). "The cognitive study of translation and interpretation: three approaches", in Cognitive Processes in Translation and Interpreting. Ed. by J. Danks, G. Shreve, S. Fountain & M. McBeath, Thousand Oaks, SAGE Publications, pp. 25-26.

de Bot, K. (2000). "Psycholinguistic models of simultaneous interpretation". In B. Englund Dimitrova & K. Hyltenstam, eds., Language Processing and Simultaneous Interpreting: Interdisáplinary Prespectives. (Benjamins Translation Library, 40). Amsterdam: J. Benjamins, 65-88

Dillinger, M. (1994). "Comprehension during interpreting: What do interpreters know that bilinguals don´t?", in Bridging The Gap: Empirical Research in Simultaneous Interpretation. Ed. by S. Lambert & B Moser-Mercer,. Amsterdam, John Benjamins, pp. 155-189.

Gutt, E. (2000). Translation and Relévame. Cognition and Context (2"d edition). Manchester: St. Jerome.

Hopkinson, A. (2009). Translation in Practice. England: British Council, and Dalkey Archive Press.

Lederer, M. (1998). The Interpretive Theory of Translation: a brief survey. Publicos de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

Manalo, E., Uesaka, Y., Pérez-Kriz, S., Kato, M., & Fukaya, T. (2013). Science and engineering students’ use of diagrams during note taking versus explanation. Educational Studies, 39, 118–123

Padilla, M., Bajo, T., & Padilla, F. (n.d.). Proposal For A Cognitive Theory Of Translation And Interpreting: A Methodology For Future Empirical Research. Presentación Padilla, Maria Teresa Bajo, Francisca Padilla. P. 61-78.

Szpunar, K. K., Moulton, S. T., & Schacter, D. L. (2013). Mind wandering and education: From the classroom to online learning . Frontiers in Perception Science, 4, 1-7

Schreck, C. (2013). True Translation: On the Paintings and Practice of Landon Metz. New York: Pau Wau Press.

Van der Meer, J. (2012). Students’ note-taking challenges in the twenty-first century: Considerations for teachers and academic staff developers. Teaching in Higher Education, 17, 13–23

Vekaria, P. C. (2012). Lecture note-taking in postsecondary students with self-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 72, 4333

Wiles, R., & Hall. T. (2005). Can Interpretive Messages Change Park Visitors’ Views on Wildland Fire? Journal of Interpretation Research, 10 (2): 18-35.

Zaromb, F. M., & Roediger, H. L. (2010). The testing effect in free recall is associated with enhanced organizational processes. Memory & Cognition, 38(8), 995–1008

• Université: Kenyatta University (Kenyatta University)
• Cours: Education
• Note: A
• Auteur: Juliah Wanyoike (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2015
• Pages: 9
• N° de catalogue: V307018
• ISBN (ebook): 9783668052178
• ISBN (Livre): 9783668052185
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Translation, note-taking, creative process, interpretation