Faculdade de Letras da Universidade do PortoLínguas e Literaturas Modernas

INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION STUDIES

Power Point 13

Monday, 3 DecemMonday, 3 December 2006

SkopostheorieSkopostheorieMajor work on skopos theory:Major work on skopos theory:Grundlegungen einer allgemeiner Grundlegungen einer allgemeiner

TranslationstheorieTranslationstheorie (Reiss and (Reiss and Vermeer, 1984)Vermeer, 1984)

Skopos sing. Skopoi pl. Skopos sing. Skopoi pl. Greek words meaning AIM, PURPOSE, Greek words meaning AIM, PURPOSE,

OBJECTIVEOBJECTIVE Technical term introduced by Hans Technical term introduced by Hans

Vermeer in the 1970s to refer to “the Vermeer in the 1970s to refer to “the purpose of a translation and of the purpose of a translation and of the action of translating.” (Munday: 79)action of translating.” (Munday: 79)

Main focus in this theoryMain focus in this theory

The purpose of the TT dictates T The purpose of the TT dictates T methods and strategies so as to methods and strategies so as to produce a functionally adequate produce a functionally adequate result (called the TRANSLATUM).result (called the TRANSLATUM).

For this reason, it is absolutely For this reason, it is absolutely essential for the translator to know essential for the translator to know exactly exactly whywhy a ST needs to be a ST needs to be translated and what translated and what the function of the function of the TTthe TT will be. will be.

Let’s see what Vermeer himself wrote.Let’s see what Vermeer himself wrote.

““There is clearly no single translation for a There is clearly no single translation for a given text. On the contrary, there are given text. On the contrary, there are many. There is, in fact, an infinite number many. There is, in fact, an infinite number of possible translations:of possible translations:

Let us take the example of a form used in Let us take the example of a form used in an insurance contract or as documentary an insurance contract or as documentary evidence in a law suit. In the two cases evidence in a law suit. In the two cases there will be two different translations for there will be two different translations for the same passage: one will be more the same passage: one will be more natural, the other more literal so as to natural, the other more literal so as to facilitate interpretation of the text by the facilitate interpretation of the text by the judge.judge.

A literary text can be read by an A literary text can be read by an intellectual or serve as an exercise intellectual or serve as an exercise for students learning a foreign for students learning a foreign language. In the first case, the language. In the first case, the translation must be stylistically at translation must be stylistically at the level of the original author; in the the level of the original author; in the second case, it should simply imitate second case, it should simply imitate the linguistic structures of the source the linguistic structures of the source text for the benefit of the students.text for the benefit of the students.

And so on and so forth.And so on and so forth.

Never will a translation be possible without Never will a translation be possible without a well-defined objective, and it is this very a well-defined objective, and it is this very objective which always determines the objective which always determines the strategy to be adopted so as to achieve strategy to be adopted so as to achieve that specific objective in the best possible that specific objective in the best possible way in the specific target situation. The way in the specific target situation. The source text is source text is NOTNOT the determining factor, the determining factor, nor is fidelity to the ST, but rather ‘fidelity’ nor is fidelity to the ST, but rather ‘fidelity’ to the objective, to the intention, to the to the objective, to the intention, to the purpose of the target text.purpose of the target text.The central factor in each and every The central factor in each and every translation is the target text.”translation is the target text.”

From Hans J. Vermeer, Esboço de uma Teoria da From Hans J. Vermeer, Esboço de uma Teoria da Tradução, Porto: Edições ASA, 1985. (my Tradução, Porto: Edições ASA, 1985. (my translation)translation)

According to Vermeer:According to Vermeer:

Our attention Our attention should be should be focussed on focussed on the the “production” “production” of the TT of the TT rather than on rather than on the the “reproduction” “reproduction” of a ST.of a ST.

Basic rules of the skopos theoryBasic rules of the skopos theory

1.1. A TT (which Vermeer calls A TT (which Vermeer calls translatumtranslatum) is determined by its ) is determined by its skopos.skopos.

2.2. A TT is an offer of info in a TC and A TT is an offer of info in a TC and TL related to an offer of info in a SC TL related to an offer of info in a SC and SL.and SL.

3.3. A TT does not initiate an offer of A TT does not initiate an offer of information in a clearly reversible information in a clearly reversible way. way.

4. 4. A TT must be coherent with the target A TT must be coherent with the target situation for which it is intended, and it situation for which it is intended, and it must be coherent in itself, that is, in its must be coherent in itself, that is, in its internal structure (Intertextual and internal structure (Intertextual and intratextual coherence)intratextual coherence)

5. A TT must be coherent with the ST. A TT 5. A TT must be coherent with the ST. A TT will ‘imitate’ the semantic and formal will ‘imitate’ the semantic and formal aspects of the ST, but the importance of aspects of the ST, but the importance of these aspects is always subordinated to these aspects is always subordinated to the objective of the TT. So in a scientific the objective of the TT. So in a scientific text the content to be transmitted will text the content to be transmitted will generally be more important than the generally be more important than the form, but in a literary text the opposite is form, but in a literary text the opposite is true. true.

A Boa Nova Para Toda a GenteA Boa Nova Para Toda a Gente

Em 1972, a agência portuguesa da S.B.B.E. Em 1972, a agência portuguesa da S.B.B.E. (Sociedade Bíblica Britânica e Estrangeira) (Sociedade Bíblica Britânica e Estrangeira) constituiu um grupo de tradutores de constituiu um grupo de tradutores de competência académica (entre outros, os Prof. competência académica (entre outros, os Prof. Doutores João Soares Carvalho e José Augusto Doutores João Soares Carvalho e José Augusto Ramos, da Faculdade de Letras de Lisboa) ao Ramos, da Faculdade de Letras de Lisboa) ao qual foi confiada a tarefa de fazerem uma nova qual foi confiada a tarefa de fazerem uma nova versão da Bíblia em Português corrente a partir versão da Bíblia em Português corrente a partir dos originais hebraicos e gregos. Deste trabalho dos originais hebraicos e gregos. Deste trabalho resultou, em 1978, a versão resultou, em 1978, a versão A Boa NovaA Boa Nova do Novo do Novo Testamento e, em 1989, ficou concluída a Testamento e, em 1989, ficou concluída a tradução do Antigo Testamento, publicando-se tradução do Antigo Testamento, publicando-se uma nova edição completa da Bíblia em 1993 que uma nova edição completa da Bíblia em 1993 que já editou em cinco reimpressões cento e trinta mil já editou em cinco reimpressões cento e trinta mil exemplares. A nova versão portuguesa da Bíblia exemplares. A nova versão portuguesa da Bíblia foi feita pelo moderno método da equivalência foi feita pelo moderno método da equivalência semântica.semântica.

Same ST, different TT according to Same ST, different TT according to different objectives of TTdifferent objectives of TT

Maria and the children do-re-mi lyricsMaria and the children do-re-mi lyrics

Doe, a deer, a female deerRay, a drop of golden sunMe, a name I call myselfFar, a long, long way to runSew, a needle pulling threadLa, a note to follow SewTea, a drink with jam and breadThat will bring us back to Do (oh-oh-oh)

The Sound of Music (The Sound of Music (19651965))

Música no CoraçãoMúsica no CoraçãoOriginal with Portuguese subtitlesOriginal with Portuguese subtitles

Dó é ter pena d’alguémDó é ter pena d’alguém

Ré; a traseira dum navioRé; a traseira dum navio

Mi é metade do nome duma MimiMi é metade do nome duma Mimi

Fá é a nota antes do SolFá é a nota antes do Sol

Sol dá brilho e nos aqueceSol dá brilho e nos aquece

Lá ali além bem longeLá ali além bem longe

Si; dizer que sim em espanholSi; dizer que sim em espanhol

E voltamos ao dó do começo.E voltamos ao dó do começo.

Tutti insieme appassionatamenteTutti insieme appassionatamenteDubbed for the Italian audienceDubbed for the Italian audience

Do, se do una cosa a teDo, se do una cosa a teRe, é il re che c’era un dìRe, é il re che c’era un dìMi, é il mi per dire a meMi, é il mi per dire a meFa, la nota dopo il MiFa, la nota dopo il MiSol é il sole in fronte a teSol é il sole in fronte a teLa, se proprio non e quaLa, se proprio non e quaSi, se non ti dico noSi, se non ti dico noE così si torna al Do (do do do do)E così si torna al Do (do do do do)