Translation Equivalents and Translation Equivalents and False Friends across English False Friends across English and Italian in the Language and Italian in the Language

of Tourismof Tourism

Elena MancaElena Manca

University of LecceUniversity of LecceFoggia, 20th May 2005Foggia, 20th May 2005

Case studies:Case studies:

1.1. How do Farmhouse Holidays owners How do Farmhouse Holidays owners and Agriturismi owners welcome and Agriturismi owners welcome their guests?their guests?

2.2. How is the concept of nature used How is the concept of nature used in both cultures to attract visitors in both cultures to attract visitors and guests?and guests?

Language and culture are Language and culture are strictly interrelatedstrictly interrelated

• For this reason:For this reason:

1.1. We have to consider:We have to consider:

• The context of cultureThe context of culture

• The context of situationThe context of situation

• The function of the textThe function of the text

Culture is also conveyed by a Culture is also conveyed by a single word or a set of wordssingle word or a set of words

• For this reason:For this reason:

1.1. We should consider 4 types of attraction, We should consider 4 types of attraction, because words cluster just as people do:because words cluster just as people do:

• Collocation (lexical attraction)Collocation (lexical attraction)

• Colligation (grammatical attraction)Colligation (grammatical attraction)

• Semantic preference (semantic attraction)Semantic preference (semantic attraction)

• Semantic prosody (pragmatic attraction)Semantic prosody (pragmatic attraction)

The corpora used:The corpora used:

• A set of two comparable corpora:A set of two comparable corpora:

1.1. Web sites of British Farmhouse Web sites of British Farmhouse Holidays – 200,000 wordsHolidays – 200,000 words

2.2. Web sites of Italian Agriturismi – Web sites of Italian Agriturismi – 120,000 words120,000 words

• They are made up of similar text They are made up of similar text typestypes

Results of the frequency list:Results of the frequency list:

• The word ‘welcome’ is very frequent: The word ‘welcome’ is very frequent:

324 instances324 instances

What does it mean Farmhouse What does it mean Farmhouse Holidays?Holidays?““A Farmhouse holiday can mean different things. A Farmhouse holiday can mean different things.

It depends on the accommodation etc. The It depends on the accommodation etc. The one thing they should all have in common is a one thing they should all have in common is a warm and friendly warm and friendly welcomewelcome and the peace and and the peace and beauty of the countryside. (…) Other holidays beauty of the countryside. (…) Other holidays are like what we provide, self-catering, with are like what we provide, self-catering, with the farmer the farmer welcomingwelcoming you to wander on his you to wander on his farm if you wish and also to buy good local farm if you wish and also to buy good local food. (…) People coming here always comment food. (…) People coming here always comment on the peace and beauty and the warmth of on the peace and beauty and the warmth of the the welcomewelcome.”.”

(Jo Rider, 2000-personal communication(Jo Rider, 2000-personal communication))

The concept of ‘benvenuto’ in The concept of ‘benvenuto’ in the Agriturismi web sites:the Agriturismi web sites:

• ‘‘Benvenuto’ occurs 4 times in the Benvenuto’ occurs 4 times in the Italian comparable corpusItalian comparable corpus

A case of non-equivalenceA case of non-equivalence

• Dictionaries provide ‘benvenuto’ as Dictionaries provide ‘benvenuto’ as translation equivalent of ‘welcome’translation equivalent of ‘welcome’

butbut

‘‘benvenuto’ is not used in the Italian benvenuto’ is not used in the Italian comparable corpus of Italian comparable corpus of Italian agriturismiagriturismi

Next step:Next step:

1.1. Identification of the 4 types of Identification of the 4 types of ‘attraction’ of ‘welcome’ and ‘attraction’ of ‘welcome’ and ‘benvenuto’‘benvenuto’

2.2. Comparison of the 4 types of Comparison of the 4 types of ‘attraction’ in order to find ‘attraction’ in order to find equivalencesequivalences

3.3. Identification of alternative Identification of alternative translation equivalentstranslation equivalents

WelcomeWelcome

• The most frequent collocates of The most frequent collocates of welcome:welcome:

1.1. ChildrenChildren

2.2. Pets and dogsPets and dogs

3.3. Guests and VisitorsGuests and Visitors

ChildrenChildren

• number of units used number of units used Children over 10Children over 10 welcome welcome Ample off Ample off road parking road parking

• available. available. Children over 5Children over 5 welcome welcome, baby sitting , baby sitting available available

• single occupancy. single occupancy. Children are welcome butChildren are welcome but we cannot we cannot offer discounts offer discounts

• kind. kind. Pets and childrenPets and children are welcome are welcome. Children will find . Children will find thethe

• residential caravans. residential caravans. Children and petsChildren and pets welcome welcome. We are . We are members of themembers of the

• with fireplace. with fireplace. Children and petsChildren and pets are welcome are welcome - Baby - Baby sitting - sitting -

• heating. heating. Dogs and childrenDogs and children welcome welcome. Costwolds Main . Costwolds Main page page

Age restrictions for childrenAge restrictions for children

• Sorry no Pets No smokers Sorry no Pets No smokers Children over 16Children over 16 welcomedwelcomed

• twin bedroom for twin bedroom for sensible children over the age sensible children over the age of sevenof seven. .

• to leave them in the car. to leave them in the car. Children over 7Children over 7 acceptedaccepted. .

• number of units used number of units used Children over 10Children over 10 welcomedwelcomed

• Dining Room Non-smoking. Dining Room Non-smoking. No children under the No children under the age of 8age of 8. .

Pets and dogsPets and dogs• and bread oven. and bread oven. Pets are welcome by prior Pets are welcome by prior

arrangementarrangement..• baby bedding is supplied. baby bedding is supplied. Pets are welcome but must Pets are welcome but must

be kept under control be kept under control • mountain-bike routes. mountain-bike routes. Your pets are welcome Your pets are welcome

provided they are under control provided they are under control • breakfast. breakfast. Well behaved pets are welcomeWell behaved pets are welcome in the in the

house or kenneling ishouse or kenneling is• farm-out buildings. farm-out buildings. Dogs are welcome provided Dogs are welcome provided

they are kept strictly they are kept strictly • year round. year round. Well behaved pets are welcomeWell behaved pets are welcome and and

short breaks are available. tranquil. short breaks are available. tranquil. Well controlled Well controlled dogs are welcomedogs are welcome. Pheasant Cottage; Partridge . Pheasant Cottage; Partridge

• high chair can be hired. high chair can be hired. Dogs are welcome on Dogs are welcome on payment of a small feepayment of a small fee

• breakfast. breakfast. Well behaved pets are welcomeWell behaved pets are welcome in the in the househouse

Guests and visitorsGuests and visitors• and Kilburn. Our and Kilburn. Our visitors are welcome to visitors are welcome to explore the farmexplore the farm to to

discoverdiscover• Caebetran Farm. Caebetran Farm. Visitors are welcome toVisitors are welcome to see the cattle see the cattle and and

sheepsheep• bottle fed. All bottle fed. All visitors are welcome tovisitors are welcome to join in the farming join in the farming

activitiesactivities• Visitors are welcome toVisitors are welcome to stroll around stroll around the farm. We the farm. We

regretregret• Guests are welcome toGuests are welcome to relax relax in our victorian lounge in our victorian lounge• and cattle. and cattle. Guests are welcome toGuests are welcome to roam the farm roam the farm with its with its• ose by. Our ose by. Our guests are welcome toguests are welcome to fish fish the 1/4 mile river the 1/4 mile river

bank,bank, and cattle. and cattle. Guests are welcome toGuests are welcome to roam the farm roam the farm with its with its

pretty pretty • and bathroom. and bathroom. Guests are welcome toGuests are welcome to use the garden use the garden and and

fields guests to relax in or fields guests to relax in or you are welcome toyou are welcome to sit in the sit in the gardengarden..

• you will be welcome to you will be welcome to come carol singingcome carol singing

How are bambini, animali and How are bambini, animali and ospiti welcomed in the Italian ospiti welcomed in the Italian Agriturismi? Agriturismi?

• Children BambiniChildren Bambini

• Pets and dogs Animali, caniPets and dogs Animali, cani

• Guests and visitors OspitiGuests and visitors Ospiti

BambiniBambini

• RIDUZIONI: Bambini 0-2 anniRIDUZIONI: Bambini 0-2 anni: -70%; : -70%; Bambini 2-12 anni: 30%Bambini 2-12 anni: 30%

• SCONTI E AGEVOLAZIONI SCONTI E AGEVOLAZIONI Bambini fino Bambini fino a 3 anni gratisa 3 anni gratis; Sconto ed ; Sconto ed

• agevolazioni: agevolazioni: Gratis bambini fino a 2 Gratis bambini fino a 2 annianni; Sconto 30% pensione ; Sconto 30% pensione

• con con tariffe speciali per bambini fino a tariffe speciali per bambini fino a 10 anni10 anni

• Supplementi e riduzioni: Supplementi e riduzioni: bambini 2/10 bambini 2/10 anni sconto 35%anni sconto 35% - -

AnimaliAnimali• Accettano. Accettano. Animali: Ammessi i caniAnimali: Ammessi i cani • della prenotazione della prenotazione ANIMALI: ammessi previo accordoANIMALI: ammessi previo accordo • (solo sala ristoro), (solo sala ristoro), ammessi animaliammessi animali, angolo lettura, telefono , angolo lettura, telefono

e sconto 15%. e sconto 15%. Ammessi animali di piccola tagliaAmmessi animali di piccola taglia..• prezzo ridotto. prezzo ridotto. Sono ammessi animali di piccola tagliaSono ammessi animali di piccola taglia. .

• una scuola di parapendio. una scuola di parapendio. Animali non ammessiAnimali non ammessi• normalmente in dotazione. normalmente in dotazione. Gli animali non son ammessiGli animali non son ammessi..• Sono ammessi animali? Si, Sono ammessi animali? Si, gli animali sono ammessi con gli animali sono ammessi con

pagamento dipagamento di • consumo di gas. consumo di gas. Non si accettano animaliNon si accettano animali. Tutta la . Tutta la

biancheria èbiancheria è• Siamo aperti tutto l'anno, Siamo aperti tutto l'anno, animali si accettano previo animali si accettano previo

accordoaccordo. . • Aperto tutto l'anno. Aperto tutto l'anno. Si accettano animali domesticiSi accettano animali domestici..

OspitiOspiti• ampi spazi a disposizione degli ampi spazi a disposizione degli amici ospiti che potrannoamici ospiti che potranno

raccogliere la raccogliere la • forno a legna forno a legna può essere utilizzato dagli ospitipuò essere utilizzato dagli ospiti per attività per attività

di svago di svago • può essere raccolta personalmente dagli ospitipuò essere raccolta personalmente dagli ospiti, che , che

posspossono anche assistere ono anche assistere • di produzione biologica, ove di produzione biologica, ove gli ospiti possono gli ospiti possono

raccogliereraccogliere prodotti prodotti • Nella fattoria Poggio Oliveto Nella fattoria Poggio Oliveto gli ospiti possono gli ospiti possono

visitarevisitare le colture le colture • in bicicletta. Esternamente in bicicletta. Esternamente gli ospiti possono goderegli ospiti possono godere

della piscina, della piscina, • Vi è la possibilità per gli ospitiVi è la possibilità per gli ospiti di partecipare alle di partecipare alle

attività attività • e nel mese di dicembre e nel mese di dicembre i nostri ospiti possono i nostri ospiti possono

visitarevisitare il frantoio il frantoio • er vacanze tranquille e rilassanti. er vacanze tranquille e rilassanti. Gli ospiti potranno Gli ospiti potranno

goderegodere di una piscina di una piscina• ediate vicinanze di Poggio Paradiso ediate vicinanze di Poggio Paradiso gli ospiti potranno gli ospiti potranno

fruirefruire di attrezzature di attrezzature

MethodologyMethodology

(via collocation)(via collocation)

welcomewelcome -------------------------- -------------------------- childrenchildren

(via T.E.)(via T.E.)

non-equivalencenon-equivalence ------------------- ------------------- bambinibambini

(via function)(via function)

MethodologyMethodology

(via collocation)(via collocation)

welcomewelcome -------------------------- -------------------------- pets and dogspets and dogs

(via T.E.)(via T.E.)

si accettano /si accettano / -------------------- -------------------- animali e canianimali e cani

sono ammessisono ammessi

(via function)(via function)

MethodologyMethodology

(via collocation)(via collocation)WelcomeWelcome --------------------------- --------------------------- guestguest/ / visitorsvisitors (via T.E.)(via T.E.)

PossonoPossono//Vi è la possibilitàVi è la possibilità ------------------ ------------------ ospitiospiti (via function)(via function)

ConclusionConclusion

• Equivalence is function in contextEquivalence is function in context

• Equivalence is culture boundEquivalence is culture bound

• Equivalence may not exist across Equivalence may not exist across culturescultures

2nd Question:2nd Question:

How is the concept of nature How is the concept of nature used in both cultures to used in both cultures to

attract visitors and guests?attract visitors and guests?