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DOI: 10.29013/EJLL-23-4-14-17
NEW APPROACHES TO THE LITERARY TRANSLATION
Yana Arustamyan 1
1 National University of Uzbekistan, Department of Translation Studies and Comparative Linguistics
Cite: Arustamyan Y. (2023). New Approaches to the Literary Translation. European Journal of Literature and Linguistics 2023, No 4. https://doi.org/10.29013/EJLL-23-4-14-17
Abstract
The aim of the article is to observe the recently appeared approaches to the analysis of translational phenomena realized in the literary texts.
Research methods: observation, comparative analysis, contrastive analysis
Research results: Translation Studies, being a theoretical discipline, is still being dynamically developed and new approaches to the practice of translation appear. Literary translation may also apply some approaches, which are traditionally used by other types of translation.
Practical application: The research results and main conclusions can be used for developing new courses in theory and practice of translation, as well as serve as a practical guideline for literary translators.
Keywords: literary text, literary translation, interpretational approach, collaborative translation, CAT
Introduction
Translation Studies is a relatively new discipline and the research methodologies are still being developed. Nowadays, there are many approaches and theories, however, there is still no single opinion regarding principles and techniques of translation. From the first attempts to develop scholastic conceptions and scientific approach to translation, there are many concerns related to differentiation between theory and practice of translation. Some scholars define Translation Studies as academic discipline with its own research object and methods (not to be confused with translational methods!), while the Practice of Translation deals with realization of the recommendations developed
within the framework of Translation Studies. Moreover, still disputes if translation is art or science exist.
In general, both the process of translation and its result depend not only on the languages themselves, but also on many other extra-linguistic factors (Gile, 2005; p. 235-236), like social and political environment, cultural specificities, as well as the quality of education in the field of translation. Therefore, the research in the sphere of translation should be based on empirical data and detailed comparative analysis of the source and target texts.
Anyway, the number of different theories and approaches is too big and it is almost impossible to observe all of them within one re-
search, so we are going to be focused only on the recently developed theories, which can be applied to the literary translation mostly.
In the world of literature, translation plays a crucial role in representing stories and ideas from one language to another. However, traditional approaches to literary translation have often been criticized for their limitations in capturing the essence and nuances of the original text. As a result, new approaches to literary translation have emerged, aiming to overcome these challenges and provide readers with a more authentic and engaging experience.
Interpretational approach
With the development of an interpretative approach to knowledge structures activating the individual perception of phenomena that are universal in a certain linguistic culture ("collective knowledge"), the analysis of a literary text has acquired new perspectives, and the emphasis has shifted towards identifying textual dominants that activate the reader's individual experience. According to N. N. Boldyrev, "constructing the world around oneself in his or her mind, a person interprets both this world itself in its diversity of objects, events, their characteristics and manifestations, and knowledge about the world in the context of personal linguistic and non-linguistic experience of interaction with it. This process is regulated by general, collective, and private or individual cognitive dominants of linguistic interpretation" (Boldyrev, 2019; p. 51). Therefore, a multi-valued interpretation arises not only due to differences between different linguistic cultures, but also under the influence of the reader's individual cognitive thesaurus, which, undoubtedly, may not coincide with the author's. Considering the fact that the interpretation of the addressee's literary text is considered within the framework of linguopragmatics, which characterizes the interaction between the author and the reader in the act of communication (text), the reader's perception, in our opinion, must also be considered within the framework of cognitive linguistics, due to the fact that in order to build a successful communication, both participants in a speech act must have certain prior knowledge accompanying this communication.
It is well known that the term "interpretation" itself has numerous meanings (for example: "interpretation", "explanation", "discovering the meaning of something"), multiple interpretations of the same text can be determined by the specifics of the literary text, reflecting the national picture of the world through the prism of one's own perception. Thus, we can talk about the intersection of two axiological pictures of the world (national and individual), a deep understanding of which requires a certain amount of experience from the translator. On the other hand, the interpretation, or "decoding" of the text, directly depends on the background knowledge of the reader, who, in the case of translation, is the translator. "Adequate interpretation of literary texts helps to fully disclose semantic and evaluative information, because when reading works of this genre, identification occurs, which helps to understand another person by identifying oneself with him, and through further interpretation of the literary text, reflection occurs, which helps to understand the other through reasoning" (Ziganchina, 2016; p. 47).
Meanwhile, we can highlight another problem of interpreting a literary text - the problem of subjectivity of perception, which can be considered the object of pragmatic research of a literary text. Pragmatic aspects of the study of literary text in linguistics also involve the identification of hidden meanings in the process of communication, which ensure its success. Elements of the pragmatic structure of a literary text involve consideration of the linguistic personality of both the writer and the reader (in our case, the translator), "which includes their knowledge of the language, as well as various types of presuppositions of communication: communicative, linguistic, existential, pragmatic, as well as philological and vertical-contextual. Then the basis for understanding implicit or hidden meanings is a certain coincidence of the types of presuppositions of the author and the recipient," (Rayushkina, 2004) which, according to V. Z. Demyankov, is "preknowledge" (Demy-ankov, 2005) in the interpretation of the text.
Collaborative translation
One of the new approaches to literary translation is the use of collaborative trans-
lation. Unlike traditional translation, which is often a solitary task, collaborative translation involves a team of translators working together to translate a text. "Collaborative translation, or community translation, is a translation carried out by a group of people who work together via an online platform. Collaborative work is done in a collective online environment without having to go to a physical workspace. It allows anyone to participate and improve the progress of each step of the translation process and of the project as a whole." (Xavier, 2019) Definitely, this approach has a number of advantages in literary translation, though it is mostly used for informative texts: "Moving into a more explicitly online environment, web-based platforms that allow multiple users to interact simultaneously and to correct and comment on each other's work have led to a proliferation of forms of mass collaboration that problematize notions such as translator expertise and professionalism." (Baker, Sal-danha, 2019; p. 71). This approach allows for a more dynamic and interactive process, where translators can exchange ideas, discuss interpretations, and collectively make decisions about the best way to convey the source text's meaning. By involving multiple perspectives and expertise, collaborative translation can result in a more accurate and nuanced translation that captures the essence of the original work. On the other hand, this work should be perfectly coordinated, otherwise, many inconsistencies appear in the target text. Special attention should be paid to the translation of proper names, culturally-specific lexis, and other issues related to variability of interpretation.
CAT in literary translation
Another new approach to literary translation is the use of technology. With advancements in machine translation and artificial intelligence, translators now have access to powerful tools that can assist them in the translation process. These tools can help with tasks such as terminology management, grammar and syntax checking, and even suggest alternative translations based on context. While technology cannot replace the human touch in translation, it can significantly speed up the process and provide translators with
valuable resources to enhance the quality of their work. CAT, or Computer Assisted Technologies, are mostly used for translation of informative texts and certainly have a number of opportunities to make the process faster and easier. "CAT tools can memorize key terms and phrases that are used within a given industry. This helps translators to recall the previous translated texts easily. They have the feature of the pre-translated grammatical and orthographic suggestions; these tools suggest to human translator what is more proper. CAT tools might be truly helpful and efficient in specific fields, but they may not so in other fields." (Mohammed, 2018; p.345) However, new approaches to literary translation also emphasize the importance of cultural context. Translators are now encouraged to consider the cultural background of the original text and its intended audience when translating. This means taking into account cultural references, idiomatic expressions, and even adapting certain elements of the text to make it more relatable to the target audience. By doing so, translators can ensure that the translated work resonates with readers and maintains the intended impact of the original text. From this perspective, CAT can be used in literary translation only with a proper and detailed revision by a human translator who checks the adequate representation of overall consistency of culturally-specific information and conceptual integrity of the text, which is composed of many smaller details, like proper names, symbols, stylistic devices, and others. Moreover, literary translation also recognizes the role of the translator as a creative writer. Translators are no longer seen as mere conveyors of meaning but as co-creators of the translated work. They are encouraged to make creative choices, adapt the style and tone of the original text, and even add their own voice to the translation. This approach allows for a more dynamic and engaging translation that captures not only the literal meaning but also the spirit and emotions of the original work.
Conclusion
New approaches to literary translation offer exciting opportunities for both translators and readers. Collaborative translation, the use of technology, consideration of cultural context, and the recognition of the translator
as a creative writer all contribute to a more authentic and engaging translation experience. By embracing these new approaches, translators can bridge the gap between languages and cultures, allowing readers to explore and appreciate the richness of litera-
ture from around the world. Despite the general idea that literary translation can be only a human activity, the progress in the sphere of artificial intelligence and development of CAT-technologies will definitely contribute to literary translation in the nearest future.
References
Gile, D. (2005). La traduction: la comprendre, l'apprendre. Presses universitaires de France.
Boldyrev, N. (2019). Cognitive dominants of linguistic interpretation. In Cognitive study of language. - Tambov. (In Russ.)
Ziganchina, Y. (2016). Interpretation of a foreign literary text as a means of formation of cross-cultural competence in the process of foreign language acquisition. In Science, education and culture.- V. 4(7).- P. 46-50. (In Russ.)
Rayushkina, I. (2004). The language of poetic translation in the aspect of linguistic pragmatics. - Krasnodar. (In Russian)
Demyankov, V. (2005). Cognition and text interpretation. URL: http://www.infolex.ru/CogT-eD.html (In Russ.)
Xavier, M. (2017). Collaborative Translation: A New Approach to Translation URL: https://mastertcloc.unistra.fr/2017/04/10/collaborative-translation
Baker, M., Saldanha, G. (2019). Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies.- Routledge.
Mohammed, O. (2018). A Review of Literature of Computer-Assisted Translation. In Language in India.- V. 18: 9.
submitted 16.11.2023; accepted for publication 30.11.2023; published 16.01.2024 © Arustamyan Y.
Contact: yana.arustamyan@yandex.ru
