Appraisal Theory in Translation Studies: An Introduction and Review of Studies of Evaluation in Translation
01 Nov 2017-Research in Applied Linguistics (Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz)-Vol. 8, Iss: 2, pp 3-30
TL;DR: Several appraisal theory-informed studies of translations in different languages, genres, and mediums are introduced and reviewed, and certain points of similarity and differences are highlighted as mentioned in this paper, and a general view of the findings in the literature is also provided.
Abstract: Translation studies (TS), as a young (inter)discipline, has partly relied on metadiscussions, critical assessments of its literature, and compilation of bibliographies to deal with certain problems of its youth, such as polarity and fragmentation. While the current status of TS shows general maturity, there are still young areas of inquiry in the discipline that are faced with similar issues. The current study is an attempt to introduce and bring together an area of research in TS that draws on appraisal theory (AT; Martin & White, 2005) to functionally and systematically study the expression of feelings, emotions, viewpoints, and intersubjective positioning in translation. It is argued that this body of research has not received enough attention, partly due to its fragmentation and diversity. Several appraisal theory-informed studies of translations in different languages, genres, and mediums are introduced and reviewed, and certain points of similarity and differences are highlighted. More elaborate methodologies are given a closer look, and a general view of the findings in the literature is also provided. Finally, suggestions are made to address some limitations in the literature.
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01 Jan 1983
TL;DR: In this paper, Leech proposed a Linguistic Guideto English Poetry (GLG) to guide English poetry writers to improve their writing skills by using a linguistic guidance to English poetry.
Abstract: 《小说文体分析》(Style in Fiction)是运用现代语言学的最新成果,对文学作品进行系统的文体分析的一部精采的教科书。随着语言学的日益发展,人们越来越多地把现代语言学的研究成果运用到文体学分析中来。1969年,利奇(Geoffrey N.Leech)发表了《英语诗歌语言分析入门》(A Linguistic Guideto English Poetry),用现代语言学的观点对
578 citations
220 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on Anna Karenina, the famous masterpiece by Leo Tolstoy, and its latest screen versions and analyze and investigate this masterpiece's literary and morphological aspects from a unique perspective.
Abstract: The paper focuses on Anna Karenina, the famous masterpiece by Leo Tolstoy, and its latest screen versions. The fruitful collaboration, accomplished by two remarkable figures of contemporary British culture – the director Joe Wright and the playwright Tom Stoppard as a scriptwriter – was released in 2012. Since screen adaptation of classics, as well as any kind of remake, is undoubtedly challenging but nevertheless intriguing for both creators and viewers, it seems to be an exciting topic for research. The situation when a piece of great literature is transposed into a different medium, such as a film, commonly gives rise to fierce debates, which, in turn, becomes thought-provoking. What is more, the fact of making the film by the British crew basing on the Russian literary chef-d'oeuvre allows assuming the dialogue of cultures is implied in the considered work of cinematographic art. Thus, these aspects of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and its interpretation and reception are highlighted in the study undertaken. Furthermore, the study intends to analyse and investigate this masterpiece's literary and morphological aspects from a unique perspective.
6 citations
Cites background from "Appraisal Theory in Translation Stu..."
...There is a vast bulk of critique addressing screen adaptations of literary classics (Aleksandrovich Chiglintsev, Aleksandrovich Il’ichyov, Olegovich Kudratov, & Alexandrovna Belyaeva, 2019; Tajvidi & Arjani, 2017)....
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TL;DR: This article investigated English translations of Chinese public notices and compared them with the source texts via the Appraisal theory and found that for both attitude and engagement parts, the appraisal between source texts and target texts is rather different.
Abstract: It is noticed that some English translations of Chinese public notices are “unfailthful” especially in terms of the linguistic expressions. This article attempts to investigate those English translations and compare them with the source texts via the Appraisal theory.
The research questions are as follows:
1) What is the source text producer’s appraisal?
2) What is the translator’s appraisal? And how is the translator’s appraisal reflected in the target texts?
3) What are the differences between the source text producer’s appraisal and the translator’s appraisal?
4) What are the possible reasons for the translator to choose his/her appraisal and produce “unfaithful” translations?
In order to answer these questions, five Chinese public notices and their English translations which were mainly collected in Hong Kong and Macao are investigated in the present study. The source and target texts are analyzed with the Appraisal theory and then compared to find out their respective appraisal. The findings show that for both Attitude and Engagement parts, the appraisal between source texts and target texts is rather different. Some possible motivations are then explored. It is believed that socio-cultural environment is one of the most important factors influencing translators’ decision making in translating public notices. Besides, text types and linguistic conventions also contribute to the “unfaithful” phenomenon.
6 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discussed the culture-centred approach in translation science based on the example of Kazakh phraseological units and showed that translation is not "switching from one language code to another," since it consists in transferring a hidden metaphorical meaning from the "native" cultural environment to the environment of the perceiving culture.
Abstract: At the present stage of translation studies development as a scientific area, researchers are increasingly attracted to linguistic issues related to examining similarities and differences of the national and cultural code between comparable languages and ethnic groups rich in the material in order to determine translation patterns and generalization standards. Studying translation matter in question both from linguistic and cultural aspects is based on understanding the essence and nature of translation as an operation performed in two languages and cultures. Consequently, examining linguistic elements making up the language national and cultural specificity is one of the core tasks of modern translation studies in the academic area. The article discusses the "culture-centred" approach in translation science based on the example of Kazakh phraseological units. Preliminary results and conclusions of the study presented herein showed that, under the "culture-centred" approach, translation is not "switching from one language code to another," since it consists in transferring a hidden metaphorical meaning from the "native" cultural environment to the environment of the perceiving culture.
3 citations
References
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Book•
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: This article proposed a social theory of discourse intertextuality text analysis -constructing social relations and "the self", constructing social reality discourse and social change in contemporary society doing discourse analysis.
Abstract: Approaches to discourse analysis Michel Foucault and the analysis of discourse a social theory of discourse intertextuality text analysis - constructing social relations and "the self", constructing social reality discourse and social change in contemporary society doing discourse analysis.
9,210 citations
"Appraisal Theory in Translation Stu..." refers background in this paper
...The discussions are also informed by some aspects of CDA (e.g., Fairclough, 1992) and the socionarrative theory (e.g., Baker, 2006)....
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Book•
18 May 1995TL;DR: This is an expanded and slightly revised version of the book of the same title which caused quite a stir when it was first published (1995), and reflects an additional step in an ongoing research project which was launched in the 1970s.
Abstract: This is an expanded and slightly revised version of the book of the same title which caused quite a stir when it was first published (1995). It thus reflects an additional step in an ongoing research project which was launched in the 1970s. The main objective is to transcend the limitations of using descriptive methods as a mere ancillary tool and place a proper branch of DTS at the very heart of the discipline, between the theoretical and the applied branches. Throughout the book, theoretical and methodological discussions are illustrated by an assortment of case studies, the emphasis being on the need to take whatever one wishes to focus on within the contexts which are relevant to it. Part One discusses the pivotal position of the descriptive branch within Translation Studies, and Part Two then outlines a detailed rationale for that positioning. This, in turn, supplies a framework for the case studies comprising Part Three, where a number of exemplary issues are analysed and contextualized: texts and modes of translational behaviour are situated in their cultural setting, and textual components are related to their texts and then also to the cultural constellations in which they are embedded. All this leads to Part Four, which asks what the knowledge accumulated through descriptive studies of the kind advocated in the book is likely to yield in terms of both the theoretical and the applied branches of the field. All in all: an innovative, thought-provoking book which no one with a keen interest in translation can afford to ignore.
2,621 citations
"Appraisal Theory in Translation Stu..." refers background in this paper
...…for instance, with the rise of German functionalist approaches (e.g., Reiss & Vermeer, 1984) and Descriptive TS (e.g., Hermans, 1985/2014; Toury, 2012), which snowballed toward the “cultural turn” (cf. Bassnett, 1998) and brought considerations of culture, ideology and power to the fore…...
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..., Reiss & Vermeer, 1984) and Descriptive TS (e.g., Hermans, 1985/2014; Toury, 2012), which snowballed toward the “cultural turn” (cf....
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Book•
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss ways of feeling engagement and graduation: alignment, solidarity and the construed reader, taking a stance enacting appraisal, text analysis, and attitude.
Abstract: List of Figures List of Tables Acknowledgements Preface Introduction Attitude: Ways of Feeling Engagement and Graduation: Alignment, Solidarity and the Construed Reader Evaluative Key: Taking a Stance Enacting Appraisal: Text Analysis References Index
2,328 citations
"Appraisal Theory in Translation Stu..." refers background in this paper
...In the following sections, a quick overview of research on TS from the perspective of Halliday’s systemic functional linguistics (henceforth SFL), which provides the general theoretical underpinning of AT, is provided, followed by a brief account of some relevant concepts from SFL....
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...However, “[u]p to about 1990, work on interpersonal meaning in SFL was more strongly oriented to interaction than feeling” (Martin & White, 2005, p. 7), which prompted a group of scholars from the Sydney school of SFL “to extend the model of interpersonal meaning” (p. xi) and add more delicacy to…...
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...The encyclopedia entry by White (2015) is entitled “Appraisal Theory,” but in a recent publication, Martin (2017) notes: . . . colleagues working with APPRAISAL, and I include myself among them, have made countless references to ‘Appraisal Theory’ in presentations and publications, as a short-hand for a ‘description of APPRAISAL resources in English within the general theoretical framework of SFL’....
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...The best-know publication on AT (Martin & White, 2005) uses it without any label in its title (The Language of Evaluation: Appraisal in English), which is also the dominant form of reference in the book; however, there are also mentions of “appraisal theory” (e.g., p. xi) and “appraisal framework”…...
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...…since the late 1990s and was in a solid form in the early 2000s, is a “model of evaluation [. . .] within the general theoretical framework of SFL” (Martin & White, 2005, p. 7), a description at the level of discourse semantics of how “texts convey positive or negative assessments,” how “the…...
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Book•
05 Mar 1990
TL;DR: Issues and debate in translation studies linguistics and translators - theory and practice context in translating and languages as discourse translating text as signs the semiotic dimension of context intertextuality and intentionality in semiotic translating text type as the translator's focus prose designs - text structure discourse texture the translator as mediator.
Abstract: Issues and debate in translation studies linguistics and translators - theory and practice context in translating - register and analysis translating and languages as discourse translating text as signs the semiotic dimension of context intertextuality and intentionality in semiotic translating text type as the translator's focus prose designs - text structure discourse texture the translator as mediator.
1,429 citations
"Appraisal Theory in Translation Stu..." refers background in this paper
...Among these were publications by Hatim and Mason (1990, 1997), Baker (1992), House (1997), and Steiner (1998)....
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Book•
01 Jan 1992
TL;DR: In Other Words as discussed by the authors is the definitive coursebook for students studying translation and it offers practical and theoretical guidance for translation studies, and provides an important foundation for training professional translators.
Abstract: In Other Words is the definitive coursebook for students studying translation. Assuming knowledge of foreign languages, it offers practical and theoretical guidance for translation studies, and provides an important foundation for training professional translators.
1,290 citations