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Article published In:
Babel
Vol. 65:1 (2019) ► pp.26–50

News translators’ para-textual visibility in South Korea

| Ewha Womans University

This study aims to examine news translators’ para-textual visibility suggested through their names and other indicators of identity in TTs to gain clues to their status within media organizations. For this purpose, (1) whether translators’ identity is given in TTs, (2) what type of information, if any, is provided, and (3) how it is presented in terms of location, size, colour and space is explored. The corresponding data for ST writers, particularly reporters, are also analysed for comparison. The findings suggest that while more than half of the 11 organisations analysed present the translators’ identity in some form in the TTs, the full name is provided only by two organizations with one presenting the title of translators as a reporter and most of the identity indicators are visible only when readers scroll down several times to reach them. The identity indicators of reporters and other contributors, on the other hand, are provided in a very detailed and conspicuous manner. The findings show that translators, despite being one of the key contributors in news production, remain considerably invisible in the very texts they produce, indicating that they are denied the recognition and credit they deserve within media organisations, which can in turn reinforce their low status.

Keywords: para-textual visibility, status of translators, news translation, identity indicators, layout
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical background
    • 2.1Translators’ visibility
    • 2.2Translators’ para-textual visibility
    • 2.3Para-textual visibility on online newspapers
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1News organizations to be analyzed
    • 3.2Data collection and analysis procedure
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1Translators’ identity
    • 4.2Presentation of translators’ identity: Location, size, colour, spaces
      • 4.2.1Location
      • 4.2.2Size
      • 4.2.3Colour
      • 4.2.4Space
    • 4.3Indication of TT’s status as a translation
  • 5.Discussions and conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 4 April 2019
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00076.hon
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