Are translations longer than source texts?: A corpus-based study of explicitation

Ana Frankenberg-Garcia | Instituto Superior de Línguas e Administração, Lisboa and Fundação para a Computação Científica Nacional, Portugal

Explicitation is the process of rendering information which is only implicit in the source text explicit in the target text, and is believed to be one of the universals of translation (Blum-Kulka 1986, Olohan and Baker 2000, Øverås 1998, Séguinot 1988, Vanderauwera 1985). The present study uses corpus technology to attempt to shed some light on the complex relationship between translation, text length and explicitation. An awareness of what makes translations longer (or shorter) and more explicit than source texts can help trainee translators make more informed decisions during the translation process. This is felt to be an important component of translator education.

Keywords: corpora, Explicitation, text length, translation universals, translator education

Published online: 11 March 2009
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.82.05fra

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