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Article published In:
Translation Spaces
Vol. 10:2 (2021) ► pp.329–348

Maze-walkers and echoborgs

Reflections on translator metaphors

ORCID logo | York University

The article fills a gap in the existing array of translation metaphors by introducing maze-walkers as a metaphor for translators at work. Ten similarities and five dissimilarities between translating and walking through a hedge maze are discussed. Translators’ control over their actions is compared to that of maze-walkers and of four other metaphorical agents: stage and musical performers, puppeteers, echoborgs and ghost-writers. Most existing metaphors convey attitudes toward translations and translators, whereas the maze-walking metaphor captures the varied actions of a translating translator. The metaphor may be of value to anyone explaining translation to students.

Keywords: mazes, metaphors, choice, voice, pedagogy
Article outline
  • 1.Types and functions of metaphors
  • 2.Types of maze
  • 3.How are maze-walkers like translating translators?
  • 4.How does maze-walking differ from translating?
  • 5.Four voice control metaphors
  • 6.Metaphors versus subclasses
  • 7.Product, process or agent?
  • 8.The subjective experience of maze-walking
  • 9.Further work
  • 10.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 2 September 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ts.21001.mos
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