Maze-walkers and echoborgs
Reflections on translator metaphors
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.
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
-
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