Publications
Publication details [#10828]
Mellen, Donna. 1988. The translator: translator or editor? In Lindberg Hammond, Deanna, ed. Languages at crossroads. Medford: Learned Information. pp. 271–276.
Publication type
Article in jnl/bk
Publication language
English
Abstract
The present article looks into the role of the translator. Traditionally understood, his role is to render texts into a second language in such a way that the translated version is as similar as possible to the original. This conscious attempt is to remain faithful to the original text, to repodruce it in another language in such a way as to maintain as completely as possible the meaning, implications an style of the originals. However, when translators are faced with texts from the veryday world of business, journalism or politics they sometimes believe that their role requires them to depart from the original much more than they would if they were working with a classical work of literature for example. They believe that poor writing should not be reproduced in translations of everyday texts. The present article argues that this assumption is invalid and that everyday texts deserve the same respect from translators as classical ones.
Source : Based on abstract in book