Publications
Publication details [#14587]
Schopp, Jürgen. 2008. In Gutenbergs Fußstapfen: translatio typographica. Zum Verhältnis von Typografie und Translation [In Gutenberg's footsteps: translatio typographica. On the relationship between typography and translation and interpreting]. In Kaindl, Klaus and Riitta Oittinen, eds. Le verbal, le visuel, le traducteur [The verbal, the visual, the translator]. Special issue of Meta. Journal des Traducteurs, Translators' Journal 53 (1): 167–183.
Publication type
Article in Special issue
Publication language
German
Abstract
Ever since Johannes Gutenberg's times, typography has shaped the visual appearance of the written word in western cultures. Gutenberg's invention gave birth to a development that has changed the appearance of the written message considerably compared to scriptographically manufactured texts. Texts that have been carefully typographically designed still serve as examples both to emulated and also to aim for in desktop publishing. Therefore, the typographical tradition is of essence even in the era of the computer and has resulted in a dichotomy of typographic design (non-professional versus professional typographic). Hence, all texts that are intended to be translated form part of bi- or even multi-coded textual network and exist, in one way or another, as typographically designed texts. Equally, a translation project start as an unfinished product and must undergo as a rule, some typographical process prior to printing and publication. Therefore, typography is a factor that needs to be taken into consideration under the double aspect of professional translation and the education of translators.
1. Typography s a semiotic phenomenon, which, means that all typographical symbols are specific to their individual cultures and, hence, have different meaning. Also, various cultures will use these symbols with varied frequency. What is more, authors of literary texts may employ typographical symbols intentionally as a special characteristic of the text or as a part of it.
2. Typography needs to be considered in the light of the visual appearance of a text, a fact that serves to demonstrate the significance of, firstly, knowledge of a particular culture of typographical symbols; secondly, of typographical conventions of source and target culture (orthotypography); and thirdly, of a solid understanding into the professional production process of typographically produced publications. [Source: abstract in journal]
Source : Abstract in journal