Translators theorising translation : a study of Japanese/English translators' accounts of dispute situations and its implications for translation pedagogy
The gap between theory and practice has long been an issue of discussion in Translation Studies, particularly in the pedagogy of translation. While the teaching of theory has been an integral part of translator education in academic institutions, students and practitioners of translation tend to think that practice should be prioritised over theory. Although scholars have often argued the benefit of theoretical knowledge of translation to practice, the discussions have tended to lack empirical evidence, relying heavily on anecdotal evidence provided by teachers as well as the beliefs of scholars. Against this background, the present study aims to generate a translatorsâ version of translation theory from working practitionersâ meta-discourse about their professional practice. The main source of data comes from semi-structured interviews with seventeen successful translators who work in the language combination of English and Japanese. Using a methodologically eclectic approach (drawing on grounded theory, narrative inquiry and Discursive Psychology), the translatorsâ theorisation patterns are explored, which is then compared with various theories of translation that are popular within academia or related
Sakamoto, Akiko
Translators theorising translation : a study of Japanese/English translators' accounts of dispute situations and its implications for translation pedagogy. The gap between theory and practice has long been an issue of discussion in Translation Studies, particularly in the pedagogy of translation. While the teaching of theory has been an integral part of translator education in academic institutions, students and practitioners of translation tend to think that practice should be prioritised over theory. Although scholars have often argued the benefit of theoretical knowledge of translation to practice, the discussions have tended to lack empirical evidence, relying heavily on anecdotal evidence provided by teachers as well as the beliefs of scholars. Against this background, the present study aims to generate a translatorsâ version of translation theory from working practitionersâ meta-discourse about their professional practice. The main source of data comes from semi-structured interviews with seventeen successful translators who work in the language combination of English and Japanese. Using a methodologically eclectic approach (drawing on grounded theory, narrative inquiry and Discursive Psychology), the translatorsâ theorisation patterns are explored, which is then compared with various theories of translation that are popular within academia or related
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