The epistemological paradox of translating autobiography : evidential stance in translated vs. non-translated autobiographies in English and Japanese
Much has been written on the position of the translator; the concept of âpositionâ being understood variously in terms of spatial, ideological, sociological, philosophical, or narratological orientation. The present research project contributes to this body of work through the empirical investigation of translator position as an epistemological function, examining patterns of evidential stance-taking in original vs. translated autobiographies. A defining characteristic of autobiographical writings is a NARRATOR=EXPERIENCER relationship: the narrator has privileged access to the memory from which the narrative is sourced. However, when an autobiography is translated, the connection between the narrator and the source of the narrative â the memory of the experiencer â is interrupted. The translation of an autobiography, then, presents an epistemological paradox: the translatorâs first person discursive position is at odds with the evidential basis from which he or she narrates. This research aims to investigate the extent to which the translatorâs occupation of the position of an autobiographical âIâ is purely nominal or extends to the experiential, asking whether the textual production of a
Marshall, Sally Victoria
translation ; autobiography ; evidentiality ; English ; Japanese ; position ; distance ; empathy ; memory
The epistemological paradox of translating autobiography : evidential stance in translated vs. non-translated autobiographies in English and Japanese. Much has been written on the position of the translator; the concept of âpositionâ being understood variously in terms of spatial, ideological, sociological, philosophical, or narratological orientation. The present research project contributes to this body of work through the empirical investigation of translator position as an epistemological function, examining patterns of evidential stance-taking in original vs. translated autobiographies. A defining characteristic of autobiographical writings is a NARRATOR=EXPERIENCER relationship: the narrator has privileged access to the memory from which the narrative is sourced. However, when an autobiography is translated, the connection between the narrator and the source of the narrative â the memory of the experiencer â is interrupted. The translation of an autobiography, then, presents an epistemological paradox: the translatorâs first person discursive position is at odds with the evidential basis from which he or she narrates. This research aims to investigate the extent to which the translatorâs occupation of the position of an autobiographical âIâ is purely nominal or extends to the experiential, asking whether the textual production of a
epistemological paradox translate autobiography evidential stance translate non_translated autobiography english_japanese much_write position translator concept position understand variously term spatial ideological sociological philosophical narratological orientation present project contribute body_work empirical_investigation translator position epistemological function examine pattern evidential stance taking original translated autobiography define_characteristic autobiographical writing narrator relationship narrator privilege access memory narrative_source however autobiography translate connection narrator source narrative memory interrupt translation autobiography present epistemological paradox translator first_person discursive position odds evidential basis aim_investigate extent translator occupation position autobiographical purely nominal extends experiential ask_whether textual production