THE DISREGARD OF THE CULTURAL DIMENSION IN TRANSLATION

Mohamed Douah(1*), Mustapha Boudjelal(2),

(1) Laboratoire Etude du Genre, Langues et Diversités Sociolinguistiques and Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University-Mostaganem, Algeria
(2) Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University-Mostaganem, Algeria
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


The cultural turn in translation studies has propelled translation beyond a mere act of linguistic transposition. At this juncture, the cultural dimension has garnered significant attention, and translation has evolved into an act of cultural mediation. Within this framework, learners’ perceptions of the cultural dimension and classroom teaching practices are pivotal factors influencing translation quality. This study examines the classroom teaching practices vis-à-vis cultural learning and investigates learners’ perception of the significance of culture in translation. A survey questionnaire was administered to seventy-eight Master’s students of translation (Arabic-English-French) at the Institute of Translation, Oran University, Algeria. Additionally, an interview was conducted with 26 students from the same institute to accredit more validity and reliability to this study, to obtain more qualitative data, and to compare and crosscheck while interpreting the data from both the questionnaire and the interview. The analysis of the obtained data elucidated that cultural knowledge was impeached by classroom practices that do not foster intercultural learning despite learners’ positive attitudes towards the target cultures. This study offers some pedagogical recommendations to give the cultural dimension due attention in the translation classroom.

Keywords


culture, learner, perception, practice, translation

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abbadi, R., & Belal, M. M. (2014). Developing student translation competence: A practical approach employed in teaching English-Arabic translation courses. Al-Hussein Bin Talal Journal of Research, 2, 1–15.

Al-Ghazalli, M. F., & Layth, M. (2019). Investigating translation competence of Iraqi EFL students in conveying cultural expressions into Arabic. European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies, 7(1), 1–15.

Al-Shloul, W. (2023). A qualitative analysis of language and culture barriers confronting student translators. AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, 7(3), 109-124.

Al-Sofi, B. B. M. A., & Abouabdulqader, H. (2020). Bridging the gap between translation and culture: Towards a cultural dimension of translation. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Culture, 6(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.21744/ijllc.v6n1.795

Badawi, M. F. (2008). Investigating EFL prospective teachers’ ability to translate culture-bound expressions. Journal of Research in Curriculum Instruction and Educational Technology, 5(4), 175-207.

Bahumaid, S. (2010). Investigating cultural competence in English-Arabic translator training programs. Meta: Journal Des Traducteurs/Meta: Translators’ Journal, 55(3), 569–588. https://doi.org/10.7202/045078ar

Bara, M. (2012). Translating cultural references. In R. Vaseliscu, E. Nicolescu, R.Stefan, & A. Radulescu (Eds.), Challenges in translation: Space, culture and linguistic identity (pp. 49-62). New York, NY: Addleton Academic Publishers.

Bassnett, S., & Lefevere, A. (1990). Translation, history, and culture. London: Printer Publishers.

Bedeker, L., & Feinauer, I. (2009). The translator as cultural mediator. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 24(2), 133-141. https://doi.org/10.2989/16073610609486412

ÇAĞAÇ, F. (2018). The place of the culture in the translation process. The Journal of International Social Research, 11(57), 1307-9581.

Catford, J. C. (1965). A linguistic theory of translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ceramella, N. (2008). Linking theory with practice: The way to quality translation. In A. Nikčević-Batrićević & M. Knežević (Eds.), Culture bound translation and language in the global era (pp. 3-32). London: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Chambers, G. N. (1999). Motivating language learners: Modern languages in practice 12. London, UK: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

Clouet, R. (2008). Intercultural language learning: Cultural mediation within the curriculum of translation and interpreting studies. Ibérica, Revista de la AsociaciónEuropea de Lenguas para Fines Específicos, (16),147-167. http://hdl.handle.net/10553/45414

Cranmer, R. (2015). Introducing intercultural communication into the teaching of translation. Russian Journal of Linguistics, 23(4),155–174.

Durdureanu, I.I. (2011). Translation of cultural terms: Possible or
impossible? The Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education: Alba Iulia, 4, 51-63.

Farahani, M. (2024). Review of the cultural turn in translation studies, by Wang Ning. Media and Intercultural Communication: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 2(1), 102-106. https://doi.org/10.22034/mic.2 024.444993.1014

Fenyő, S. S. (2005). The translator’s cultural competence. European Integration Studies, 4(2),61-72. https://doi.org/10.21744/ijllc.v6n1.795

Gambier, Y. (2016). Rapid and radical changes in translation and translation studies. International Journal of Communication, 10, 887–906. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/3824

Geng, X. (2011). Culture integration in translating. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 1(5), 553-555.

Gil, A. C. (2008). How to design research projects. São Paulo: Atlas.

Hassan, B. E. A. (2014). Between English and Arabic: A practical course in translation. London, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Hatim, B., & Mason, I. (1990). Discourse and the translator, language in social life series. London: Longman.

Hervey, S., & Higgins, I. (2002). Thinking translation. London: Routledge.

House, J. (2009). Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.6035/MonTI.2009.1.2

Larson, M.L. (1984). Meaning-based translation: A guide to cross-language equivalence. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.

Lee, K.Y. (2018). For English not as an international but as an intercultural language among students in distribution science business English programs. Journal of Distribution Science, 16(11), 5-10. https://doi.org/10.15722/jds.16.11.201811.5

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Attitude. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attitude

Mounassar, A. A. A. (2018). Difficulties and problems facing English students in translating culture-specific items from English to Arabic and their solutions. Adab, 7, 481-797.

Munday, J. (2016). Introducing translation studies. London: Routledge.

Nelson, B. (2007). Translating cultures, cultures of translation. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 28(4), 361-365. https://doi.org/10.1080/07256860701591193

Nida, E. (1964). Principles of correspondence. In L.Venuti (Ed.), The translation studies reader (pp. 126-140). London: Routledge.

Nida, E. (1964). Toward a science of translating, with special reference to principles and procedures involved in Bible translating. Leiden: Brill.

Rivers, M. (1983). Communicating naturally in a second language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Ltd.

Seliger, H.W., & Shohamy, E. (1989). Second language research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Shirinzadeh, S. A., &Mahadi, T. S. T. (2015). Translators as cultural mediators in transmitting cultural differences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 208, 167–174.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.193

Snell-Hornby, M. (1988). Translation studies: An integrated approach. Amsterdam: Benjamins.

Vidal Claramonte, M. C. Á. V. (2009). Rethinking translation in the 21st century. MonTI:Monografías de Traducción e Interpretación, 1, 39-48.http://hdl.handle.net/10550/37016

Whitfield, A. (2005). Towards a socio-cultural turn in translation teaching: A
Canadian perspective. Meta, 50(4). https://doi.org/10.7202/019906ar

Yan, J. X., Pan, J., & Wang, H. (2018). Research on translator and interpreter training: A collective volume of bibliometric reviews and empirical studies on learners. Singapore: Springer Nature.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt.v27i2.7118

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Mohamed DOUAH, Mustapha Boudjelal

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Indexed and abstracted in:

     

 

 

LLT Journal Sinta 1 Certificate (S1 = Level 1)

We would like to inform you that LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching has been nationally accredited Sinta 1 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia based on the decree  No. Surat Keputusan 169/E/KPT/2024. Validity for 5 years: Vol ... No 1, 20... till Vol ... No 2, 20...


Sinta 1 certificate to post here asap. Thank you for your patience and understanding. 

 

  

 

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA.

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

 

Free counters!


 LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/llt, e-ISSN 2579-9533 and p-ISSN 1410-7201, is published twice a year, namely in April and October by the English Language Education Study Programme of Teacher Training and Education Faculty of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.