Article published In:
TargetVol. 14:2 (2002) ► pp.221–240
Translation processes in time
In think-aloud protocol studies of cognitive processes in translation, the analysis of TAPs very often results in the description of overall characteristics of the processes of individual translators or proficiency groups of translators. The problem with this approach is that it does not allow the researcher to draw conclusions about the actual organisation of the cognitive processes and its effects on text quality. In writing research, functional dependency of cognitive processes—the fact that the context, function and effect of different cognitive processes vary according to the moment in the process on which they occur—was demonstrated by Rijlaarsdam and Van den Bergh (1996). In the present paper the idea is developed that in translation process research, the inclusion of time as a variable may prove to be useful in improving understanding of the effect of process characteristics on process outcome. A dynamic approach, in which a translation process is viewed and analysed as belonging to a changing task situation, is proposed.
Keywords: Cognitive processes, Translation processes, Changing task situation, Variability in translation processes, TAP-analysis, Think-Aloud Protocols
Article outline
- Introduction
- Thinking aloud as a method for data elicitation
- Data processing and/or inclusion of groups
- Translation processes revisited
- Differentiation within “process”
- A closer look at functional dependency
- Differences between translators
- Concluding remarks
- Notes
-
References
References (25)
Anderson, John R. 1995. Cognitive psychology and its implications. New York: Freeman.
Ericsson, Karl Anders and Herbert Simon. 1980. “Verbal reports as data”. Psychological review 871. 215–251. 
. 1984/1993. Protocol analysis: Verbal reports as data. Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press. (first edition 1984, revised edition 1993.)
Flower, Linda. S. and John. R. Hayes. 1981. “A cognitive process theory of writing”. College composition and communication 321. 365–387.
Gerloff, Pamela. 1988. From French to English: A look at the translation process in students, bilinguals, and professional translators. UMI Dissertation services.
Jääskeläinen, Riitta. 1996. “Hard work will bear beautiful fruit: A comparison of two thinkaloud protocol studies”. Meta 41:1. 60–74.
. 1999. Tapping the process: An explorative study of the cognitive and affective factors involved in translating. Joensuu: University of Joensuu Publications in the Humanities 22.
Jääskeläinen, Riitta and Sonja Tirkkonen-Condit. 1991 “Automatised processes in professional vs. non-professional translation: A think-aloud protocol study”. Sonja Tirkkonen-Condit, ed. Empirical research in translation and intercultural studies: Selected Papers of the TRANSIF Seminar, Savonlinna 1988. Tübingen: Narr, 1991. 89–109.
Jakobsen, Arnt Lykke. 2000. “Logging target text production with Translog”. Gyde Hansen, ed. Probing the process in translation: Methods and results. Copenhagen: Samfundsliteratur, 2000. 9–20. [Copenhagen Studies in Language, 24.]
Janssen, Daniël, Joost Schilperoord, Huub van den Bergh, Luuk van Waes and Walter Wassenaar. 1994. “Effecten van hardop denken op het schrijfproces”. Alfons Maes, Paul van Hauwermeiren and Luc van Waes, eds. Perspectieven in Taalbeheersingsonderzoek. Dordrecht: ICG Publications, 1994. 177–190.
Kiraly, Donald. 1995. Pathways to translation: Pedagogy and process. Kent—London: Kent State University Press.
Krings, Hans P. 1986. Was in den Köpfen von Übersetzern vorgeht: Eine empirische Untersuchung zur Struktur des Übersetzungsprozesses an fortgeschrittenen Französischlernern. Tübingen: Narr.
1987. “The use of introspective data in translation. Claus Færch and Gabriele Kasper, eds. Introspection in second language research. Clevedon—Philadelphia: Multilingual matters, 1987. 159–176.
Kussmaul, Paul. 1995. Training the translator. Amsterdam—Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Laukkanen, Johanna. 1996. “Affective and attitudinal factors in translation processes”. Target 8:2. 257–274.
Lörscher, Wolfgang. 1991. Translation performance, translation process, and translation strategies. Tübingen: Narr.
Mossop, Brian. 1999. “The workplace procedures of professional translators”. Paper read at the EST Conference in Barcelona, 1999.
Rijlaarsdam, Gert and Huub van den Bergh. 1996. “The dynamics of composing—An agenda for research into an interactive compensatory model of writing: Many questions some answers”. Michael C. Levy and Sarah Ransdell, eds. The science of writing: Theories, methods, individual differences, and applications. Mahwah, New Jersey: LEA, 1996. 107–126.
Schilperoord, Joost. 1996. It’s about time: Temporal aspects of cognitive processes in text production. Amsterdam: Rodopi. [Utrecht studies in language and communication.]
Séguinot, Candace. 1989. “The translation process: An experimental study”.
Séguinot 1989a
: 21–53.
, ed. 1989a. The translation process. Toronto: H. G. Publications, School of Translation, York University.
. 1997. “Accounting for variability in translation”. Joseph H. Danks, Gregory M. Shreve, Stephen B. Fountain and Michael K. McBeath, eds. Cognitive processes in translation and interpreting. London: Sage, 1997. 104–119.
Tirkkonen-Condit, Sonja. 1989. “Professional vs. non-professional translation: A thinkaloud protocol study”.
Séguinot 1989a
: 73–85.
. 1997. “Who verbalises what: A linguistic analysis of TAP texts”. Target 9:1. 69–84.
Toury, Gideon. 1995. Descriptive Translation Studies and beyond. Amsterdam—Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Cited by (12)
Cited by 12 other publications
Su, Wenchao
2020. Issues and Approaches to CTIS. In Eye-Tracking Processes and Styles in Sight Translation [New Frontiers in Translation Studies, ], ► pp. 9 ff. 
Su, Wenchao
2020. Translation Style in Sight Translation. In Eye-Tracking Processes and Styles in Sight Translation [New Frontiers in Translation Studies, ], ► pp. 19 ff.
Su, Wenchao
2020. Gaze Behaviors, Interpreting Styles, and Language Specificity. In Eye-Tracking Processes and Styles in Sight Translation [New Frontiers in Translation Studies, ], ► pp. 127 ff.
Schaeffer, Moritz, Jean Nitzke, Anke Tardel, Katharina Oster, Silke Gutermuth & Silvia Hansen-Schirra
2019. Eye-tracking revision processes of translation students and professional translators. Perspectives 27:4 ► pp. 589 ff.
Luger, Suzanne
2018. How do Dutch adolescents translate Latin into coherent Dutch? A Journey into the Unknown. Journal of Latin Linguistics 17:2 ► pp. 333 ff.
Park Ji Young
2018. Analysis of Korean Translation Agencies’ Revision Practices: On Revision Parameters and Procedures. The Journal of Translation Studies 19:2 ► pp. 147 ff.
Jakobsen, Arnt Lykke
2017. Translation Process Research. In The Handbook of Translation and Cognition, ► pp. 19 ff.
Robert, Isabelle S. & Louise Brunette
2016. Should Revision Trainees Think Aloud while Revising Somebody Else’s Translation? Insights from an Empirical Study with Professionals. Meta 61:2 ► pp. 320 ff.
Robert, Isabelle S.
2014. Investigating the problem-solving strategies of revisers through triangulation. Translation and Interpreting Studies 9:1 ► pp. 88 ff.
Robert, Isabelle S. & Luuk Van Waes
2014. Selecting a translation revision procedure: do common sense and statistics agree?. Perspectives 22:3 ► pp. 304 ff.
Antunović, Goranka & Nataša Pavlović
2011. Here and now: Self-revision in student translation processes from L2 and L3. Across Languages and Cultures 12:2 ► pp. 213 ff.
Torop, Peeter
2007. Methodological remarks on the study of translation and translating. Semiotica 2007:163
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 19 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.