Innovations and Reproductions in Cultures and Societies
(IRICS) Vienna, 9 - 11 december 2005

 
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Cultural competence in translation

Alla Rogatiuk (Volyn Institute for Economics and Management in Lutsk, Ukraine)

 

ABSTRACT:

The training program for future translators should be developed in such a way as to equip the trainees with the good knowledge not only of a language, but with the world knowledge, that is the knowledge of culture, history, traditions etc.

The process of translation involves not only two languages, but primarily two cultures. Learning cultures of other language communities is the end product of training the professional translators/ interpreters. The awareness of similarities and differences in the way in which two language communities view and structure the world enables the translator to correctly verbalize the perception of the world by the speakers of the other culture.

As an integral part of culture language is an expression and reflection both of the norms accepted in the language usage and of the individual who perceives the world through culture.

It is a challenge for a translator to render the meaning of the text containing cultural components in their semantic structure into the Receptor language. The lack of the cultural competence may cause a barrier in the process of communication.

Human speech is infinitely varied and idiosyncratic since the author conveys not only factual material, but also his own point of view and attitudes towards the subject matter.

Phraseological units are lexical units containing cultural elements in their meaning. They are major tools of learning culture. Semantic structure of most phraseological units provides abundant information about the way of perception of the world by the speakers of a certain language community and the linguistic expression it gives to this perception. In rendering their meaning it is important to preserve the communicative effect produced by them, their pragmatic meaning and find similar cognitive model in the target language.

Acquisition of the cultural competence is the important factor of providing the highest quality of interpreting and for that reason the knowledge of the world need to be supplemented by a solid academic education.

Innovationen und Reproduktionen in Kulturen und Gesellschaften (IRICS) Wien, 9. bis 11. Dezember 2005

H O M E
WEBDESIGN: Peter R. Horn 2005-09-15