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Article published In: Babel
Vol. 67:6 (2021) ► pp.758–790

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The constraints in the field of institutional translation in Turkey

A perspective from sociology of translation

 | Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University
Published online: 12 January 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00247.sec
Abstract
This paper aims to examine the constraints in the institutional field within the framework of the sociology of translation. In the paper, the term “constraint” refers to the problems that cannot be solved due to many factors and negatively affect the translation process, translators, and therefore translation product. The paper will reveal all the constraints with an analysis of the position of the field within the field of power, the structure of the field, and the habitus of agents (here exclusively referring to translators), based on Pierre Bourdieu’s model of field analysis. The study draws on the case studies of four institutions to analyze all the dynamics of the institutional field and their impact on the translation process and translation product. The institutions are the European Union Translation Coordination Presidency (EUTCP) and the Prime Ministry Directorate General of Press and Information (PDGPI) as a national institution, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) as an international institution, and the Association of Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Immigrants (ASAM) as a non-governmental organization. Face-to-face interviews with these four institutions, which carry out different translation activities for different purposes, will reveal the big picture of the field. However, more empirical work is needed to generalize about the constraints of this field.
Résumé
L’objectif de cet article est d’examiner les contraintes de traduction dans le domaine institutionnel sous le prisme de la sociologie de la traduction. Dans le présent article, le terme « contrainte » fait référence aux problèmes qui restent non résolus en raison de nombreux facteurs et qui affectent négativement le processus de traduction, les traducteurs et donc le produit traduit. Au départ du modèle d’analyse du champ de Pierre Bourdieu, l’article identifie toutes les contraintes grâce à une analyse de la position du champ dans le champ du pouvoir, de la structure du champ et de l’habitus des agents (terme qui se réfère ici exclusivement aux traducteurs). L’étude s’appuie sur les études de cas de quatre institutions pour analyser toutes les dynamiques du champ institutionnel et leur impact sur le processus de traduction et le produit traduit. Ces institutions sont la Coordination de la traduction de l’Union européenne (EUTCP) et la Direction générale de la presse et de l’information du Premier ministère (PDGPI) en tant qu’institution nationale, le Programme alimentaire mondial des Nations unies (PAM) en tant qu’institution internationale et l’Association de solidarité avec les demandeurs d’asile et les immigrés (ASAM) en tant qu’organisation non gouvernementale. Des entretiens en face à face avec ces quatre institutions, qui mènent des activités de traduction différentes à des fins différentes, permettront de dresser un tableau général du champ. Cependant, un travail empirique plus poussé est nécessaire pour généraliser les contraintes de ce domaine.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Methodological considerations
  • 3.The constraints in the institutional field
    • 3.1Sociological analysis of the constraints
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (28)
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Beckmann, Morten
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Kurt Uçar, Büşra & Sinem Sancaktaroğlu Bozkurt
2025. Interactions of Institutional Translators with Digital Translation Tools. Çeviribilim ve Uygulamaları Dergisi :38 ► pp. 61 ff. DOI logo

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