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Article published In: Babel
Vol. 63:1 (2017) ► pp.89–108

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The labyrinth of ethics in journalistic translated discourse

 | Islamic Azad University
 | Sheikhbahaee University
Published online: 11 July 2017
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.63.1.06tal
Abstract
Given that both translation ethics and journalistic translation are still two under-explored areas in translation research, this study sets out to discover the ethical model of Iranian translators’ performance in a climate of conflict. To achieve the objective, the researchers monitored and collected the translated journalistic texts concerning the Iranian nuclear negotiations published by a state-run news agency from three days before the Almaty I nuclear talks to three days after the Almaty II negotiations. The monitoring phase resulted in 20 pairs of STs and TTs. The comparative textual analysis indicated patterned and motivated ideological interference in translations which could be accounted for by resorting to teleological models of ethics. Theoretical analysis revealed conceptual overlap between ethics and ideology that could explain the reduction of ethics into ideology in the news agency.
Résumé
Étant donné que tant l’éthique de la traduction que la traduction journalistique restent encore deux domaines sous-explorés de la recherche traductologique, cette étude se propose de découvrir le modèle éthique des performances des traducteurs iraniens dans un climat de conflit. Pour atteindre cet objectif, les chercheurs ont contrôlé et rassemblé les textes journalistiques traduits concernant les négociations nucléaires iraniennes, publiés par une agence de presse gouvernementale sur une période débutant trois jours avant les pourparlers nucléaires Almaty I et s’achevant trois jours après les négociations Almaty II. La phase de contrôle a conduit à 20 paires de textes sources et cibles. L’analyse textuelle comparative indique des interférences idéologiques calquées et motivées dans les traductions qui pourraient s’expliquer par le recours à des modèles d’éthique théologiques. Une analyse théorique révèle un chevauchement conceptuel entre éthique et idéologie qui pourrait expliquer le recul de l’éthique au bénéfice de l’idéologie au sein de l’agence de presse.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Ethics and translation
  • 3.Method
    • 3.1Theoretical framework
    • 3.2Data collection and analysis
  • 4.Results of the comparative textual analysis
    • 4.1Foregrounding
    • 4.2Different lexicalization
    • 4.3Understatement
    • 4.4Shift of polarity
    • 4.5Addition
    • 4.6Deletion
    • 4.7Replacement
  • 5.Discussion and conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
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