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Article published In: Target
Vol. 32:3 (2020) ► pp.456–481

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Adequate contextual explicitation in translation

ORCiD logo with link | Bar-Ilan University
Published online: 8 July 2020
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.19143.hir
Abstract
On the face of it, it appears that the explicitation of contextual knowledge is consistent with . 1995. Descriptive Translation Studies – and Beyond. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar norm of acceptability rather than his norm of adequacy. This is because this type of explicitation, which seeks to bridge the gap in readers’ contextual knowledge, enhances readability and is directed towards the target audience. However, in this article I argue that the use of this type of explicitation actually demonstrates an awareness of the importance of adhering to the source text, and may thus be aligned with adequacy norms. To support the argument, I show that this type of explicitation seems to be more prevalent than ever before, using as an example a recent translation of a story by O. Henry into Hebrew, in the context of Hebrew translated literature generally moving towards the norm of adequacy (Zoran, Gabriel. 1990. Past and Present in Hebrew Literary Translation: A Lecture and Exhibition Catalogue. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Library.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; . 1992. “Explicitation in Translations of Prose-Fiction from English to Hebrew as a Function of Norms.” Multilingua 11 (2): 153–171. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar; . 1994. “Translating Literary Dialogue: A Problem and its Implications for Translation into Hebrew.” Target 6 (2): 195–221. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar). This highlights the complexity of the relation between increased explicitness and the notions of adequacy and acceptability.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Descriptive Translation Studies and translation norms
  • 3.Explicitation
    • 3.1Types of explicitation
  • 4.Conceptual-theoretical problem in the explicitation of contextual knowledge
  • 5.Analysis of two translations of a short story by O. Henry
    • 5.1Changes in Hebrew translated literature
    • 5.2Two translations of “The Ransom of Red Chief”
    • 5.3Explicitation of contextual knowledge in the translations of “The Ransom of Red Chief”
  • 6.Concluding remarks
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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2023. Culture and Explicitness of Persuasion: Linguistic Evidence From a 51-Year Corpus-Based Cross-Cultural Comparison of the United Nations General Debate Speeches Across 55 Countries (1970-2020). Cross-Cultural Research 57:2-3 ► pp. 166 ff. DOI logo

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