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Article published In: Interdisciplinarity in Translation and Interpreting Process Research
Edited by Maureen Ehrensberger-Dow, Susanne Göpferich and Sharon O'Brien
[Target 25:1] 2013
► pp. 77–92

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Applying a newswriting research approach to translation

 | Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland
Published online: 4 March 2013
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/target.25.1.07ehr
Translation is a situated activity that involves more than simply producing target texts from source texts. In order to understand what translators actually do when they translate, their psycho-biographies as well as the social setting of the workplace and the contextual resources must be considered. In this paper, we outline how a mixed-method approach originally developed to study the newswriting processes of journalists at their workplaces can be applied in translation process research. We argue that progression analysis, which combines keystroke logging, screen recordings, eye-tracking, and cue-based retrospective verbalization, can be profitably used along with version analysis to gain insights into cognitive aspects of the translation process.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The relevance of newswriting research for translation studies
    • 2.1Parallels between writing and translation process research methods
    • 2.2Methodological considerations
  • 3.Progression analysis in newswriting research
  • 4.Tracing translation processes with progression analysis
    • 4.1First level of progression analysis: the translation situation
    • 4.2Second level of progression analysis: translation activities and practices
      • 4.2.1Computer logging
      • 4.2.2S-notation
      • 4.2.3Progression graphs
      • 4.2.4Eye-tracking
    • 4.3Third level of progression analysis: awareness of decision-making
    • 4.4Version analysis of translation products
  • 5.Transferring research findings to training and back to the workplace
  • Notes
  • References
References (26)
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