Sunteți pe pagina 1din 2

In Text Analysis in Translation, Christiane Nord introduces a new model for source

text analysis.
First, Nord posits that translators should pay close attention to the translation
commission (also called translation brief). The commission includes the text
function, the target audience (or the addressees), the medium, the motive, etc
Once the commission is clearly defined, the translator should do a source text
analysis. The source text analysis will allow the translator to better understand
what is at stake in any given text. Nords model includes elements such as
subject matter, content, presuppositions, text composition, non-verbal elements,
lexis, sentence structure and suprasegmental features.
Although there are different models available, I will use Nords for this text
analysis.
The source text is an excerpt from The Curse of the Turtle by Thomas A. Roy. One
of main themes is Aboriginality. Many words describe the initiation ritual which is
about to take place: corroboree, beeli sticks, tribal markings, ceremonial
bullroarer, etc... Such words would potentially represent a challenge for the
translator. The vocabulary (or lexis to use Nords denomination) is not the only
issue here. The translator would also have to consider what the target audience
knows about Aboriginal ceremonies and/or Aboriginality as a whole. As a French
translator, I assume that my French readers would not understand any of these
words. The background knowledge of the target text receiver is what Nord
describes as presuppositions.
In this excerpt, there is also a strong sense of danger and foreboding. Jimmy is
apprehensive and fears the night and the unknown. It is also the first that he
has ventured beyond the limits of the house. The author also tells us that at
one point Jimmys courage almost deserted him. This would of course have to
be conveyed.
From a syntactical point of view, it is easy to notice a number of inverted
sentences. In flitting around the fires [] were several men, the author has
voluntarily put the emphasis on the action and not on the subject. The same
applies to standing in front of them was Tajalli. This sentence structure has to
be taken into account by the translator.
In terms of suprasegmental features, the final paragraph which describes the
ceremony contains longer sentences with a number of alliterations and
assonances. They probably mimic the sound of the instruments. For instance, it
is said that the men were beating time with beeli sticks, striking first one stick
against the other. Here, the alliterations in S and T are reminiscent of the
sound of the beeli sticks.
This excerpt does not only contain linguistic challenges for the translator. Culture
is also an important question. Nords third and final step is to hierarchize
translation problems. The source text analysis is therefore a tool for the

translator as it gives a macro as well as a micro vision and understanding of the


source text.

S-ar putea să vă placă și