Translation and Mass Media Communication in a Globalized

Translation and Mass Media Communication in a Globalized World Translation and Mass Media Communication © Cristina Marinetti 2012

General Theory Reading • Cronin (2003) Translation and Globalization. • • London: Routledge. (To buy) Gambier & Gottlieb (eds) Multimedia Translation Mc. Quail, Mass Communication Theory. (Multiple copies in the library) Durham, M. G. Kellner, D. M. (ed. ) Media and Cultural Studies Key works. (Multiple copies in the library) Changes in module outline

Translation: A drastic change

Widening the scope • From late 1990 s – new ways of thinking about • translation and intercultural transfer Globalization – elimination of economic/ geographical barriers between countries increased interaction: – Cross-border business negotiation – Sale of products in overseas markets • Digitalization – move from print-based communication to the digital world. The WWW is changing: – Nature of communication – The way in which a given message is transmitted, processed and stored. • This initiated a process of rethinking of the traditional concerns of translation studies to take into account the changes in the environment in which translators operate.

Changes in the context of translation Informational Global ‘The contemporary change of paradigm can be seen as a shift from a technology based primarily on cheap input of energy to one predominantly based on cheap input of information’ (Freeman qtd in Cronin 10) ‘The new economy is global because the central activities of production, consumption and circulation, as well as their components (capital, labour, raw material, management, information, markets), are organized on a global scale, either directly or through a network of connections between different economic agents’ (Cronin 11)

New Paradigm • This new paradigm has brought about changes to: – the context of translation – the conditions of translation – the source texts – the role of the translator – the visibility or positioning of the translator

Model of Communication (Jacobson 353) Context Message (Text) Addresser ------------- Addressee (Translator) (Audience) Contact Code

1) Changes: The Translator • Way of gathering information: Task – Focus on how to gather relevant information/skilled in researching and assessing sources • Way of communicating with agency, clients, informers – Faster, more detailed, wider access and multimodal • Way of processing information – We rely on images as well as words – We make increasing use of information technology tools.

2) Changes: The text • Type of texts: From page to webpage – Readership in unspecified (wide-range of native and non-native speakers) – Text is read on screen – Text can be read in any order (depending on the hyperlink followed) – Source text is subject to constant updates and is perishable (O’Hagan 14) • Handling of texts: – Use of translation technology – Text is segmented in smaller units – Translator no longer has control over the whole message (Segmentation)

3)Changes: The Target Audience • Is more used to have access to other languages and cultures (travel, 24 hour news) • Local concerns are affected by global events (economic as well as political) • BUT perceived closeness can cause crosscultural misunderstandings

Ambiguity of Globalization • Globalization: (See Bielsa & Bassnett chapter 2) – Slippery concept – Effects of ‘falling of borders’ – Spreading of cultural ideas used across languages – Movement of people, goods, cultural and economic capital Brings both closeness and remoteness from other cultures

Look at the homepage of yahoo. com. If you were asked to translate this page into your native/second language, what changes would you be making at the level of: – – – Selection of content Multimedia elements Navigation tools Homepage appearance Register and style of language Cultural references • Now compare the American version with the localized version of your choice. What are the differences?

Translation: A drastic change

The text: multimodality and hybridity • Websites are multimodal texts which require awareness of cultural difference that goes well beyond language (images, cultural symbols) and involves different types of translation • Websites are hybrid texts in which different genres cohexist (advertisment, information, instruction)

Reading • Follow up to this session: Cronin (2003) Translation and Globalization. London: Routledge • (Chapter 1) For next week: Gambier & Gottlieb (eds) Multimedia Translation (pp. iix-22)

Different way of acquiring information Think of your experience as a user of newspapers, books and product/service information. Has the introduction of the internet changed the way in which you acquire information? If so, how? Has your consumption of information increased or decreased? Has the quality of the information you have acquired changed? And its reliability? What do you think are the consequences of all this on translation?