Birthe Mousten, University of Aarhus, DK

1
Knowledge Representation in Texts across Borders,
Professions and Language

• Birthe Mousten, University of Aarhus, DK
• Gunta Locmele, University of Latvia, LV

If the designations are not correct the language
does not correspond with the true nature of
things. If the language does not correspond with
the true nature of things, activities cannot be
completed successfully. (Konfutse, 2500 years
ago).
B.
2
Knowledge Representation in Texts across Borders,
Professions and Language

• Birthe Mousten, University of Aarhus, DK
• Gunta Locmele, University of Latvia, LV

If the designations are not correct the language
does not correspond with the true nature of
things. If the language does not correspond with
the true nature of things, activities cannot be
completed successfully. (Konfutse, 2500 years
ago).
B.
3
Knowledge Representation in Texts across Borders,
Professions and Language

• Birthe Mousten, University of Aarhus, DK
• Gunta Locmele, University of Latvia, LV

If the designations are not correct the language
does not correspond with the true nature of
things. If the language does not correspond with
the true nature of things, activities cannot be
completed successfully. (Konfutse, 2500 years
ago).
B.
4
The Danish experiment

• Overall idea
• How is the transfer of the other performed at
  varying levels?
• Foreignization and domestication theory
  transfer of system-bound ideas to a new locale.

B.
5
Knowledge representation model for localisation

• The text travelling model a sorting model for
  text and graphics
• Translation Full text travel
• Adaptation Text travel, but changed
• Replacement Idea travel, new text
• Omission Text and idea discarded
• Creation of Content New text idea
• Oo0oo
• Note also
• Central and peripheral strategies change over
  time
• Hybridity

B. G
6
Influence from the locale

• The system-bound changes and knowledge
  representation realized through
• - socio-cultural components
• - politico-legal components
• - technico-cultural components
• - marketing-cultural components

B.
7
Knowledge representation the reality perspective

• We cannot foreground reality in discourse unless
  we have unmediated access to it, and we never do.
  Our perceptions are always mediated by our
  assumptions, our beliefs, and in fact, by the
  language we speak.
• (Reddick, R.J. 1992. p. 103)

B.
8
Knowledge representationthe interdisciplinarity
perspective

• The tendency towards the end of the century, and
  not only in Translation Studies, was clearly away
  from strict compartmentalization and towards
  interdisciplinary cooperation, away from rigid
  ideology and towards real-life experience.
• (Snell-Hornby, 2006, p. 150)

B.
9
Knowledge representation the power perspective

• Scholars who have taken the power turn, however,
  have come to realize that in polyvalent and
  multicultural environments, knowledge does not
  necessarily precede the translation activity, and
  that the act of translation is itself very much
  involved in the creation of knowledge.
• (Tymoczko and Gentzler, 2002xxi)

B.
10
Knowledge representationthe language
bridge/barrier to contextual relevance

• ..an awareness needs to be created more
  generally that translation is confronted not only
  with one barrier the all too familiar language
  barrier but also with the distinct second
  barrier of contextual differences.
• (Gutt, Ernst-August, 2000231)

B.
11
Model of knowledge representation in locales
B.
12
Advertising adaptation and creation Live Riga

• Combination of
• Text
• Symbols
• Images

G.
13
LIVE RIGA

• Four-letter words
• - LIVE - WORK
• - LOVE - MEET
• - LIFE - DINE
• - FEEL - SHOP
• - SING - ARTS
• - TRIP - STAY

G.
14
G.
15
Selection of key words from poolLatvia

• The keys words which speak to the consumers of
  whiskey in Latvia of all ages are related to
• dominance and sensuality
• (a weapon, to attack, nudity and to seduce)

G.
16
Jameson Whiskey
Tu varbut veletos šeit ieraudzit istu iru
skaistuli ugunigi liesmojošiem matiem zala terpa
spelejam arfu abolina plava. Bet mums škiet, ka
tas butu parak... acim redzami. Aiz
acimredzama
G.
17
Jameson Whiskey

• Maybe you would like to see a real, handsome
  Irishman here, with flaming hair, dressed in
  green, playing a harp in the clover meadow. But
  we think it would have been too obvious
• Beyond the obvious
• (back-translation from Latvian)

Tu varbut veletos šeit ieraudzit istu iru
skaistuli ugunigi liesmojošiem matiem zala terpa
spelejam arfu abolina plava. Bet mums škiet, ka
tas butu parak... acim redzami. Aiz
acimredzama (created Latvian text)
G.
18
Clash of localesHybridity of text
G.
19
Danish and English The case of
technico-cultural writing

• Text Computer Assembly
• This is a text where you would not think that any
  cultural or system-bound references could be
  found, but look at this
• Computer World was one of the first repair shops
  in Fargo, ND
• What would the purpose be of this information in
  the Danish text? What is, by the way, the purpose
  in the English text, given that it is a text
  about computer assembly?
• Solutions
• Omission Leave it out
• Replacement Find something similar in Danish
• Translation Leave the information and
  translate it

B.
20
Danish and English The case of
technico-cultural writing

• Explanation and some examples of English and
  Danish
• Tools needed A set of small Philips screw
  drivers (highly recommend that you magnetize
  them).
• References to online instructions in (native
  culture) English can be so full of tricky
  expressions and system-bound and culture-bound
  expressions.
• English is a global language the contents are
  not.

B.
21
Technico-cultural writing and knowledge
representation

• Pre-localisation
• Forensic photography can be traced back in
  Denmark to the early 1800s when inmates were
  documented through pictures.
• Mark-up for localisation (part of
  internationalisation)
• Forensic photography can be traced back in
  locale to the locale-period when inmates
  were documented through pictures.

B.
22
Knowledge representation through language

• Pivot pin, bolt catch, slip ring, upper receiver,
  buttplate assembly, takedown pin, buttstock.
• Established words pivot, pin, bolt, ring,
  assembly
• Descriptive words receiver, buttplate,
  takedown, carrying, buttstock
• What can a translator do?

B.
23
Knowledge representation through language

• - Combine the two with a given context and start
  finding terminology in another language
• - Parallel texts may be a big help, but slow and
  troublesome
• - Google pictures may sometimes be a great help
  and may even help with suggested terminology in
  embedded text
• - Combining words from dictionaries into new
  constellations
• - Corpus-linguistics
• - Inventing new descriptive words in the local
  language
• So please go ahead and translate!

B.
24
Knowledge representation through language

• Text Erosion control maintenance
• Interpretation possibilities
• - Control of the maintenance of erosion
• - Maintaining control of the erosion
• - Controlling the erosion by maintenance
• - Maintenance of the control of erosion
• .
• US Erosion control maintenance
• DK Kontrol ved byggearbejde vedligeholdelse
• ( control during construction jobs
  maintenance)
• So please go ahead and translate!

B.
25
Knowledge representation

• Text Erosion control maintenance
• US In order to protect the existing rainwater
  sewer system, protection must be placed at the
  inlet to the pipe line, commonly known as a catch
  basin.
• DK For at beskytte det eksisterende kloaksystem
  til afledning af regnvand skal man placere en
  beskyttende, såkaldt vandafløbspose ved
  åbningen af rørledningen til vandafløbet.
• Back translation pipe line, a so-called
  water-drainage bag.

B.
26
Knowledge representation dogmas!

• Passive versus active form
• You will start by taking the motherboard and
  laying it on the work surface. (US active)
• Bundkortet lægges på et arbejdsbord. (DK
  passive)
• The motherboard is placed on a work surface (US
  passive)

B.
27
Learning knowledge representation

• Challenges
• Locales
• Genres
• English vs English as a lingua franca
• English vs local languages
• English as knowledge transfer itself
• Globalisation Glocalisation - Localization

Foreignization vs. Domestication
Mirror vs. Mold
G.B.
28
Sources

• Eisend, Martin (2010). A Meta-analysis of Gender
  Roles in Advertising. Journal of the Academy of
  Marketing Science.  Vol. 38, No. 4.
• Jettmarowa, Z. (2009). Contexts of/in
  Translativity. Prague Univerzita Karlova v
  Praze.
• Konfutse, 2500 years ago!
• Reddick, R.J. (1992). English Expository
  Discourse, in Language in Context Essays for
  Robert E. Klongacre. University of Texas.
• Snell-Hornby, Mary (2006). The Turns of
  Translation Studies. John Benjamins Publishing
  Company.
• Tymoczko, Maria and Gentzler, Edwin (2002).
  Translation and Power. Amherst and Boston
  University of Massachusetts Press.