International Journal of Language and Linguistics Vol. 2, No.
1; March 2015
Dealing with Ambiguity: An Analysis of Pym's Recommendations to Retrieve
Ambiguities of Terms Related to Translation Studies
Débora Montenegro Pasin
SD Language Office & Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)
Andradas, 1273/ 402, CEP: 90020-009
Porto Alegre, RS
Brazil
Heloísa Orsi Koch Delgado
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)
Ipiranga 6681, CEP: 90619-900
Porto Alegre, RS
Brazil
Vanessa Silva Fischer
TraduServices - Online Translation Agency
Porto Alegre, RS
Brazil
Abstract
Recent times have seen a vast expansion in specialized translation degree programs. However, as any nascent
discipline, several of its nomenclatures are still ambiguous or inaccurate, compromising understanding and
applicability in the classroom. That being considered, this article aims to analyze, qualitatively, the
recommendations provided by Prof. Anthony Pym in his “Tentative Glossary” of terms used by academics in
Translation Studies classes. Such glossary includes 141 terms based on his doctoral students’ doubts when
dealing with Translation Terminology. The present paper analyzes 15 of those terms, which were selected
randomly and divided into three categories (ambiguous, standard and abstentious) regarding (lack of) ambiguity
aiming at simplification for teaching practices. Concluding, it is learned that contextualization can decrease
misunderstandings; a further study in the light of Corpus Linguistics field in order to align possibilities is
suggested.
Keywords: Translation Studies; Terminology; Ambiguity; Translation Terminology; Translation Glossary.
1. Introduction
The importance of translation has been widely recognized in the past years, and its study as an academic
discipline has become crucial. Various theoretical concepts, methods, models, approaches, and procedures have
been discussed to improve this field of study and to help students (future professionals) in this very stressful and
demanding profession.
According to Munday (2012), throughout history, written and spoken translations have played a crucial role in
interhuman communication, not least in providing access to important texts for scholarship and religious
purposes. As world trade has grown, so has the importance of translation. (MUNDAY, 2012, p. 10)
As in any recent discipline, Translation Studies is not immune to the rise of new terms and concepts to fulfill the
need for clarification. Such necessity gives Terminology, an intrinsically Translation related-area, its
indispensable owed task of compiling, describing, processing and presenting the terms of any specific subject
field. Both areas, working in concert, provide specialists, semi-specialists and laypeople with proper
communication within their working contexts.
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In addition, it is possible to observe an ever-growing number of students interested in translation and terminology
studies at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as for these programs serve as highly valued entry-level
qualifications for the professions. The competence of students in this area permeates a theoretical foundation
whose terminology is presented with conceptual rigor, along with terminological uniformity.
This paper, then, aims to offer a qualitative analysis of the recommendations provided by Prof. Anthony Pym
while compiling the terminology of the area of Translation in his “Tentative Glossary”. The terms were based on
the doubts arisen in discussions with students completing their doctoral research within the Intercultural Studies
Group at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Tarragona, Spain.
We not only intend to alert academics and researchers to some of the ambiguities and vagaries of commonplace
nomenclatures regarding the study of Translation Studies Terminology, but also to standardize terms, simplifying
their (non-)use recognition.
Although this paper does not cover all aspects of term analysis, proposing more generalized and broader criteria
for discussion, we do believe that terminological simplification in the field of Translation Studies is imperative,
especially in academic or other educational contexts.
2. Methodology
We have based our methodology on Translation Studies and Terminology Theories, whose data collection and
analysis took into consideration the following two steps:
A. Randomized selection of terms;
B. Analysis of recommendation regarding term ambiguity.
Among 141 terms and recommendations listed by the scholar, we selected, randomly, and analyzed the ambiguity
of 15 terms and their equivalent recommendations according to the following criteria:
a. Term fits perfectly;
b. Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
c. Term has synonymous terms – depending on context, origin, and/or language of user;
d. Term has evolved into a more modern term;
e. Term is a misnomer – no longer used;
f. Term changes depending on collocations.
For some terms, we suggested abstinence mostly because indiscriminate use has bereft the word of immediate
specificity, such as Cultural Term, since concerns with wider cultural issues can be found as far back as the
Russian Formalists and the Prague School, there is little evidence of one unitary transformation having taken
place at the time of the “cultural turn” promoted by Lefevere and Bassnett (1990). In other cases, we recommend
a collocation usage in order to make oneself clear, as in Equivalence – Equivalence-Belief.
A table containing meaning, Pym’s usage recommendation, and our analysis of each of the fifteen entries is
shown at the end of the present paper.
3. Discussion
We underline that this so called “lack of clearness” – the presence of ambiguity and vagaries in some meanings
and usages of terms – derive from several cultural e contextual changes which have been occurring with the
emerging of new concepts and new perspectives on the field (i.e.: technology evolution is one of the reasons why
some terms are now obsolete.). Regarding to how context influences terms, Cabré (1998, p.39) says that: “Terms
can be described in three ways: linguistically, cognitively, and with respect to communication”. Communication
depends on context, which is always changing; the matter is: to what extent can we standardize terms, even
though they are related to a variety of contexts within the same field?
In a perfect scenario, terms would follow what Cabré (1998, p.40) mentions: “Theoretically, terms should be
unambiguous and have one meaning and only one designation corresponding to one form.”
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International Journal of Language and Linguistics Vol. 2, No. 1; March 2015
We underline that this so called “lack of clearness” – the presence of ambiguity and vagaries in some terms’
meanings and usages – derive from several cultural e contextual changes occurring with the emerging of new
concepts and new perspectives on the field (i.e.: technology evolution is one of the reasons why some terms are
now obsolete.). Regarding to how context influences terms, Cabré (1998, p.39) says that: “Terms can be described
in three ways: linguistically, cognitively, and with respect to communication”. Communication depends on
context, which is always changing; the matter is: to what extent can we standardize terms, even though they are
related to a variety of contexts within the same field?
In a perfect scenario, terms would follow what Cabré (1998, p.40) mentions: “Theoretically, terms should be
unambiguous and have one meaning and only one designation corresponding to one form.”
Even not reaching perfection, Terminology aims to facilitate the work of students and professionals.
4. Conclusion
We propose a further discussion on more generalized and broader criteria regarding term analysis since this paper
does not cover all possible aspects. So far, we have concluded that contextualization can decrease
misunderstandings and terminological simplification in the field of Translation Studies is imperative, especially in
academic or other educational contexts.
We also agree that students and professionals of the Translation field would benefit from the preparation of a
corpus related to Translation Studies Terminology based on Prof. Pym’s “Tentative Glossary”. A textual corpus
may be the answer for reducing the inaccuracies and ambiguities found in the experimental glossary analyzed in
the present article; corpus analysis tools can not only investigate the patterns of use but also their frequency and
the contextual factors that affect term variability.
5. Tables
In this section, randomly selected verbs are listed and their recommendations analyzed.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
A language, The terms “A language”, “B language” and “C Ambiguous “leave as is”
B language language” are traditionally used in translator training
vs. L1, L2 institutions, where they indicate the language that the
trainee has nominated as their primary or strongest (A),
then the languages in which they need most training (B
and C). A complete bilingual might thus request
“double A” status of some kind, and many learners will
effectively have a B1 and a B2 (i.e. two “second”
languages at about the same level). More or less the
same meanings are used by interpreters when naming
their working languages. On the other hand, the terms
“L1”, “L2”, etc. are used in the study of language
acquisition, sometimes to indicate the order in which
languages are acquired, and more normally to separate
the primary or “mother” tongue from the others.
Although the two nomenclatures often overlap (the
trainee’s A language is usually their L1), there is a
certain logic in separating the criteria of language
acquisition from those of translator training.
Our analysis
Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
Pym presents different ways of expressing which languages are primary or stronger for someone (A). Then, those that
require training (B/C); mention order languages are acquired (L1/ L2) or when dealing with translations (L1 – source/ L2
target). We believe this ambiguity cannot cause much of a problem, since A can refer to L1, based on the same premise:
the first language / the mother language / the source language – contextualization plays an important role here.
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Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Audiovisual Translation that accompanies spoken language and Standard Respect the term, but
translation visual communication, as in film, plays, opera, + always with the
videogames, mobile telephony, computer games, Ambiguous awareness that the
indeed any electronic communication involving sound field is huge, subject
and images. to myriad constraints,
and difficult to
generalize about.
Our analysis
Term changes depending on collocations;
We believe this term should be accompanied by an extra information which would decipher the kind of
audiovisual one is dealing with (bearing in mind that the field is huge).
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
CAT tools The term “computer-aided translation” (or “computer- Abstentious Avoid
assisted translation”) is now a misnomer, since
computers are involved in almost all translation jobs,
and in a lot of interpreting as well. The term should be
replaced by clear reference to the technologies actually
involved (e.g. translation memories, machine
translation, terminology database).
Our analysis
Term is a misnomer – no longer used;
Term has evolved into a more modern term;
We understand what Pym wanted to say by “misnomer”: computers are involved in all translation jobs
nowadays, so we believe this term has evolved into a more detailed term in which one is sure about what
technology is being used.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Checking Term used in European standard EN-15038 for changes Ambiguous Prefer “self-revision”,
made to the translation by the translator, as opposed to at least for the
revisions (q.v.) and reviews (q.v.), which are carried purposes of research.
out by people other than the translator (cf. TEP). This
term does not seem to have gained standardized status
in industry or research, and it has nothing within its
semantics to suggest that only the translator can do this.
Our analysis
Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
When someone says they are “checking” something, it does not only mean they are making a revision or
something like that. It is the kind of term that can refer to many things and in different fields – especially in
common language. We believe it should not be part of Translation Terminology.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Chuchotage This is where the interpreter sits next to (or somehow Abstentious Whisper
vs. whisper behind) the person receiving the rendition, and speaks interpreting, although
interpreting: quietly so as not to disrupt the wider setting (e.g. a “whispered
conference). Since “chuchoter” means “to whisper”, interpreting” can also
and not much else, there is no possible justification for be found and does
the French term, unless you want to attract Mortisha make sense.
Adams.
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International Journal of Language and Linguistics Vol. 2, No. 1; March 2015
Our analysis
Term has synonymous terms – depending on context, origin, and/or language of user;
Term has evolved into a more modern term;
There is no need for a French term when you have a term that means the same in the Lingua Franca of the
field. Once again, we are aiming to simplify things!
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Competence Currently popular term for the set of things that a Standard Avoid assumptions
professional knows (knowledge), is able to do (skills), + that translator
and is able to do while adopting a certain relation to Ambiguous competence is a
others (dispositions or attitudes). “Translator recognized unified and
competence” would thus be the knowledge, skills and stable object; prefer,
attitudes necessary to become a translator. The concept wherever possible,
can be reduced to just two components: declarative more specific terms
knowledge (“knowing that”) and operational skill, knowledge, and
knowledge (“knowing how”). As such, the term disposition, with
“competence” has very little to do with the way the degrees of expertise
same term was used in (Chomsky’s) linguistics to operative within all
indicate a set of rules that underlie performance. A three.
further problem is that most models of translator
competence include numerous components (such as
“knowledge of Language A”, “knowledge of translation
technologies”, “ability to apply translation strategies”,
“confidence”, “speed”) without any assurance that the
list is not open-ended or subject to radical historical
change. There is no empirical evidence to indicate that
the components are indeed separate, or that they are
combined such that learning in one component entails
progress in others.
Our analysis
Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
Term changes depending on collocations;
Unless the word “competence” is accompanied by a collocation (i.e.: kind of competence), we believe it should
not be part of Translation Terminology – for it can define lots of components.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Constrained Term proposed by Mayoral et al. (1988) for the basic Ambiguous Talk freely about
translation view that all translations are subject to a number of “translation
non-linguistic constraints, from temporal and spatial constraints”, whether
restrictions to the need to not contradict information they are linguistic or
conveyed by sound or image. Mayoral’s is a very neat not, in full awareness
view that seems not to have had the repercussion it that some constraints
merits, especially in the field of audiovisual translation are always present.
(q.v.). The basic terminological problem is that all
translating is constrained in one way or another, so the
term is not really saying much. The boundaries
between the linguistic and the non-linguistic have also
been blurred by work in the area of pragmatics.
Our analysis
Term changes depending on collocations;
We believe the term lacks what kind of constrain one is mentioning. Once it is understood, ambiguity is off the table.
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Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Cultural Term with many different meanings, most of them Ambiguous If you want to use the
translation equally vague and ideological. Uses range from British + term, specify what you
social anthropology in the 1960s through to Bhabha Abstentious mean. If not, avoid.
and followers. The general notion is that translation is Our general
not just of texts, but of entire cultural representations preference here is for
and identities. When an ethnographer describes a tribe, a discipline
they thus translate a culture into the language of focused on
ethnography; museums offer iconic and linguistic communication across
translations of entire cultures; migrants translate different cultures and
themselves, forming cultural hybrids, and so on. languages, rather than
processes that occur
within just one culture
or language.
Our analysis
Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
Term changes depending on collocations;
The word “cultural” is bound to so many different things: it couldn’t identify a translation per se.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Direct vs. “Indirect translation” is usually the historical process of Ambiguous In the absence of any
indirect translation from an intermediary version. For example, Poe + really happy solution,
translation was translated into French by Baudelaire, then from French Abstentious stick with indirect
into Spanish by a number of poets. The Spanish versions translation and accept
would then be called “indirect translations”, and the first
mediated translation.
translation, into French, could then logically be called “direct
translation”. Indirect translations are sometimes called Avoid the others.
“retranslations” (q.v.), which is simply confusing, or
“mediated translations”, which makes some sense (except
that translators themselves are mediators, so all translations
could be mediated), or “relay translations” (on the model of
“relay interpreting”), or “second-hand translations”
(suggesting the inferiority of “second-hand cars”). These
terms are sometimes mixed up with traducción directa,
which is the Spanish term for work into the translator’s A
language, and Gutt’s use of “indirect translation” to describe
a translation that does not aim at interpretative resemblance
to the source text. In short, we have created a mess. Dollerup
(1998) argues that the term “indirect translation” is
misleading and “should be kept for the situations where two
parties must communicate by means of a third intermediary
realisation which has no legitimate audience” (1998: 19).
Dollerup proposes the term “relay translation” (calqued on
“relay interpreting”, q.v.), defined as “a mediation from
source to target language in which the translational product
has been realised in another language than that of the
original; the defining feature is that the intermediary
translation has an audience, that is consumers of its own”
(1998: 19). The problem here seems to be that the “relay”
idea describes the action of the first translator (Baudelaire in
our example), whereas what is significant is the action of the
second translator (the translators from French into Spanish).
Our analysis
Term has synonymous terms – depending on context, origin, and/or language of user;
Term is a misnomer – no longer used;
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International Journal of Language and Linguistics Vol. 2, No. 1; March 2015
We agree the term “direct translation” can cause a bit of confusion; we believe things could be much easier if
we simply used both terms “translation” and “indirect translation”.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Editing The making of amendments to a text in a situation Ambiguous The term revising
where linear progression is either absent (in the case of (q.v.) (self-revising or
an automatically generated text, from MT for example) other-revising) is to be
or completed (i.e. the drafting or translating has been preferred for work on
completed). Editing may apply to translations or non- translations
translations although the term revising (q.v.) (self-
revising or other-revising) is to be preferred for work
on translations. When machine-translation output is
being corrected or amended, the most appropriate term
is post editing (q.v.) (since “revising” would imply that
an entire human drafting process has been completed).
The various types of editing can be found in standard
textbooks (copy-editing, stylistic editing, structural
editing) and can be adapted to suit the problem to be
solved.
Our analysis
Term changes depending on collocations;
We also believe this term is quite vague: it should be always applied with a collocation to simplify
understanding.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Equivalence A widespread term for a relation that many believe in Abstentious Always make it clear
and no one can prove beyond the level of terminology that equivalence
(q.v.). We should accept that equivalence has no means equivalence-
ontological foundation, since translation problems belief, and indicate
(q.v.) allow for more than one viable solution. This who is supposed to be
means that, in the field of translation problems thus holding that belief.
defined, equivalence is always “belief in the translation
as equivalent of an ST”.
Our analysis
Term has evolved into a more modern term;
One of the most difficult terms to be analyzed, once “equivalence” will never be proved since it is dependent on
one’s point of view. We agree collocation “belief” does make it more attainable.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Inverse Occasionally seen as a translation of “traducción Ambiguous L2 translation
translation inversa”, which is the way the Spanish language has + (although it may also
sought to describe work into the translator’s non-native Abstentious be L3, etc.).
languages (L2, L3, etc.). Since the term suggests you
are going the wrong way (when translators in smaller
cultures often have to work this way), it is ideologically
loaded and professionally indefensible.
Our analysis
Term fits different meanings – depending on context;
Term has evolved into a more modern term;
“Inverse” is very ambiguous; it sounds as if the translator is going the wrong way; L2 into L3, L3 into L4 (and
so on) seem more appropriate.
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Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Postediting: The most appropriate term for the process of making Standard Use, and that use can
corrections or amendments to automatically generated also legitimately be of
text, notably machine-translation output. The term the hyphenated form
works in opposition to pre-editing (q.v.), which is the “post-editing”.
main alternative means of enhancing MT output quality
(by editing the ST language prior to the MT process).
These two terms do not make much sense in situations
where there is no automatic text generation involved.
Our analysis
Term fits perfectly;
It is definitely a term part of Translation Terminology.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Pre-editing: The preparation of ST language prior to an automatic Standard The term is so
translation process, mainly with respect to standardized standardized that Pym
lexis, simplified syntax and the removal of any other made no
causes of ambiguity. Pre-editing might be seen as a recommendation
form of translation into a controlled language.
Our analysis
Term fits perfectly;
It is definitely a term part of Translation Terminology.
Term Meaning (s) Category Pym’s
recommendation
Repair: Term for instances of what some term “in-draft Standard Use repair wherever
revision” or “online revision” (q.v.), usually involving appropriate.
the quick fixing of typographical errors, terminology,
and syntactic recasting, without initiation of a separate
revision stage. The term “repair” has the added
advantage of being used in the study of interpreters’
performances, for much the same thing.
Our analysis
Term fits perfectly;
Undoubtedly, this term belongs to Translation Terminology.
6. References
Baker, M. (1995). Corpora in Translation Studies: An Overview and Some Suggestions for
Future Research. (pp. 223-243). Target 7(2). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Cabré, M. T. (1999). Terminology: Theory, methods and applications. Edited by Juan C. Sager. Translated by
Janet Ann DeCesaris, (pp. 39-40).
Lefevere, André, and Susan Bassnett. (1990). Introduction: Proust’s Grandmother and the thousand and One
Nights: The ‘Cultural Turn’ in Translation Studies. Susan Bassnett and
André Lefevere (Eds.) Translation, History and Culture. (pp. 1-13). London and New York: Pinter.
Munday, J. (2012). Introducing translation Studies: theories and Applications (3rd ed.). London: Rougledge,
(Chapter 1).
Pym, A. (2011). Translation research terms: a tentative glossary for moments of perplexity and dispute: In
Translation Research Projects (3rd ed). (pp. 75-110). Tarragona: Intercultural Studies Group.
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