Search

The paper explores the occurrence of code-switching as a form of translatoriality among members of the Italian national minority in Slovenia. As a continuation of a wider sociolinguistic study, which brought a comprehensive analysis of 1,389 instances of code switching between Italian and Slovene among bilingual speakers, the paper examines the intersection between code switching and self-translatoriality by studying 85 instances of bilingual reiteration in spontaneous and semi-spontaneous speech. By observing these instances from the perspective of translatoriality, the paper presents a case study on the translatorial actions that occur in such bilingual utterances, i.e. summarizing, duplicating, expanding and complementary language practices, as well as their underlying motivation and purpose, while also highlighting the practice of intercomprehension among bilingual speakers within the culturally and linguistically diverse community of the Slovene coast. The data show that self-translatoriality occurs both in in-group and out-group bilingual communication, although more frequently in the context of public events aimed at the broader multilingual community. While duplicating language practices occur in all settings, speakers often only repeat the nearest element, which leads to a fragmentation of the message. Translatorial action types are also frequently combined, producing fluid bilingual utterances that presuppose a plurilingual competence among all participants.

In this conceptual paper we look at the concept of mediation in foreign language learning from a translation studies perspective. Through an analysis of the most important European language teaching policy document, namely the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), we will study the conceptualizations of mediation and translation in the CEFR and identify elements that are important with respect to understanding translatoriality and its role in the framework. We argue that a narrow concept of translation goes against CEFR’s explicit aims of mediation. We therefore propose that the concept of translatoriality might be used instead to help teachers and learners orient to a wide variety of translatorial mediation practices while still also benefitting from well-established and widely studied strategies of professional translation and interpreting. Further collaboration between translation and interpreting trainers and foreign language teachers will be needed, as well as fieldwork research on best classroom practices, and a solid and shared conceptual basis will enhance the possibilities of combining the accumulating findings collected through fieldwork.

Drawing on the concept of translatorial action by Justa Holz-Mänttäri, this article sets out to analyse the role of translation in a bilingual formal meeting without any professional translation or interpreting. The analysis reveals the central role of translatorial activities: 60% of the turns include some kind of translatoriality. The chair and expert speakers stand out as producers for most of the translations. Self-translation is the most prominent form of translation, but otherwise the translator role tends to vary dynamically with the role of the source text producer. Three types of translatorial action with varying degrees of replication of content were found: duplicating, summarizing and expanding. In the meeting context, translatorial action is the primary means of enabling participation for all, regardless of language skills or language background and this action was used by the participants in flexible and dynamic ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]