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Die Unsichtbarkeit der UebersetzerInnen in Literaturrezensionen U.S.-amerikanischer Tageszeitungen

Lederbauer, Claudia Margarethe

Abstract Details

2008, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, German.

Lawrence Venuti argues that translation continues to be an invisible practice. It is rarely acknowledged and almost never figures in discussions of translations. He claims that when the target language is contemporary English, transparent discourse sustains the grossly unequal cultural exchanges between the hegemonic English-language nations, particularly the United States, and other countries. The valorization of transparency, however, conceals the manifold conditions under which a translation is produced and read. The thesis addresses this issue, focusing first on theoretical aspects, followed by an analysis of the results obtained in quantitative and qualitative research. The thesis explores, more specifically, the question of how translators and translation are represented in literary reviews in three U.S. daily newspapers, the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times, and the New York Times over one month in the autumn of 2007.

The theoretical framework is based on a "sociology of translation" drawing on Venuti's concept of the invisibility of translators, with specific focus on "foreignizing" and "domesticating" translation strategies. The theoretical part furthermore looks at Pierre Bourdieu's cultural sociology, and Daniel Simeoni's concept of the translator's "habitus".

The methodological model involves the quantitative and qualitative analysis of literary reviews with reference to the theoretical framework. The methodological model is also meant to stimulate further research in this field.

The two major conclusions derived from the study sustain Lawrence Venuti's concept of the invisibility of translators and Daniel Simeoni's concept of the translator's "habitus". First, a text is judged successful by reviewers when it reads fluently and gives the appearance of being the original. Second, this implies that translators employ domesticating translating strategies and therefore contribute greatly to their own invisibility.

Geoffrey C. Howes, PhD (Advisor)
Kristie A. Foell, PhD (Committee Member)
108 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lederbauer, C. M. (2008). Die Unsichtbarkeit der UebersetzerInnen in Literaturrezensionen U.S.-amerikanischer Tageszeitungen [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206388500

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lederbauer, Claudia. Die Unsichtbarkeit der UebersetzerInnen in Literaturrezensionen U.S.-amerikanischer Tageszeitungen. 2008. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206388500.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lederbauer, Claudia. "Die Unsichtbarkeit der UebersetzerInnen in Literaturrezensionen U.S.-amerikanischer Tageszeitungen." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1206388500

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)