Enter Theory

What is theory?

Many translators are suspicious of theory and I think this is due partly to the fear of having someone telling them how to do their job. I do not think, however, that this is what theory tries to do.

So what, then, is theory? I have found the clearest explanation of what theory actually is in the words of Jean Boase-Beier. She defines a theory (of translation or of anything else) as ‘a picture of the world’ (2011:74), only one of the possible ways of looking at the object of our interest. She also points out that theories are not ‘static models’ but rather pictures that  are ‘regularly readjusted’ as they come into contact with other theories or with practical experience (Boase-Beier 2011:74). A strategy, on the other hand, is a ‘plan of action’ which is based on a particular theory and which can or cannot be put into action (Boase-Beier 2011:78). So if we take the well-known work of Venuti, we could take his theory to be one that ‘in the tradition of Poststructuralism and Postcolonialism, emphasizes difference over universality’ (Boase-Beier 2011:76), whereas ‘foreignization’ is a translation strategy based on such a theory.

So theories are not strategies but simply different ways of looking at translation. Each theory focuses only on certain aspects of translation and therefore it is important to bear in mind that no one theory can give a complete picture of translation. It is precisely for this reason that for each theory that holds a particular view there seems to be at least one other that contradicts it. However, one thing that seems evident to me is that the more theories you engage with, the more complete a picture of what translation is and how it works you will have. In my opinion translators – like all professionals – should know the ins and outs of their discipline. This means knowing what is going on, not just in translation practice but also in translation theory, particularly since, as we shall see in a moment, theory can affect practice.

Can theory affect practice?

In my opinion the answer is very simple: yes. Once again, Venuti’s work provides the perfect example. The Translator’s Invisibility started off as a piece of academic work but certain ideas expressed in it have been taken up by the practical world of translation and have concretely affected it. Not everything Venuti said has been recognized as important for translation practice. Indeed practice has probably picked the only element which it felt, at the time, had some relevance for it: the professional invisibility of the figure of the translator. Compensation fees, contractual conditions and social status have all fallen under the scrutiny not only of single individuals but also of organizations and newborn unions. I think it is safe to say that Venuti’s work and its discussion within the translation community have inspired many initiatives of organizations such as CEATL (its 2008 survey Comparative Income of Literary Translators in Europe, its forthcoming survey on the cultural visibility of literary translators, its collection of book covers on which the translator’s name is mentioned) and Biblit (its 2011 survey on translation fees in Italy). In addition, I also believe that practice is now ready to take a step further and consider other implications of Venuti’s work and of more recent theoretical studies – but more about this in a later post. This one is about  theory, not invisibility.

Translation is such a broad subject and so much has been written about it that, for someone who wants a general idea of what the different theories of translation may be, it can be hard to know where to start. There are many introductory manuals to translation studies but I would recommend A Critical Introduction to Translation Studies, by Jean Boase-Beier, because it is up to date (both in terms of publication date and in terms of its content and approach), clearly written and it actually makes for an enjoyable read.

References

Boase-Beier, J. 2011, A Critical Introduction to Translation Studies, London: Continuum.

Venuti, L. 2008, The Translator’s Invisibility. A History of Translation, London: Routledge.