Résumés
Abstract
The interplay between normalisation and cross-linguistic influence (CLI) has not been widely investigated in the specialised text type of children’s literature. Yet it may be proposed that normalisation would be particularly salient in translated children’s books as a consequence of the importance assigned to the needs of the target audience. This study embarks on an investigation of normalisation in Chinese children’s literature translated from English using modal particles as operationalisation. We first propose that a conceptual and empirical distinction needs to be drawn between normalisation and over-normalisation (or hyperconventionality), and that these are in tension with CLI. By combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, we then aim to shed light on whether translators tend to (over-)normalise children’s books to the norms of the genre in the recipient culture, or whether there is evidence of CLI effects that make the target texts more unconventional in this respect. Overall, the study finds evidence for normalisation, but not over-normalisation, with translated Chinese children’s books and non-translated Chinese children’s books largely similar in this respect. However, a small-scale qualitative analysis of two modal particles suggests that CLI and translators’ style play a role in some observable differences between translated and non-translated Chinese children’s books.
Keywords:
- normalisation,
- cross-linguistic influence,
- English-Chinese translation,
- children’s literature,
- modal particles
Résumé
L’interaction entre la normalisation et l’influence interlinguistique n’a pas été largement étudiée dans le type de texte spécialisé qu’est la littérature pour enfants. Cependant, on peut avancer que la normalisation est particulièrement importante dans les traductions de livres pour enfants, en raison de l’importance accordée aux besoins du public cible. La présente étude consiste en une analyse de la normalisation dans la traduction de livres pour enfants de l’anglais vers le chinois, en utilisant des particules modales comme opérationnalisation. Nous proposons tout d’abord qu’une distinction conceptuelle et empirique soit établie entre la normalisation et la sur-normalisation (ou l’hyperconventionnalité), et qu’il existe une tension entre ces dernières et l’influence interlinguistique. En combinant des analyses quantitatives et qualitatives, nous cherchons ensuite à déterminer si les traducteurs ont tendance à (sur-)normaliser les livres pour enfants selon les normes du genre dans la culture de réception, et voir s’il existe des preuves des effets de l’influence interlinguistique qui rendent les textes d’arrivée davantage atypiques à cet égard. Dans l’ensemble, l’étude montre qu’il y a normalisation mais pas sur-normalisation, puisqu’ il n’y a pas de différence majeure entre les livres pour enfants qui sont traduits et ceux qui ne le sont pas. Cependant, une analyse qualitative à petite échelle de deux particules modales suggère que l’influence interlinguistique et le style des traducteurs jouent un rôle dans certaines différences relevées entre les livres pour enfants qui sont traduits et ceux qui ne le sont pas.
Mots-clés :
- normalisation,
- influence interlinguistique,
- traduction anglais-chinois,
- littérature pour enfants,
- particules modales
Resumen
La interacción entre la normalización y la influencia interlingüística (CLI, por sus siglas en inglés) no ha sido investigada de manera exhaustiva en la tipología textual especializada de la literatura infantil. Aún así, es posible decir que la normalización sería particularmente prominente en los libros infantiles traducidos, como consecuencia de la importancia que se la da a las necesidades de la audiencia meta. Este estudio se embarca en una investigación de la normalización en la literatura infantil china traducida del inglés, usando partículas modales como operacionalización. Primero, proponemos que se debe hacer una distinción empírica y conceptual entre la normalización y la sobre- normalización (o híperconvencionalidad), y que estas están en tensión con la CLI. Al combinar el análisis cuantitativo y cualitativo, buscamos dar una luz sobre si los traductores tienden a (sobre)-normalizar los libros infantiles bajo las normas del género en la cultura receptora, o si hay evidencia de effectos de la CLI que hagan a los textos meta menos convencionales al respecto. En general, el estudio evidencia normalización pero no sobre-normalización. Tanto los libros infantiles chinos traducidos como los libros infantiles chinos no traducidos son ampliamente similares en este sentido. Sin embargo, un análisis cualitativo a pequeña escala de dos partículas modales sugiere que la CLI y el estilo de los traductores inciden en algunas diferencias observables entre libros infantiles chinos traducidos y no traducidos.
Palabras clave:
- normalización,
- influencia interlingüística,
- inglés-chinos traduire,
- libros infantiles,
- partículas modales
Parties annexes
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