This issue deals with translation and norms. Norms are models of correct or appropriate behaviour and of correct or appropriate behavioural products. Since translational behaviour is contextualised social behaviour, translational norms are understood as internalised behavioural constraints which embody the values shared by a community. Gideon Toury and Theo Hermans, the main contributors to this volume, have been highly influential in the development of the concept of norms as an analytical tool in studying translations. They argue that all decisions in the translation process are primarily governed by norms and illustrate the interplay between the translator's responses to expectations, constraints and pressures in a social context. Describing translation as norm-governed behaviour in a social, cultural and historical situation raises a number of issues. For example, how do we reconstruct norms from textual features? What is the relationship between regular patterns in texts and norms? How do translators acquire norms? Do they behave according to norms? These are some of the issues raised and discussed in the two main contributions, in the debates and in the responses by Andrew Chesterman, Daniel Cite, Anthony Pym, Douglas Robinson and Sergio Viaggio.

About the Author
Christina Schaffner is a lecturer in German in the School of Languages and European Studies at Aston University (Birmingham, UK), Co-director of the Institute for the Study of Language and Society, and Secretary General of the European Society for Translation Studies. Her main research interests are translation studies, political discourse, textlinguistics and metaphors.


Book Information
ISBN 9781853594380
Author Christina Schaffner
Format Hardback
Page Count 144
Imprint Multilingual Matters
Publisher Channel View Publications Ltd
Weight(grams) 367g
Dimensions(mm) 248mm * 168mm * 14mm