Translation as a communicative unit in language

The multiplicity of texts makes it possible toview communication processes as translation processes. But besidesimmediate textual transformations, the analysis of these trans-formations — that is, their translation into various metalanguages —has a strong significance in culture. Both in the case of textualtransformations and their translations into metalanguages, an impor-tant role is performed by the addressees, their ability to recognize thenature of the text at hand, and their readiness to communicate. Just asin translation culture, there is also an infinite retranslation and varia-tion taking place in translation studies.

In order to understand differentaspects of translation activity, new description languages areconstantly being created in translation studies, and the same pheno-mena are at different times described in different metalanguages. Andjust as in culture, also in disciplines studying cultural phenomena,variance has its limits and at some point an invariant is needed inorder to organize the variance.

In order to understand differentaspects of translation activity, new description languages areconstantly being created in translation studies, and the same pheno-mena are at different times described in different metalanguages. Andjust as in culture, also in disciplines studying cultural phenomena,variance has its limits and at some point an invariant is needed inorder to organize the variance.

Diversity and methodology

Diversity and methodology

When the diversity of actual translation activity takes a form differentfrom the diversity of scientific approaches to that activity, then onecan speak of a methodological crisis, of the hybridization orcreolization of scientific languages. A new, comprehensive approachin the science can provide one way out of the given situation. Anotherway is a review of the history of the discipline and a search there forthe lost unity within that discipline. The works of Roman Jakobsonprovide such a critical point for the history of translation science.Although Jakobson wrote about translation, he was not a translationtheorist.