A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation: The Emergence of Social-Cultural Reality PDF
Preview A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation: The Emergence of Social-Cultural Reality
A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation This volume outlines a theory of translation, set within the framework of Peircean semiotics, which challenges the linguistic bias in translation studies by proposing a semiotic theory that accounts for all instances of translation, not only interlinguistic translation. In particular, the volume explores cases of translation which does not include language at all. The book begins by examining different conceptualizations of translation to highlight how linguistic bias in translation studies and semiotics has informed these fields and their development. The volume then outlines a complexity theory of translation based on semiotics which incorporates process philosophy, semiotics, and translation theory. It posits that translation is the complex systemic process underlying semiosis, the result of which produces semiotic forms. The book concludes by looking at the implications of this conceptualization of translation on social-cultural emergence theory through an interdisciplinary lens, integrating perspectives from semiotics, social semiotics, and development studies. Paving the way for scholars to analyze translational aspects of all semiotic phenomena, this volume is essential reading for graduate students and researchers in translation studies, semiotics, multimodal studies, cultural studies, and development studies. Kobus Marais is interested in understanding the emergence of society and culture from a material substrate. He specializes in semiotics with a focus on complexity thinking and the relationship between translation and development. His publications include Translation Theory and Development Studies: A Complexity Theory Approach and, co-edited with Ilse Feinauer, Translation Studies beyond the Postcolony. Routledge Advances in Translation and Interpreting Studies Translating Foreign Otherness Cross-cultural anxiety in modern China Yifeng Sun Translating Picturebooks Revoicing the Verbal, the Visual and the Aural for a Child Audience Riitta Oittinen, Anne Ketola and Melissa Garavini Translation and Emotion A Psychological Perspective Séverine Hubscher-Davidson Linguistic and Cultural Representation in Audiovisual Translation Edited by Irene Ranzato and Serenella Zanotti Jin Ping Mei English Translations Texts, Paratexts, and Contexts Lintao Qi Untranslatability Interdisciplinary Perspectives Edited by Duncan Large, Motoko Akashi, Wanda Józwikowska and Emily Rose Perspectives on Retranslation Ideology, Paratexts, Methods Edited by Özlem Berk Albachten and Şehnaz Tahir Gürçağlar A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation The Emergence of Social-Cultural Reality Kobus Marais For a full list of titles in this series, please visit www.routledge.com A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation The Emergence of Social-Cultural Reality Kobus Marais First published 2019 by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 and by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2019 Taylor & Francis The right of Kobus Marais to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN: 978-1-138-30737-7 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-14231-9 (ebk) Typeset in Sabon by Apex CoVantage, LLC I dedicate this book to Sanita, my life partner, whose grounded humanity has enriched me beyond reason. Contents Acknowledgments viii 1 Translation Problematized 1 2 Conceptualizing Translation in Translation Studies 11 3 Conceptualizing Translation in Semiotics 47 4 Translation: The Process Underlying Semiosis 83 5 Conceptualizing a Semiotic Theory of Translation 120 6 Translating Socio-cultural Emergence 158 7 Musing About the Future of Reality in the Humanities 182 References 187 Index 203 Acknowledgments Writing a book is generally regarded as an isolated, if not lonely, endeavor. While this is true for the physical writing phase, the writing depends on thinking, which depends on talking, which assumes other people, which makes writing a deeply social activity. And while good scholarship is sup- posed to be original, all scholars are embedded in networks of colleagues or friends or even just the scholars they meet fleetingly at conferences or the ones whose books they read. I honor all of these. The ones whose books I read, I recognize in the text by referencing them. However, much of my thought was shaped by discus- sion, interaction, argumentation (sometimes intense) by so many colleagues that I cannot, at this point, tell exactly where their contribution ends and my own begins. I am thus indebted to many colleagues. I try here to thank them, but I might even have forgotten names and influences, so if your name is not here and you feel that you have made a significant contribution to my thinking, you are welcome to let me know that I did you an injustice. The five postdocs that I mention in the text allowed themselves to be harassed in debates and discussions to sharpen my insight into problems of translation studies. I acknowledge Sergey Tyulenev, Caroline Mangerel, David Orrego Carmona, Duygu Tekgul, and Carmen Delgado Luchner as colleagues, brilliant scholars in their own right, and unselfish contributors to the larger scholarly project—including mine. Maria Tymoczko, Reine Meylaerts, and João Queiroz have been amaz- ing sparring partners over a number of years as research associates in our department. A research visit to Maria at UMass and a conference on com- plexity organized with Reine (and attended by João as a keynote) shaped my thought in crucial ways. Another research associate, Rovena Troqe has not been able to visit me in Bloemfontein but has contributed through Skype meetings, e-mail discussions, and suggesting sources. Paul Cobley, Kalevi Kull, and Douglas Robinson contributed in various ways to thinking through some of the issues in this book. So also did par- ticipants in the 2012 and 2018 Gatherings in Biosemiotics. David Vampola supported my efforts to explore the kind of ideas presented in the book with an enthusiasm that both encouraged and embarrassed me. Acknowledgments ix Closer to home, Kristina Riedel has been a great Head of Department, allowing me to pursue my interests and supporting me in that. Colleagues Monnapula Molefe, Marlie van Rooyen, and Xany Jansen van Vuuren pro- vided a collegial and therefore stimulating intellectual environment in which I could explore. Jackie Naudé has been a mentor to me for about three de- cades now, and he and Cynthia Miller-Naudé continued to tell me to believe in myself and to keep exploring my lines of thought—something for which the reader might curse them, but something for which I honor them. Even closer, at home, I had a life partner, children, and family that put up with my quirks and supported me. I thank and acknowledge all of you. I am because you are.
The list of books you might like
