Pragmatic Competence in Political Discourse Interpreting

Authors

  • Halyna Onyshchak Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor at the Department of English Philology, Uzhhorod National University, Uzhhorod, Ukraine
  • Nataliia Liutko Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Philosophy and Social and Humanitarian Sciences, Khmelnytskyi National University, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine
  • Alla Yarova Candidate of Philological Sciences, Аssociate Professor of the Department of Journalism and Philology, Sumy State University, Sumy, Ukraine
  • Roksolana Povoroznyuk Doctor Habilitatus in Translation Studies, Associate Professor, Professor of the Department of Theory and Practice of Translation from English, Educational and Scientific Institute of Philology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Inna Kolоmiiets Ph. D. of Philological Sciences, Аssociate Professor, Associate Professor of Ukrainian Language and Methodology Department, Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, Uman, Ukraine
  • Iryna Gontsa Ph. D. of Philological Sciences, Аssociate Professor, Associate Professor of Ukrainian Language and Methodology Department, Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, Uman, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/15.3/772

Keywords:

translation strategy, political speech, semiotic and communicative-pragmatic approaches, interpreting, pragmatic competence

Abstract

The paper aims to give a comprehensive account of translation strategies for English-Ukrainian interpretation of Joseph R. Biden’s speech in Poland. Political speeches serve as a multi-purpose tool, shaping people’s consciousness and reinforcing political practices and firmly held beliefs. Therefore, the appropriate translation methods are needed to retain such a communicative effect on the recipient audience. Political discourse interpreting requires a high level of pragmatic competence, and interpreters must have the skills and knowledge to effectively convey the speaker’s intended meaning in a culturally and linguistically appropriate way.  The current research is based on the semiotic and communicative-pragmatic approaches to the study of political discourse interpreting. In this regard, the comparative method and contextual analysis proved efficient in comparing the source language text with the target one. The study results show that interpreting political discourse sets to provoke similar reactions in the source and target text addresses. The studied speech in English is abundant in stylistic devices and expressive means to exert a pragmatic effect. It has been proven that linguo-stylistic features are retained in the interpreted message by incorporating formal correspondences and various transformations. The interpreter of the political speech in question has the ability to adjust the language, style, and delivery of the interpreted message to fit the cultural and linguistic context of the target audience.

References

Baraldi, C. (2018). Interpreting as Mediation of Migrants’ Agency and Institutional Support: A Case Study. Journal of Pragmatics, 125, 13–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2017.11.012

Bassnett, S. (2013). Translation Studies (4th ed). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203488232

Best, S. (1994). Foucault, Postmodernism, and Social Theory. In D. R. Dickens & A. Fontana (Eds.), Postmodernism and Social Inquiry (pp. 25–52). Routledge https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203500347

Bielsa, E., & Bassnett, S. (2009). Translation in Global News. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203890011

Boase-Beier, J. (2020). Politics. In M. Baker, & G. Saldanha (Eds.), Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies (pp. 415-419. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315678627

Browse, S. (2018). Cognitive Rhetoric: The cognitive poetics of political discourse. John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.31

Cap, P. (2015). Crossing Symbolic Distance in Political Discourse Space: Evaluative Rhetoric within the Framework of Proximization. Critical Discourse Studies, 12(3), 313–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405904.2015.1013481

Chandler, D. (2017). Semiotics: The Basics (3rd ed). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315311050

Chouarfria, F. Z. (2018). Understanding, Interpretation and Engagement in Translation of Political Discourse. Crossroads. A Journal of English Studies, 20, 71–82. https://doi.org/10.15290/cr

Cruz, M. P. (2013). Understanding and Overcoming Pragmatic Failure in Intercultural Communication: From Focus on Speakers to Focus on Hearers. International Review of Applied Linguistics, 51, 23-54. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1013975v

Dayter, D. (2021). Dealing with Interactionally Risky Speech Acts in Simultaneous Interpreting: The Case of Self-praise. Journal of Pragmatics, 174, 28−42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2020.12.010

de la Fuente, I., Holler, A., & Suckow, K. Structuring Information in Discourse: Topics and Methods. In A. Holler, K. Suckow, & I. de la Fuente (Eds.), Information Structuring in Discourse (pp. 1−23). BRILL. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004436725_002

Dicerto, S. (2018). Multimodal Pragmatics and Translation: A New Model for Source Text Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69344-6

Furko, P. B. (2020). Discourse Markers and Beyond Descriptive and Critical Perspectives on Discourse-Pragmatic Devices across Genres and Languages. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37763-2

Gorlee, D. L. (2012). Wittgenstein in Translation: Exploring Semiotic Signatures. Mouton de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781614511137

Guo, Y. (2015). The interpreter’s political awareness as a noncognitive constraint in political interviews: A perspective of experiential meaning. Babel, 61(4), 573–588. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.61.4.07yij

Halualani, R. T. (2019). Intercultural Communication: A Critical Perspective. Cognella Academic Publishing.

House, J. (2008). Using Translation to Improve Pragmatic Competence. In E. Alcón Soler & A. Martínez-Flor (Eds.), Investigating Pragmatics in Foreign Language Learning, Teaching and Testing (pp. 135–52.). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781847690869-009

House, J. (2016). Translation as Communication across Languages and Cultures. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315668956

Hovoryt velykyi Lviv [The great Lviv speaks] (2022, March 26). Zvernennya Bajdena do ukrayinciv za pidsumkamy vizytu u Pol`shhu [Biden's address to Ukrainians following his visit to Poland] [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6BFTQiqNU

Jabali, O. (2021). Translating Political Speeches Using a Skopos – Theoretical Approach. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE), 8(1), 81−91. https://doi.org/10.20431/2349-0381.0801010

Karpinski, E. C., & Basile, E. (2021). “At the Oblique Angle”: Figures and Vectors of Translation across Continents. In E. C. Karpinski, & E. Basile (Eds.), Translation, Semiotics, and Feminism: Selected Writings of Barbara Godard (pp. 51−136). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003049296

Lauerbach, G. E., & Fetzer, A. (2007). Political discourse in the media: Cross-cultural perspectives. In G. E. Lauerbach, & A. Fetzer (Eds.), Political Discourse in the Media: Cross-cultural Perspectives (pp. 3−30). https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.160

Lee, K. (2021). Pragmatic Aspects of Translation: A Contrastive Analysis of Contrastive Processes Illustrated by

Inductive-Empirical Eye-Tracking, Writing Process Analysis and a Questionnaire. In M. Kirner-Ludwig (Ed.), Fresh Perspectives on Major Issues in Pragmatics (pp. 181−202). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003017462

Li, E. S-H., Lui, P. L-T., & Fung, A. K-C. (2020). Systemic Functional Political Discourse Analysis: A Text-based Study (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429433542

Lu, L. (2019). Pragmatic Failure in Interpretation and the Development of Students’ Pragmatic Competence in Interpreting. English Language Teaching, 12(3), 37−45. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n3p37

Lytra, V. (2016). Categories and Dimensions of Identity. In S. Preece (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Language and Identity (pp. 131−145). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926518816110a

Marais, K. (2019). A (Bio)Semiotic Theory of Translation: The Emergence of Social-Cultural Reality. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315142319

Matsushita, K., & Schaffner, C. (2018). Multilingual collaboration for news translation analysis: Possibilities and limitations. Across Languages and Cultures, 19(2), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1556/084.2018.19.2.2

Mey, J. L. (2016). Pragmatics Seen through the Prism of Society. In A. Capone, & J. L. Mey (Eds.), Interdisciplinary Studies in Pragmatics, Culture and Society (pp. 15−42). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12616-6

Mokshev, A., & Nurmanbetova, D. N. (2018). Heuristic Potential of Postmodern Philosophy. Xlinguae: European Scientific Language Journal, 11(4), 78-85. https://doi.org/10.18355/XL.2018.11.04.07

Morris, Ch. (1938). Foundations of the Theory of Signs. University of Chicago Press.

Nerubasska, A., & Maksymchuk, B. (2020). The Demarkation of Creativity, Talent and Genius in Humans: a Systemic Aspect. Postmodern Openings, 11(2), 240-255. https://doi.org/10.18662/po/11.2/172

Nerubasska, A., Palshkov, K., & Maksymchuk, B. (2020). A Systemic Philosophical Analysis of the Contemporary Society and the Human: New Potential. Postmodern Openings, 11(4), 275-292. https://doi.org/10.18662/po/11.4/235

Nykytchenko, K. (2019). Nonce Words in Mass Media Discourse (A Case Study of Travel Journalism Innovations). Communication Today, 10(1), 62−75.

Onyshchak, H. (2021). Translation strategies in political speeches : a case study of Ukrainian translation of President Joseph R. Biden’s inaugural address. Reality of Politics, 17(3), 132−144. https://doi.org/10.15804/rop2021307

Onyshchak, H., Koval, L., Vazhenina, O., Bakhov, I., Povoroznyuk, R., & Devitska, A. (2021). Cognitive and Neurolinguistic Aspects of Interpreting. BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience, 12 (4), 224−237. https://doi.org/10.18662/brain/12.4/246

Pan, L., & Huang, C. (2021). Stance mediation in media translation of political speeches: An analytical model of appraisal and framing in news discourse. In B. Wang, & J. Munday (Eds.), Advances in Discourse Analysis of Translation and Interpreting: Linking Linguistic Approaches with Socio-cultural Interpretation (pp. 131−149). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780367822446

PBS NewsHour. (2022, March 26). President Biden Delivers Address from Poland [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me3V9qXm2kE

Pöchhacker, F. (2004). Introducing Interpreting Studies. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203504802

Presner, R., Tsolyk, N., Vanivska, O., Bakhov, I., Povoroznyuk, R., & Sukharieva, S. (2021). Cognitive and Semiotic Model of Translation. Postmodern Openings, 12(3Sup1), 125−142. https://doi.org/10.18662/po/12.3Sup1/355

Rafieyan, V. (2016). Bridging Pragmatic Gap in Translation Process through Developing Pragmatic Awareness. Journal for the Study of English Linguistics, 4(1), 98–110. https://doi.org/10.5296/jsel.v4i1.9667

Sagadiyeva, Z., Satenova, S., Yeskindirova, M., Alshinbayeva, Z., & Konyratbayeva, Z. (2021). Political Discourse: The Translation Aspect. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17(3), 1615−1627. https://doi.org/10.52462/jlls.117

Setton, R., & Dawrant, A. (2016). Conference Interpreting: A Trainer’s Guide. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. http://doi.org/10.1075/btl.121

Shapoval, M., Povoroznyuk, R., Novytska, O., Golikova, O., Nykytchenko, K., & Myroshnychenko, V. (2022). The Semiotic Approach to Literary Translation. Postmodern Openings, 13(1Sup1), 377–394. https://doi.org/10.18662/po/13.1Sup1/432

Tahiri, L., & Capriqi, S. (2020). Lost in Translation: Narrative Perspective Silenced by the Voice of the Translator. Respectus Philologicus, 38(43), 202–213. http://dx.doi.org/10.15388/RESPECTUS.2020.38.43.68

Toury, G. (2012). Descriptive Translation Studies – and beyond. John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.100

Downloads

Published

2023-09-01

How to Cite

Onyshchak, H. ., Liutko, N. ., Yarova, A. ., Povoroznyuk, R. ., Kolоmiiets I. ., & Gontsa, I. . (2023). Pragmatic Competence in Political Discourse Interpreting. Revista Romaneasca Pentru Educatie Multidimensionala, 15(3), 376-399. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/15.3/772

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 3 (2023): Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala

Section

Reform, Change and Innovation in Education

License

Copyright (c) 2023 The Authors & LUMEN Publishing House

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

  • Authors retain copyright and grant this journalright of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work, with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  • Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as an earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).

Revista Romaneasca pentru Educatie Multidimensionala Journal has an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND

CC_BY_NC_ND

Most read articles by the same author(s)