Text Analysis in Translation: Theory, Methodology, and Didactic Application of a Model for Translation Oriented Text Analysis

by Christiane Nord

Text Analysis in Translation has become a classic in Translation Studies. Based on a functional approach to translation and endebted to pragmatic text linguistics, it suggests a model for translation-oriented source-text analysis applicable to all text types and genres independent of the language and culture pairs involved.
Part 1 of the study presents the theoretical framework on which the model is based, and surveys the various concepts of translation theory and text linguistics. Part 2 describes the role and scope of source-text analysis in the translation process and explains why the model is relevant to translation. Part 3 presents a detailed study of the extratextual and intratextual factors and their interaction in the text, using numerous examples from all areas of professional translation. Part 4 discusses the applications of the model to translator training, placing particular emphasis on the selection of material for translation classes, grading the difficulty of translation tasks, and translation quality assessment. The book concludes with the practical analysis of a number of texts and their translations, taking into account various text types and several languages (German, English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch).

Genres: Linguistics

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Lukáš · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very suitable as a primer into text analysis that doesn't get bogged down in theory, and actually helps newcomers understand how to apply it to their own needs. Each chapter is equipped with a useful list of checkpoints and the final chapter consists of examples of Nord using her method to analyze text samples of not only English texts. Recommended first reading for anyone wanting to know about the subject.

[Butterfly92 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I am cheating by adding my academic literature. But.. since I am reading this book in and out about ten times in a matter of few weeks (and I find it quite interesting and well-written) I think I am allowed to add it to the list.

[Mira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very comprehensive, detailed, and well-structured. However, the repetitive structure makes it a very tedious read. The amount of information is, at times, almost overwhelming.

On the second reading, some things became clearer, but I was annoyed at how information about suprasegmental features is sprinkled around in other sections besides the main one dealing with the factor.

The end part of book, dealing with translator education, seems like a detailed and useful tool to systematise translator training in classroom, but it is irrelevant to what I am currently researching, so I skipped it again.

[нєνєℓ ¢ανα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!