Research in Language

From Crystal-clear to Limpide: Translating English [Noun+adj] Compound Adjectives with a Figurative-intensifying Noun into French

2023-04-25T16:18:56+02:00

English [Noun+Adj] compound adjectives containing an intensifying metaphor (e.g. crystal-clear) pose particular challenges for French translation, due in part to the absence of a direct equivalent construction. Our study examines morphosyntactic and conceptual-semantic translation procedures that capture how these challenges are resolved. We also explore the little-investigated aspect of translation variation (the number of different solutions for each item). We analyze the potential effects of two factors: the presence or absence of figurative intensification and the items’ frequency of use in English. Our results indicate that translators prefer different morphosyntactic procedures for different compound subtypes. Overall, an adjective constituent is most frequently retained, although complete reformulations with a noun or verb also occur. Semantically, the intensifying meaning is often rendered non-figuratively, depending on what is available in idiomatic French usage. Intensification is also frequently dropped. Translation variation is remarkably high, due in part to extensive use of near-synonyms. High-frequency items do not appear to converge on a smaller number of translations, but instead provide more opportunities for diversification.

Decoding Terminological AWARENESS: Developing Terminological Competence

2023-04-26T10:54:02+02:00

In the dynamically changing scientific and academic environment it is rather difficult to imagine efficient communication among professionals in any field and across domains unless terminological deficiencies are properly addressed and solved. Bridging the existing terminological gap implies considering the issues of availability of terms, terminological work, acceptability of terms, responsibility of the respective authorities, degree of erudition of the actors, the performed needs analysis, term elaboration mechanisms, sensitivity and tolerance of the stakeholders, and last but not least, a well-defined scientific approach to term creation, harmonization and alignment across the languages.

Therefore, raising terminological awareness is an essential part of curriculum at all levels of tertiary education, fundamental and/or applied research as well as vocational traineeship. It especially concerns the design of the contemporary technical translator profile, developing terminological competence and addressing the issues of cultural sensitivity and domain knowledge.

The present paper aims at discussing the notion of terminological awareness and testing it against the number of the relevant terminological sub-competences a user should possess.

The influence of Latin on Old English adjectival postposition

2023-04-25T16:18:52+02:00

The article is a systematic, corpus-based account of Latin’s influence on the position of Old English (OE) adnominal adjectives. While multiple studies on phrase-level syntax suggest that source-text interference may have been partly responsible for placing the adjective after the head noun, this observation has so far received little quantitative underpinning. The present article offers a detailed comparison of OE target noun phrases containing postnominal adjectives with their Latin counterparts to determine the exact extent to which this arrangement may have been a syntactic calque from a foreign language. The study has found that while a fair number of OE postposed adjectives did copy their Latin originals, their placement could be accounted for through reference to tendencies characteristic of OE (i.e. the adjective displays different degrees of “verbalness” or is part of a heavy phrase). Therefore, it appears that translated texts do not have to be excluded or treated with particular suspicion in studies concerned with the position of adnominal adjectives.

Acculturation Strategy and its Influence on the use of Rhoticity by Polish Adult Immigrants to Wales

2023-04-25T16:18:49+02:00

Migration to a foreign country can be a complex process involving the adjustment to a new culture and the acquisition of a second language (L2). Acculturation, the process by which an individual integrates their native values and behaviours with those of the host culture, is an integral part of this process. It has been suggested that the choice of acculturation strategy can either facilitate or hinder L2 acquisition (Schumann, 1986; Berry, 1997). Pronunciation is a vital aspect of L2 proficiency and is often seen as mediating an individual's identity in the host culture (Piske et al., 2001). This study focuses on the pronunciation patterns of ten adult Polish immigrants living in Welshpool, Wales, and attempts to examine the potential relationship between a chosen acculturation strategy (adaptation or preservation) and the use of rhoticity in English. Rhoticity, a salient feature of British English pronunciation that varies in use and quality depending on the region (Wells, 1982), has been previously studied in relation to the use of rhoticity by Polish speakers (Jaworski, 2010; Jaworski & Gillian, 2011; Stolarski, 2013, 2015; Zając, 2016; Rojczyk & Zając, 2017; Matysiak, 2020), with a notable emphasis on the use of taps in intervocalic and post-vocalic positions. The present study found some inconsistencies in the use of rhoticity in English.