Abstracts
Abstract
This is a study of a frequently occurring but seldom studied phenomenon: that of proposed translations, rejections and disruptions in translators’ work. The study is based on the correspondence of 64 translators in the archive of the Werner Söderström (WSOY) publishing house in Finland between the 1880s and the 1940s. It deals with around 180 translator suggestions and an almost equal number of rejections discovered in translator–publisher correspondence. The research draws on actor-network theory and its focus is on emergent processes and controversies, exploring the events and decisions as they unfold in the archived interaction between translators and publishers. The large number of rejections, the various kinds of disrupted processes in the making of translations and the contingency of the translation event are set in high relief. Studying the way translations come into being – or do not come into being, as is often the case – shifts the focus from translations as products to the translation event: disruptions and impasses, it will be shown, constitute a significant share of translators’ and editors’ work and are crucial in understanding the translation process.
Keywords:
- archives,
- publishing,
- suggestions,
- rejection,
- ANT
Résumé
L’étude se penche sur un phénomène fréquent mais rarement analysé : celui des traductions proposées, rejetées ou mises à mal, dans le travail des traducteurs. Le corpus inclut la correspondance de 64 traducteurs trouvée dans les archives de la maison d’édition finlandaise Werner Söderström (WSOY) et portant sur les années 1880-1940. On traite environ 180 suggestions de traducteurs et d’un nombre presque égal de rejets, découverts dans cette correspondance entre traducteur et éditeur. La recherche s’appuie sur la théorie de l’acteur-réseau ; elle se concentre sur les processus émergents et les controverses, explorant tensions et décisions au fur et à mesure qu’elles apparaissent dans l’interaction archivée entre les traducteurs et les éditeurs. Sont ainsi mis en relief le grand nombre de rejets, les divers types de remises en cause dans la réalisation des traductions et la contingence de la traduction comme évènement. L’étude des manières dont les traductions voient le jour – ou pas, comme c’est souvent le cas – déplace l’attention des traductions en tant que produits vers les traductions comme processus : tensions, conflits et impasses, ainsi qu’on va le montrer, constituent une part significative du travail des traducteurs et des éditeurs et sont essentiels pour comprendre le processus de traduction.
Mots-clés :
- archives,
- maison d’édition,
- suggestions,
- rejet,
- ANT
Resumen
Este estudio aborda un fenómeno frecuente pero muy poco estudiado: aquel de las traducciones propuestas, rechazadas o manipuladas. El corpus incluye la correspondencia de 64 traductores con sus editores, que se encuentra en los archivos de la editorial finlandesa Werner Söderström (WSOY) y se refiere a los años 1880-1940. Con este corpus se procesan alrededor de 180 sugerencias de traductores y un número casi igual de rechazos. La investigación descansa en la teoría de actor-red (ANT); se concentra en los procesos emergentes y las controversias, indagando en las tensiones y decisiones a medida que aparecen en la interacción archivada entre traductores y editores. De esta manera se ponen de relieve el gran número de rechazos, los distintos tipos de cuestionamiento en la realización de las traducciones, así como la contingencia de la traducción como acontecimiento. Estudiar las maneras en que se publican –o no, como es frecuentemente el caso– las traducciones traslada el centro de atención de las traducciones como productos hacia las traducciones como procesos: tensiones, conflictos et impases, como se mostrará, constituyen una parte significativa del trabajo de los traductores y de los editores, y resultan esenciales para entender el proceso de traducción.
Palabras clave:
- archivos,
- editoriales,
- sugerencias,
- rechazos,
- ANT
Appendices
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