Teaching Literary Translation on the Basis of the Literary Text's Cognitive Discourse Analysis

Svetlana K. Gural; Stepan A. Boyko; Tamara S. Serova

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

ScienceDirect

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 200 (2015) 435 - 441

THE XXVI ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC CONFERENCE, LANGUAGE AND

CULTURE, 27-30 October 2015

Teaching Literary Translation on the Basis of the Literary Text's

Cognitive Discourse Analysis

Svetlana K. Gurala, Stepan A. Boykoa*, Tamara S. Serovab

aTomsk State University, 36, Lenin Ave., Tomsk, 634050, Russia bPerm National Research Polytechnic University, 29, Komsomolsky Ave., Perm, 614990, Russia

Abstract

The traditional approaches to discourse's definition, the role of cognitive linguistics in work with literary texts on foreign languages and the translation lessons, the theoretical bases of discourse analysis, and also study of the text through a prism of cognitive approach are shown in our research paper. The method of teaching literary translation on the basis of cognitive discourse analysis of the text is also presented, given its scientific justification, which is efficiency confirmed in practice as a result of shown skilled and experimental work. Also, the system of the exercises and tasks directed on the formation of the corresponding competences is described in our research paper.

Peer-review under responsibility of National Research Tomsk State University.

Keywords: teaching; litaerary translation; discourse analysis; cognitive analysis; conceptosphere

1. Introduction

Nowadays there are actual tasks directed at formation of communicative and discursive competences in teaching of foreign languages. These competences help us to achieve our major purpose, which consists of the formation of the secondary language personality having an opportunity to communicate in this language. The specified competences become especially significant, to the extent that they concern the use of literary texts in teaching of future translators. The students who are thought of in "The translation and theory of translation" have to learn how to solve the tasks set for them according to the types of their professional activities. The necessity in solving

* Corresponding author. Tel.: + 7-923-440-4695 E-mail address: ste-bojko@yandex.ru

Peer-review under responsibility of National Research Tomsk State University. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.08.092

teaching problems of literary translation, in general, and a search of effective ways of such teaching, in particular, arose because the training of the expert capable to carry out the literary texts translations is complicated. This specialist must not only have thorough knowledge of two languages - native and foreign, but also master methods of literary text translation, as well as have linguacultural competences.

As we see, the problem of teaching literary translation with application of cognitive discourse analysis was not theoretically elaborated. Without this theory it is not possible to train experts who can masterfully use not only subtleties of native and foreign languages, but also methods of literary translation, and also apply linguacultural competences.

2. Research design

Researches of information processing during the perception and generation of speech (van Deyk, 1997; Hayna 1997), extraction and perceptions of information from the text and problems of mental lexicon (Gural, 2012, Kubryakova, 2000) are especially interesting for our research paper.

Approaching the text analysis, one faces not only the meanings of statements, but also the meanings deduced from the text according to the theory of an iceberg offered by E. Hemingway (20% of the meaning is above the surface, while 80% is hidden).

Considering that mental bases of speech reproduction and understanding, during which language knowledge and information processing participate, fall within the area of cognitive science, the obtained results of researches in this field can help in general understanding of a person's thinking mechanisms. Our research paper attempts to show how the literary text acts as a system, and how it is represented and transformed in mechanisms of language understanding.

Kolshansky G.V. (1990), speaking about the text, which is shown as a communication unit, specifies that literary text's delimitation and integrity are based not on the ordered logic of reasoning, but on the author's speaking and thinking activity. It is worth noticing that this author's activity reflects in a certain structure, which, even despite the presence of a semantic row, is explained by motives of individual and psychological perception of the offered plot or extralinguistic character. Kolshansky G.V. (1990) emphasizes that only the unity of substantial and conceptual information of style, genre and sense in which, to a certain degree, the delimitation applied by the author, as the art principle is objectively justified, creates unity of literary text.

Very important for this research is Kolshansky's G.V. (1990) opinion, according to which it is expedient to consider the text as certain communicative unit. Thus in this communicative unit, not only does the available environment of phrases, statements or words act as a context, but also as a variable communicative context which has no material or formal restrictions. This context can contain certain verbal as well as life experience of the communication participants.

The cognitive approach to teaching literary text's translation relies on use of important cognitive units - concepts, because without development of cognitive basic components, capable of storing and broadcasting cultural information, it is very difficult to carry out an adequate and equivalent variant of the text's translation. This statement is based on the meaning that a high-quality literary text's translation assumes previously formed knowledge of traditions, customs, literature, culture, stereotypes and history of the country of the original language.

It is worth noticing that concepts have internal organization structure. So, having analyzed works of Lakoff J. and Thompson H. (1975), we come to the conclusion that concepts, such as cold, hours or the word, are structured in consciousness of the person in the form of basic concepts. In this regard, their application in the speech represents only one part of the information stored in our consciousness.

A foreign language studied by students in linguistic higher education institutions or at language faculties is used as a learning tool for other languages' culture - as "cultural codes", and not just as a means of verbal communication. In this regard, the formation of the student translator's professional competence is quite difficult to accomplish without also studying the given "cultural codes". This in turn opens for subsequent development the other cultures' pictures, including the literary picture, with the help of literary images and concepts.

The literary text, being a result of such text's set, and the literary activity forming a literary discourse are quite susceptible to description in the form of a certain structured space of literary images. These images form in the author and reader's consciousness as participants of literary communication, as peculiar language forms of existing

esthetic-literary concepts. They can be characterized as a unit applied in teaching linguo-cognitive analysis of the offered literary discourse.

Zusman V.G. (2001) notes that the literary concept is encoded in the author and recipient's consciousness as participants of a bilateral process by literary image, acting as a language form of existence esthetics and as a unit of teaching lingvo-cognitive analysis of literary discourse. Thus, the perception and interpretation of the semantic literary information concentrated in it are considered as cognitive and interactive.

It is worth noticing that the mentioned interpretation and perception of literary information contained in the text during the teaching of the foreign language is also estimated as important cognitive activity. The mediated communication of the author and reader of the text with the described characters is achieved through literary concepts. Consecutive work with the literary images included in literary concepts forms the abilities giving rise to more adequate and equivalent translation of the literary text.

We consider that studying by future translators the realization specifics of cognitive bases of the literary text's discourse analysis is necessary especially when it comes to formation of the professional translator's competence in the sphere of literary translation. Formation of this competence is possible through teaching in literary translation, which is understood as students' ability to make professional literary translation within criteria set by the program.

In our research paper devoted to development of a teaching problem in a literary translation on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis, we try to make the point that the cognitive bases of the literary text's discourse analysis when transfers are means of mastering of professional competence's components of the translator in the sphere of the literary translation.

The main competences and abilities:

1) Communicative - ability to form the correct conclusions of the text's message and speech situation; ability to perceive and reproduce various types of discourse.

2) Linguistic - ability to apply knowledge of a language system, the functioning rules of language units in the speech and by means of this system to understand foreign thoughts and express judgments in oral and written form.

3) Text-forming ability to create different types of texts in two languages, considering stylistic features.

4) Technical - abilities to apply theoretical knowledge of translation strategy, translation receptions and transformations, explaining applied translation aspects.

The additional competences and skills:

1) Discursive - ability to use certain strategy for designing and interpretation of the text, and also knowledge of the features inherent to various types of discourses.

2) Strategic - ability to compensate a lack of knowledge by other verbal/nonverbal means for achievement of the purpose.

3) Sociolinguistic - ability to choose the necessary linguistic form and means of expression depending on the speech act's conditions: situations, the communicative purposes and intention of the speaker.

4) The code-switching mechanism from one language to another - ability to make the decision to perform translation automatically.

5) Implicit and explicit - ability to reveal and analyze not only the information that is obviously expressed in the text, but also what is meant, but doesn't find direct expression in it.

On the basis of the aforestated abilities, which are a part of the competences, it is possible to designate the criteria determining the formation level of the competences of the professional translator in the sphere of literary translation:

1) ability to analyze text's structure, possessing skills of work with national corpuses of two languages;

2) ability to take key information during the work with literary texts of original language, and also submit visually the concept-sphere scheme of the offered literary text;

3) ability to transfer both the correct, obvious and expressed implicitly information received during the analysis of the text in literary text's translation process.

Exercises that we suggest to use in teaching literary translation on the basis of cognitive discourse analysis, directed on formation of professional competence of the translator in the sphere of a literary translation, may be divided into three categories:

1. The exercises directed on formation of skills to use certain strategy for the analysis and designing of the text in the conditions of literary translation (the pre-translation analysis, the translation analysis, cognitive discourse analysis):

• exercises on development of pre-translation analysis's skill with allocation of the text's key information;

• exercises on development of the translation analysis's skills and identifications of key and basic concepts in the texts both in English, and in Russian languages;

• identification exercises in the literary text of the lexical units which are parts of its concept-sphere.

2. The exercises directed on formation of ability to apply knowledge about the language system, rules of functioning, speech language units (work with national corpuses, work with explanatory and etymological dictionaries, and determination of the word's using rate in the text's context):

• exercises on detection of the words making a nominative field of a key/basic concept using rate;

• exercises on definitions of word meaning, making a nominative field of a key/basic concept;

• exercises on development of working skills with national corpuses.

3. The combined type of exercises directed on development of components of professional translator's competence in the sphere of a literary translation, and on formation of language knowledge system and rules about language units functioning in speech.

Experimental training was organized on the basis of English philology department of faculty of foreign languages of National research Tomsk state university for 2012-2015. It was carried out under natural conditions within a practical course "Literary translation". 53 students of the III-rd course learning English as their main foreign language were involved in it: 2 groups of 19 people in 2012-2013 academic year, 2 groups of 18 people in 2013-2014 academic year, 2 groups of 16 people in 2014-2015 academic year.

Experimental training is presented with a series of practical tasks on formation professional translator's competence in the sphere of literary translation by means of tasks' system. The process of experimental training realization was divided into the corresponding stages:

• the introductory stage;

• the practical stage;

• the final stage.

For each of stages control cuts were provided. Before the experimental training students of two main groups: control and experimental - was given the diagnostic entrance test consisting of certain types of tasks. As control cuts in the course of experimental training in a literary translation on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis the following types of tasks were used:

• pre-translation and translation analyses of the text on allocation of key information;

• identification of key and basic concepts in the text as in English, and Russian languages with emphasis on the lexical units which are part of these concepts in the text, an simplicity and/or an explicitly of concepts;

• detection of using rate of the words making a nominative field of a key/basic concept, definition of word meaning, making a nominative field of a key/basic concept;

• search of necessary information on revealed in the text key and basic concepts in national corpuses;

• literary translation of the text's fragment from English into Russian and vice versa taking into account the received information.

The first task of a control cut was directed on establishment of communicative abilities' formation level. The second task of a control cut was directed on establishment of linguistic abilities' formation level.

The third task of a control cut was directed on establishment of abilities' formation level of using certain strategy for text's designing and interpretation and also finding out the features inherent in various types of discourses.

The fourth task of a control cut was directed on establishment of abilities' formation level to compensate a lack of knowledge other verbal/nonverbal means for achievement of the purpose.

The fifth task was directed on establishment of abilities' formation level to make correctly literary translation.

The results recorded during carrying out of these control cuts among students of experimental and control groups were analyzed in the following parameters:

First task: right/wrong choice of answer's version.

Second task:

1) correctness of key and basic concepts identification;

2) correctness of the lexical units definition which are a part of these concepts;

3) correctness of concepts' implicitly/explicitly identification.

Third task:

1) correct/wrong determination of the words making a nominative field of a key/basic concept using rate;

2) correct/wrong definition of word meaning, making a nominative field of a key/basic concept.

Fourth task: correct/wrong search of necessary information about revealed in the text key and basic concepts in national corpuses.

Fifth task:

1) transfer of the message according to a set goal and with the accounting of the revealed features of its conceptosphere;

2) accuracy of transferred message;

3) number of the transferred text's key information;

4) literacy of the target language.

Then the analysis of three control groups (25 people) and three experimental groups (28 people) results was carried out. At results' assessment of tasks' performance quantitative and quality indicators were considered. As quality indicators were the accuracy and completeness of transferring key information and accuracy of the text contents' translation while quantitative indicators were time allowed for task performance, number of students and results of the performed tasks.

The results received during work reflecting achievements of students on each separate task show that in experimental and control groups the increase in volume of knowledge and abilities after a certain grade level is observed. However for the fullest analysis of the method of teaching literary translation developed by us on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis we addressed to Student's t-criterion for an assessment of sizes of the averages distinctions X and y two selections of X and y distributed in normal way to the law.

Student's criterion allows to judge, whether distinctions in results of experimental and control groups are essential (i.e. significant) or these distinctions can be explained with casual dispersions (distinctions aren't significant). If Student's criterion is lower than critical value, distinctions aren't significant if they are above - they are significant. Calculation was carried out on the following formulas:

X - data of the first selection (the sum of successfully performed five tasks by each student of three control groups in a percentage ratio);

y - data of the second selection (the sum of successfully performed five tasks by each student of three skilled groups in a percentage ratio).

Selections in our case are considered not equally in number as number of students in control (28 people) and experimental (25 people) groups is unequal. In that case, where n1 ^ n2 (n1, n2 - sizes of the first and second selection), expression will be calculated as follows:

3. Results

sd = л s 2 + s 2 =

£(x - x)2 +£(уг - y)2 _ (n + щ) (n1 + n2 - 2) (n1 • n2)

So, indicators of experimental and control groups in control cuts at introduction, practical and final grade levels were presented for identification of translator's professional competence's development in the sphere of a literary translation. At calculation of indicators at an introduction grade level value = 0.2 is received, and critical value is equal 2.66 (for a significance value 0.01). Representing these indicators on an importance axis, we reveal that the received empirical t (0.2) value is in an insignificance zone (see Fig. 1.).

Зона

кезначимости

smhkmocth

Fig. 1. The provision of the calculated Student's t-criterion on an importance axis (an introduction stage, a control cut).

The revealed distinctions between control and skilled groups at an introduction grade level aren't significant, therefore, students of skilled and control groups have rather identical knowledge and abilities in the field of a literary translation on the basis of cognitive discourse analysis.

At calculation of indicators at a practical grade level of students of skilled and control groups' value = 8.3 where critical value is equal 2.66 is received (for a significance value 0.01). Representing these indicators on an

Fig. 2. The provision of the calculated t - Student's criterion on an importance axis (a practical stage, a control cut).

At calculation of indicators at the final stage of training of students of experimental and control groups value = 13.6 where critical value is equal 2.66 is received (for a significance value 0.01). Representing these indicators on an importance axis, we reveal that the received empirical t (13.6) value is in an importance zone (see Fig. 3.).

Зона кезначимостн

am a s mm oc th

Fig. 3. Provision of the Calculated T - Student's criterion on an importance axis (the final stage, a control cut).

The revealed distinctions between control and experimental groups at practical and final grade levels are significant, therefore, the level of translator's professional competence's formation in the sphere of a literary

translation of skilled groups' students significantly higher, than of control groups' students.

4. Conclusions

In the conclusion we can formulate the following statements:

• the competences which are a part of translator's professional competence in the sphere of a literary translation are revealed: communicative, linguistic, texst-forming, technical, discursive, strategic, socio-cultural, socio-linguistic, explicit and implicit, and also separate skills and abilities of the translator which are important for developing a literary translations implementation;

• the process of literary translation on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis is defined and its specifics are revealed. It consists in the fact that the translator in the sphere of a literary translation should deal with a written discourse which is considered as interrelation in communication: the author of the art text - the translation of the text - the reader, with use of two languages (original language and target language). Distinctions in the Russian and English languages of such discourse categories as a mental lexicon, an interference, a presupposition, an implicature, the expilicature, a reference and a pro-position served as the reasons of the main student's difficulties in the implementation process of a literary translation on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis;

• the sequence of teaching literary translation on the basis of system of tasks and exercises is developed;

• the technique of teaching literary translation is developed which cornerstone is the model leaning on text's cognitive discourse analysis which is carried out by means of the developed system of exercises and tasks;

• it is offered the technique of teaching literary translation on the basis of text's cognitive discourse analysis; it is experimentally checked and its efficiency is proved.

References

Dijk, T. A. van. (1997). Discourse as structure and process. SAGE Publications.

Heine, B. (1997). Cognitive foundations of grammar. New York: Oxford University Press.

Gural, S. K. (2012). A discourse analysis in the synergetic vision. Tomsk: Publishing house of Tomsk State University.

Kubryakova, E. S. (2000). About concepts of a discourse and the discursive analysis of modern linguistics. Discourse, speech, speech activity: Functional and structural aspects: anthology of the reviews. (pp. 7-26). Moscow : RAN INION.

Kolshansky, G. V. (1990). An objective picture of the world in knowledge and language. Moscow: Science.

Lakoff, G., & Thompson, H. (1975). Introducing cognitive grammar. BLS 1, 295 - 313.

Zusman, V. G. (2001). A concept in culturological aspect. Cross-cultural communication. Nizhny Novgorod: Dekom.

Teaching Literary Translation on the Basis of the Literary Text's Cognitive Discourse Analysis Academic research paper on "Languages and literature"

Abstract of research paper on Languages and literature, author of scientific article — Svetlana K. Gural, Stepan A. Boyko, Tamara S. Serova

Similar topics of scientific paper in Languages and literature , author of scholarly article — Svetlana K. Gural, Stepan A. Boyko, Tamara S. Serova

Academic research paper on topic "Teaching Literary Translation on the Basis of the Literary Text's Cognitive Discourse Analysis"