COMBINING FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS AND SKOPOS THEORY: A case study of Greek Cypriot and English folktales Chrystalla A. Thoma
General motivation � Translation needs to become a reproducible process, based not on intuition but rather on facts about language use and function and in particular about register variation. � The combination of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Skopos theory provides an excellent framework for this process.
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
Specific Objectives Of Thesis Demonstrate the usefulness of the combination of SFL � and Skopos theory for translation Α pply SFL to Greek – for English there is existing � research in most domains Analyse and contrast the register of Greek Cypriot and � English fairytales Relate results to Skopos and apply to translation � examples Point at new directions in linguistics and translation � studies
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
Skopos Theory: the problem Skopos = purpose, intention � The source text is “dethroned”. The translator is a bi- � cultural expert who has knowledge of source text Skopos and context, as well as target language and culture context, and is free to the choose the target text Skopos An “imperative” theory However, Skopos theory offers no means of identifying � linguistically the Skopos of source / target text and of relating the language used or to be used to the context of situation and culture
Linguistic framework: the solution Systemic Functional Linguistics relates texts to situation � and culture context Recognises systematic choices belonging to registers, � text types and instances Categorises choices into three parallel metafunctions � Allows predictions about context and language use � An “indicative” and predictive theory Therefore allows us to identify linguistically and � empirically the Skopos of both source and target texts For the purposes of my study, I used both qualitative and � quantitative analysis
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
Data used in the thesis Greek Cypriot corpus English corpus Data Numbers Data Numbers Numbers Numbers Fairytales 30 Fairytales 30 30 30 Collections Collections 3 3 Words Words ca. 35.000 ca. 35.000 Main clauses Main clauses ca. 4000 ca. 3500
Sample of corpus matrix
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
What to analyse « Χέλει να σε κά µ ω τζ εσέν έτσι , να σε τρων άλλοι τζ εσού νάσαι πουπανωθκιόν τους ;» λαλεί του η M αντού . « Χέλω » λαλεί ο δράκος . � Directives in dialogue « Βράσε έναν χαρτζίν γάλαν τζ έναν χαρτζίν � Reaction to directives πίσσαν », λαλεί του . « Ά µ α βράσουν τούτα , βράσε άλλα δκυο τα ίδια , έτσι χογλαστά , τζαι να σου φωνάξω ». Ο δράκος έβρασεν τα γιον του είπεν η µ αντού . Εφώναξεν του , επήεν , τζ έβαλεν τον τζ έκατσεν πα σε µ ιαν � Present tense in narrative πέτραν . Στα δκυο χαρτζιά έσβησεν το � Ingressive verbs λα µ πρόν , τζαι στα άλλα δκυο εδυνά µ ωσεν το . Ευτύς έγυρεν του τζαι µ ιαν κούζαν πίσσα γλιά , τζαι µ ιαν κούζαν γάλα γλίο . Ο δράκος λαλεί : « ου , έτσι εννά γενώ ο καλλίτερο � Fairytale ending formulas δράκος ». Η M αντού , πκιάννει , γύρνει του � Different word orders την πο πάνω . � Temporal markers Γύρνει του η M αντού τζαι µ ιαν γάλαν χογλαστόν , έ µ εινε χάσκοντα ο δράκος , τζ � Quotation formulas εποταξάρωσεν . Έτσι εσκότωσεν η M αντού τους εκατόν ένα δράκους τζ έ µ εινεν τζείνη καλά τζ ε µ είς καλλίτερα .
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
Metafuctions in relation to context Genre Culture Situation type Register Ideational Textual Language Interpersonal
How to categorise « Χέλει να σε κά µ ω τζ εσέν έτσι , να σε τρων άλλοι τζ εσού νάσαι πουπανωθκιόν τους ;» Interpersonal Metafunction λαλεί του η M αντού . « Χέλω » λαλεί ο δράκος . � Directives in dialogue « Βράσε έναν χαρτζίν γάλαν τζ έναν χαρτζίν � Reaction to directives πίσσαν », λαλεί του . « Ά µ α βράσουν τούτα , βράσε άλλα δκυο τα ίδια , έτσι χογλαστά , τζαι να σου φωνάξω ». Ο δράκος έβρασεν Ideational Metafunction τα γιον του είπεν η µ αντού . Εφώναξεν του , επήεν , τζ έβαλεν τον τζ έκατσεν πα σε µ ιαν � Present tense in narrative πέτραν . Στα δκυο χαρτζιά έσβησεν το � Ingressive verbs λα µ πρόν , τζαι στα άλλα δκυο εδυνά µ ωσεν το . Ευτύς έγυρεν του τζαι µ ιαν κούζαν πίσσα Textual Metafunction γλιά , τζαι µ ιαν κούζαν γάλα γλίο . Ο δράκος λαλεί : « ου , έτσι εννά γενώ ο καλλίτερο � Fairytale ending formulas δράκος ». Η M αντού , πκιάννει , γύρνει του � Different word orders την πο πάνω . � Temporal markers Γύρνει του η M αντού τζαι µ ιαν γάλαν χογλαστόν , έ µ εινε χάσκοντα ο δράκος , τζ � Quotation formulas εποταξάρωσεν . Έτσι εσκότωσεν η M αντού τους εκατόν ένα δράκους τζ έ µ εινεν τζείνη καλά τζ ε µ είς καλλίτερα .
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
I Skopos: the translator’s expertise Bi-cultural expertise: extensive knowledge about � the cultural context of source and target text Areas of uncertainty: consult existing findings in � language? NO: Skopos theory rejects linguistics
I Identifying source text Skopos In the source language (Greek Cypriot), the register is � low, with many features of spoken language The texts were initially addressed to a wide, uneducated � public for entertainment – the written versions are addressed to scholars of folklore for study Oral Written
I Choosing a target text Skopos In the target language (English), we choose to adopt a � middle, literary register as a Skopos for a wide (adult and young public) for silent / aloud reading as entertainment This register is expected by the public, as the analysis of � cultural context has shown Oral Written
Outline Of Presentation Presentation overview Objectives 1. Methodological framework 2. Data 3. Empirical motivation 4. Passage to the theory and categorisation 5. Example of application 6. Skopos I. Ideational function II. Interpersonal function III. Textual function IV. Interplay of functions and the notion of Performance V. Conclusions 7. Open directions 8.
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