Varovasti, haurasta!

Vähemmistökielet ja kääntäjänkoulutus

Authors

• Päivi Kuusi Itä-Suomen yliopisto, Joensuu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61200/mikael.129420

Keywords:

minority languages, language revitalization, translator training, power relations, interference

Abstract

In Translation Studies, minority language translation is an emerging field of research. However, little attention has been paid to translator training for minority languages. This article presents a short survey of the research into this topic and discusses its implications for training minority-language translators. The discussion focuses on the ambiguous role of translation in minority-language contexts and on Toury's (1985) notion of controlled inference. The main challenges faced by minority-language translators are also addressed. These include non-standardized language, a limited number of parallel texts and the lack of specialised terminology. Two points emerge from the discussion. The power asymmetry between minority and dominant languages
combined with the need to fill in the gaps in the target (minority) language (lexical, terminological etc.) make these languages especially fragile as target language of translation, calling for a careful consideration of the impact of translation on a minority language. At the same time, minority languages call for a reassessment of some of the basic tenets of translator training, such as the emphasis on translation as communication and the prevailing market orientation.