2015-08-21
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Toury's initial norm and the continuum of adequate and acceptable translation
|
| Subjection to source norms Subjection to target culture norms |
| Adequate translation ------------------------------------------------------------------- Acceptable translation |
Initial norm
| Matricial norms |
Textual-linguistic norms
'functional-relational concept', by which he means that equivalence is assumed between a TT and an ST. This is very important because analysis does not then focus prescriptively on whether a given TT or TT-expression is 'equivalent' to the ST or ST-expression. Instead it focuses on how the assumed equivalence has been realized and is a tool for uncovering 'the underlying concept of translation... [the] derived notions of decisionmaking and the factors that have constrained it' (p. 86).
As noted above, DTS aims to reconstruct the norms that have been in operation during the translation process. However, Toury stresses (p. 67) that norms are a 'graded notion' since 'a translator's behaviour cannot be expected to be fully systematic'. In addition, these norms are of different intensity, ranging from behaviour that is mandatory (maximum intensity) to tendencies that are common but not mandatory and to behaviour that is tolerated (minimum intensity) (pp. 67—9). We discuss this further in sections 7.2.4 and 7.3.
