jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

Interventions that foster client loyalty?

The translator as mediator between researchers,

referees and editors

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Background

Focus: correspondence between authors and editors/referees of scientific journals

• Potentially conflictive situation• Authors may often be in disagreement with editors, but must show deference

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Translator’s role (1)

According to Brown and Levinson (1987), politeness is conditioned by• Social Distance• Power between interlocutors

In author/editor correspondence:• Social distance; + power (editors)

“Publish or perish!”

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Translator’s role (2)

In situations of asymmetrical power, X (- power) will typically:•Promote face of YoShow deference, gratitude,

agreement•Protect face of YoMinimize criticism and

disagreement, hedge requests

Intuition: translator often does this on behalf of author

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Hypothesis

Professional translators often mediate in the complex relation between the authors of scientific articles (their clients) and the referees of scientific journals (their clients’ clients).

Objectives:Identify how they mediateApply results to classroom

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Pilot questionnaire

12 fragments from authentic correspondence•Literal, correct translation into English•Arguably contravene politeness conventions:oInsufficiently deferentialoEncode disagreement, criticism

etc.Respondents: Would you amend this translation in any way?

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Demographic characteristics of sample

Population 9

Age 41-55 456 or older 5

Gender Female 4Male 5

EducationBachelor’s degree 6Doctoral degree 3

Language combination

Spanish into English 9

Language variety EN-US 3EN-UK 6

Professional statusFull-time freelance 6Part-time 3

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Categories of comment

Editing only

Implicit mediation

Explicit mediation

No suggested

change

TOTAL RESPONS

ES

28 18 36 14 9629.2% 18.8% 37.5% 14.6% 100%

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Editing only [9]

Delete, not eliminate.

The internal references have been eliminated in spite of the fact that in the author’s guide examples of citations with internal references were found.

We include the information requested of us, some of which was eliminated when we were asked to shorten the study and now we are including it again.

Manuscript or report, not study.We have not been able to go into more detail on this point since we were asked not to extend the manuscript further.

Lengthen, not extend.

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Implicit mediation [3]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Spanish English

Agradecemos las correcciones editoriales que nos ha hecho, ya han sido tomadas en consideración.

Thank you for the editorial corrections you have made. They have now been taken into consideration.

Yes 6

No 3

Referees suggest changes, not corrections.

Thank you for your suggestions, which we have taken into consideration.

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Explicit mediation [5]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Spanish English

Lo que nos pide el revisor en este punto supone entrar en un extenso debate que puede alejarnos del objetivo de este trabajo.

What the referee asks of us on this point would mean entering into a long debate which may divert us from the objective of this article.

Yes 7

No 2

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Explicit mediation [5]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Yes 7

No 2

“I would rewrite entirely and delete any hint at emotionalism or subjectivity.”“I don’t feel that ‘accusing’ the referee of ‘diverting us from our objective’ is a tactful remark in English.”Suggest that what the referee asks is “undoubtedly interesting but, in our opinion, would be the subject of another article.”

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Spanish English

Se han eliminado las referencias internas a pesar de que en la guía del autor se encontraron ejemplos de citas con referencias internas

The internal references have been eliminated in spite of the fact that in the author’s guide examples of citations with internal references were found.

Julian Bourne and Bryan Robinson Department of Translation and InterpretingUniversity of Granada, Spain

Explicit mediation [9]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Yes 8

No 1

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

“Personally, I wouldn’t ‘antagonize’ the referee by pointing out this lack of coherence.”

“Again, not a thing to point out to the referees. Save it for a separate letter to the Editor…

We have deleted the internal references as requested.

Explicit mediation [9]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Yes 8

No 1

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Spanish English

Esperamos que ahora puedan aceptar nuestro artículo.

We hope that now you can accept our article.

“Perhaps a little too direct and putting the onus firmly on the referee. I would try something less personal and more polite…” “This seems to me to be putting a little pressure on the referee and I think we would have to be much more indirect in English”

Explicit mediation [12]Would you amend this translation in any way?

Yes 8

No 1

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Categories of comment

Editing only

Implicit mediati

on

Explicit mediati

on

No suggest

ed change

TOTAL RESPON

SES

28 18 + 36 = 54 14 9629.2% 18.8% + 37.5% =

56.3%14.6% 100%

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Discussion

Provisional confirmation of hypothesisHypersensitive?

•Many editors not from Anglosaxon culture•But not worth risk of delaying/jeopardizing publication

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Next steps

•Modify questionnaire•Send to larger sample•Explore other language combinations•Devise teaching materials to incorporate RRC mediation in scientific translation training

Interventions that foster client loyalty? The translator as mediator between researchers, referees and editors

Julian Bourne and Bryan RobinsonDepartment of Translation and

InterpretingUniversity of Granada

Spain

jbourne@ugr.esrobinson@ugr.es

Thank you!You can see this presentation at…

www.slideshare.net/bryanrobinson3/