Christiane Nord
Biographic Data
| ID | 3856550 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Christiane Nord |
| GIVEN NAMES | Christiane |
| FAMILY NAME | Nord |
| SIGNATURE | NORD C |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of the Free State |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 7 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 13 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1989 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Functional Approaches to Translation
Translation studies is still quite a young discipline. It started as a branch of applied linguistics in the 1960s, partly pushed by a growing interest in machine translation, partly under the influence of Bible translation. The need for a theoretical groundwork for translator and interpreter training, which became particularly pressing in Germany and other European countries during the 1970s, triggered several profession‐oriented tendencies in tr…
In Memoriam Katharina Reiß
Function + Loyalty: Theology Meets Skopos
Bible translation is traditionally in the hands of theologians, whose focus is on the meaning of the source text rather than on what modern readers are able to understand. This paper attempts to show where translation theory, or more specifically, the Skopos theory of translation, may help Bible translators to produce texts that “work” or “function” for the intended audience without betraying their trust that they are reading God’s word in their …
Skopos and (Un)certainty: How Functional Translators Deal with Doubt
There are no rules for translation. Translation is a decision-making process, and each decision point involves uncertainty. In the following article, I would like to show how, from a skopos-theoretical perspective, a top-down procedure can at least reduce uncertainty to some degree. The top level is that of the translation brief, which determines the choice of translation type and form. This is a binary decision. A documentary translation usually…
Functional Approaches to Translation
Translation studies is still quite a young discipline.
Paratranslation – a new paradigm or a re-invented wheel
‘Paratranslation’ has been proclaimed as a revolutionary approach that finally puts translation and, with it, translation studies into its proper place. After a brief analysis of the etymology of the word, the article discusses the origin of the approach and its definitions, coming to the conclusion that it starts out from a very narrow, linguistic concept of translation that was left behind by skopos theory and the functional approaches, among o…
Making Otherness Accessible Functionality and Skopos in the Translation of New Testament Texts
After describing a translation process under the condition of “split competence,” the article analyzes cases of cultural distance, drawing on the author’s experience in the translation of New Testament texts. A functional translation which strives after making the otherness of these texts accessible to modern readers, has to carefully define the skopos and the addressed audience, in order to give translation decisions a solid foundation. After th…
All New on the European Front: What the Bologna Process Means for Translator Training in Germany
After giving a brief survey of traditional translator training in Germany, the paper will discuss the changes introduced by the Bologna process. All German universities are reorganizing their translator training programmes, replacing the four-year Diplom degree by modular courses leading to a Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree. Since legal regulations permit a variety of combinations with regard to duration, each German university is planning its …
Persons Shall Not Be Discriminated on Account of Language”
De iure , all democratic countries recognize the rights of citizens or immigrants who have a limited or no command of the national language. Nevertheless, de facto , these rights are often neglected, especially in administrative authorities, healthcare services, and even in law courts, where - often literally - matters of life and death are at stake. The paper describes the structure and underlying philosophy of an International Bachelor's degree…
Proper Names in Translations for Children: Alice in Wonderland as a Case in Point
Drawing on a corpus of eight translations of Lewis Carroll'sAlice in Wonderlandinto five languages (German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian), the paper discusses the forms and functions of proper names in children's books and some aspects of their translation. In Alice in Wonderland, we find three basic types of proper names: names explicitly referring to the real world of author and original addressees (e.g.,Alice, her catDinah, h…
Manipulation and loyalty in functional translation
Radical Skopos‐theory has been criticised for allowing the end to justify the means in the translation process, which would make this theory inappropriate to the translation of texts — such as literary or biblical — that are largely determined by the author's personal intention. This paper argues that combining functionalism with loyalty can be a corrective not only in function‐oriented, but also in equivalence‐based translation processes. This p…
Dealing with purposes in intercultural communication: Some methodological considerations
According to functional theories of translaton, translatiag is regarded as a "purposeful activity" (cf. This means that a translaton process does not "happen" by itself. It is a communicative action carried out by an expert in intercultural communication (the translator), playing the role of text producer and aiming at some communicative purpose. Communicative purposes are directed at other people who are playing the role of receivers. Communicat…
Loyalität statt Treue. Vorschläge zu einer funktionalen Übersetzungstypologie
Proper Names in Translations for Children: Alice in Wonderland as a Case in Point
Drawing on a corpus of eight translations of Lewis Carroll'sAlice in Wonderlandinto five languages (German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian), the paper discusses the forms and functions of proper names in children's books and some aspects of their translation. In Alice in Wonderland, we find three basic types of proper names: names explicitly referring to the real world of author and original addressees (e.g.,Alice, her catDinah, h…
Skopos and (Un)certainty: How Functional Translators Deal with Doubt
There are no rules for translation. Translation is a decision-making process, and each decision point involves uncertainty. In the following article, I would like to show how, from a skopos-theoretical perspective, a top-down procedure can at least reduce uncertainty to some degree. The top level is that of the translation brief, which determines the choice of translation type and form. This is a binary decision. A documentary translation usually…
Paratranslation – a new paradigm or a re-invented wheel
‘Paratranslation’ has been proclaimed as a revolutionary approach that finally puts translation and, with it, translation studies into its proper place. After a brief analysis of the etymology of the word, the article discusses the origin of the approach and its definitions, coming to the conclusion that it starts out from a very narrow, linguistic concept of translation that was left behind by skopos theory and the functional approaches, among o…
Loyalität statt Treue. Vorschläge zu einer funktionalen Übersetzungstypologie
Dealing with purposes in intercultural communication: Some methodological considerations
According to functional theories of translaton, translatiag is regarded as a "purposeful activity" (cf. This means that a translaton process does not "happen" by itself. It is a communicative action carried out by an expert in intercultural communication (the translator), playing the role of text producer and aiming at some communicative purpose. Communicative purposes are directed at other people who are playing the role of receivers. Communicat…
Manipulation and loyalty in functional translation
Radical Skopos‐theory has been criticised for allowing the end to justify the means in the translation process, which would make this theory inappropriate to the translation of texts — such as literary or biblical — that are largely determined by the author's personal intention. This paper argues that combining functionalism with loyalty can be a corrective not only in function‐oriented, but also in equivalence‐based translation processes. This p…
Persons Shall Not Be Discriminated on Account of Language”
De iure , all democratic countries recognize the rights of citizens or immigrants who have a limited or no command of the national language. Nevertheless, de facto , these rights are often neglected, especially in administrative authorities, healthcare services, and even in law courts, where - often literally - matters of life and death are at stake. The paper describes the structure and underlying philosophy of an International Bachelor's degree…
Proper Names in Translations for Children: Alice in Wonderland as a Case in Point
Drawing on a corpus of eight translations of Lewis Carroll'sAlice in Wonderlandinto five languages (German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Italian), the paper discusses the forms and functions of proper names in children's books and some aspects of their translation. In Alice in Wonderland, we find three basic types of proper names: names explicitly referring to the real world of author and original addressees (e.g.,Alice, her catDinah, h…
Making Otherness Accessible Functionality and Skopos in the Translation of New Testament Texts
After describing a translation process under the condition of “split competence,” the article analyzes cases of cultural distance, drawing on the author’s experience in the translation of New Testament texts. A functional translation which strives after making the otherness of these texts accessible to modern readers, has to carefully define the skopos and the addressed audience, in order to give translation decisions a solid foundation. After th…
All New on the European Front: What the Bologna Process Means for Translator Training in Germany
After giving a brief survey of traditional translator training in Germany, the paper will discuss the changes introduced by the Bologna process. All German universities are reorganizing their translator training programmes, replacing the four-year Diplom degree by modular courses leading to a Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree. Since legal regulations permit a variety of combinations with regard to duration, each German university is planning its …
Functional Approaches to Translation
Translation studies is still quite a young discipline.
Paratranslation – a new paradigm or a re-invented wheel
‘Paratranslation’ has been proclaimed as a revolutionary approach that finally puts translation and, with it, translation studies into its proper place. After a brief analysis of the etymology of the word, the article discusses the origin of the approach and its definitions, coming to the conclusion that it starts out from a very narrow, linguistic concept of translation that was left behind by skopos theory and the functional approaches, among o…
Function + Loyalty: Theology Meets Skopos
Bible translation is traditionally in the hands of theologians, whose focus is on the meaning of the source text rather than on what modern readers are able to understand. This paper attempts to show where translation theory, or more specifically, the Skopos theory of translation, may help Bible translators to produce texts that “work” or “function” for the intended audience without betraying their trust that they are reading God’s word in their …
Skopos and (Un)certainty: How Functional Translators Deal with Doubt
There are no rules for translation. Translation is a decision-making process, and each decision point involves uncertainty. In the following article, I would like to show how, from a skopos-theoretical perspective, a top-down procedure can at least reduce uncertainty to some degree. The top level is that of the translation brief, which determines the choice of translation type and form. This is a binary decision. A documentary translation usually…
In Memoriam Katharina Reiß
Functional Approaches to Translation
Translation studies is still quite a young discipline. It started as a branch of applied linguistics in the 1960s, partly pushed by a growing interest in machine translation, partly under the influence of Bible translation. The need for a theoretical groundwork for translator and interpreter training, which became particularly pressing in Germany and other European countries during the 1970s, triggered several profession‐oriented tendencies in tr…
Translation Studies and Practices (10 works) · Philosophy (9 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Linguistics (8 works) · Sociology (6 works) · Artificial Intelligence (5 works) · Epistemology (5 works) · Skopos theory (4 works) · Artificial Intelligence (3 works) · Political science (3 works)