CAUSAL UNCERTAINTY AND TRANSLATION

Abstract

Abstract: This study is aimed at causal uncertainty (CU) as a personal self-construct in a social environment and its influence on the translation process, focusing on the relationship between an individual causal uncertainty and selected indicators of translation or interpreting (free/literal translation, adequacy/inadequacy translation, language fluency of translation and the quality of interpreting into the mother tongue). For this purpose the CUS scale was used and regression analysis was applied. The results showed a statistically significant influence of causal uncertainty of an individual on a willingness to apply for internship abroad and on a tendency to literal/free translation.Key words: causal uncertainty (CU), translation process, indicators of translation and interpreting, internshipINTRODUCTIONWithin the last few decades, an interdisciplinary approach to translation studies has been focused on the study of the relationship between psychological characteristics and the quality of translation and interpreting (Kurz, 1994, 2002; Pochhacker, 1999; Hodakova, 2009, and others). In most cases, cognitive skills influencing the process of translation have been discussed. Although, following the existing studies, research on the personal and interpersonal features of a translator seems to be lacking. Thus, this study discusses causal uncertainty as a personal self-construct in a social environment and its influence on the translation process.For this reason, research has been carried out in which 42 students of Translation Studies took part. We examined the relationship between causal uncertainty and certain selected indicators of translation (Translation - literal/free, Translation - adequate/inadequate, Fluency, Translation Quality into Mother Tongue) and also between causal uncertainty and certain variables (Academic Achievements, Internships and Study Year). We attempted to discover the extent to which selected indicators explain or affect causal uncertainty of an individual.CAUSAL UNCERTAINTY AND TRANSLATION PROCESSThe concept of causal uncertainty (CU) is highly related to the personal need for structure (PNS). Neuberg and Newsom (1993) identified two conceptually significant aspects of the need for structure. One of them is related to the extent of a desired structure in everyday life (desire for structure). Individuals with a high desire for structure prefer a clear and structured way of life and strict structure schemes. The second aspect of a need for structure is represented by the response to lack of structure, which clearly shows how individuals cope with unstructured and unpredictable situations. People who show a significant dislike for uncertain situations or sudden change of plans score highly in the response to lack of structure. The results of the studies indicate that the factors of the PNS Scale (Personal Need for Structure) have a different relationship with personal features: response to lack of structure (RLS subscale) is related to neuroticism and introversion; conversely, desire for structure (subscale DFS) is not. Sarmany-Schuller (2001) has similarly discovered that anxiety examined by the SPSR - R scale (devised by Torrubiu et al., in Sarmany-Schuller, 2001) is significantly different in personal need for structure in the RLS factor - response to lack of structure, however, not in the DFS factor - desire for structure. The theory of Weary and Edwards (1994) is based on the assumption that most people feel uncertain in their cause-and-effect understanding of the world. Moreover, there exist some chronic individual differences in the uncertainty beliefs of people and in their ability to identify and understand causal relationships in the social world. Causal uncertainty is likely to influence people's thinking and behavior. The impact is significant and can be shown in information searching and processing, since the given activities are highly related to understanding of causality. …