ELF as a translational Lingua Franca: reciprocal influences between ELF and translation

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe spread of English as a language of international communication has led to a variety of approaches within various schools of thought. However, one of the areas in which the influence of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) is particularly significant, and nevertheless under-researched, is professional translation and interpreting. The impact of ELF on translation is manifold, particularly due to the hybridity of source texts. Furthermore, the supposedly simplified nature and universality of ELF as a code intended to facilitate communication – and translation – ties in with discourses encouraging the use of online translation tools and non-professional translation.Drawing on ELF studies and Translation Studies, I argue for a conceptualization of ELF as being marked by an intrinsic translation process related to the fluidity of languages. The translational character of ELF is testified to by the hybridity of texts produced by international organizations and written by non-native speakers of English, which are inevitably affected by the languages and cultures of their authors. Furthermore, I will show how views about the universality and transparency of a lingua franca cannot be separated from its translation, concluding that translators, translation scholars and international institutions have a responsibility to reveal ELF’s translational nature.