Norms in AVT

José Luis Martí Ferriol

doi:10.47476/jat.v3i1.2020.11

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to review the concept of norm in Audiovisual Translation (AVT), a concept which has been subject to a dual approach when using it, both a descriptive one and a prescriptive one. The review proposed in this article is intended to be twofold: descriptive and critical. A descriptive approach will be the focus in the first two sections of the paper, where the history and evolution of the concept is analysed. A more critical stance is then adopted in the following two sections of the paper. The dual orientation of the concept of norm is highlighted in Section 3. The hypothetical application of norm theory to professional practices for the main modes within AVT has in most cases taken the form of guidelines, the result of a pure prescriptive approach. This discussion is covered in Section 4. The final fifth section summarizes the review, while pointing out the great significance of this fundamental notion within the field of AVT. All in all, the concept has proven to be successful and long-lasting, and it is mainly accepted that norms obtained from empirical research should give rise to guidelines for professional practice in translation.

Highlights

The main objective of this article is to review the concept of norm in Audiovisual Translation (AVT), a concept which has been subject to a dual approach when using it, both a descriptive one and a prescriptive one
Delabastita’s pioneering contribution was followed by others like Lambert (1994), who suggests the possibility of using the descriptive paradigm in the field of AVT, and Hermans (1999, p. 45), who highlights this possibility as a clear indication of some wider objectives within the paradigm
In 1993, Goris published the results of a case study related to dubbing in France, where he already proposed four types of norms for audiovisual translation: linguistic standardization, naturalization, explicitation, as well as the so-called “secondary norms”

Summary

Introduction

The main objective of this article is to review the concept of norm in Audiovisual Translation (AVT), a concept which has been subject to a dual approach when using it, both a descriptive one and a prescriptive one. The hypothetical application of norm theory to professional practices for the main modes within AVT has in most cases taken the form of guidelines, the result of a pure prescriptive approach Other scholars belonging to this group, Gideon Toury and Itamar Even-Zohar, introduced the concept of polysystem in Translation Studies These proposals were significant within the field and were further developed by others, such as Nord (1991), Chesterman (1997), Hermans (1999) and Munday (2001). Pedersen (2011) makes an excellent revision of “the potency of norms” This means that the term “norm” is both a hyponym and a hypernym, which is somewhat unfortunate, but it is common norm studies terminology, and it should be clear from the context in what sense the term is used. (Pedersen, 2011, p. 30)

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion