Self-translation of academic discourse: the attitudes and experiences of authors-translators

Abstract

ABSTRACTTranslation can play an important role in the dissemination of academic discourse. However, the type of translation used in academic settings is often non-conventional, involving partial translation, the combination of translation with other types of language mediation or self-translation. As empirical research into the translation of some academic genres has been restricted by the lack of visibility of translations, the various translation practices employed in academic settings remain largely unexplored – in particular the practice of self-translation. This paper addresses the issue of self-translation in academic discourse, focusing on the experiences and attitudes of Slovene scholars. Data were collected in an interview study involving nine experienced scholars from three different academic disciplines. The interviews reveal the participants’ opinions on translation direction in self-translation, their practices concerning adaptation in self-translation, and their views on self-translation of academic texts. The findings delve into the key issues encountered by authors-translators and highlight the potential of self-translated academic texts for contrastive, intercultural and pedagogical purposes.