Title: Prototype Theory and Translation Equivalent Selection: The Case of Motion Verbs
Abstract: AbstractThe paper aims to investigate whether prototypicality effects (e.g., Rosch 1973a, b; Lakoff 1987) correlate with selecting Serbian translation equivalents of English motion verbs in cases in which we have no context determined (one-word translation). By applying three empirical stages, we have generated a potential prototypicality list for English motion verbs. We have then tested 60 translators in another procedure, so as to check whether there were statistically valid links between a verb’s typicality and the choice of a translation equivalent. The results indicate that a higher degree of prototypicality positively correlates with a more consistent choice of a translation equivalent. At the same time, there is a negative correlation between the determined prototypicality and the diversity of translation equivalents offered for the verb in question. These results may reveal certain psychological aspects of translation, while simultaneously corroborating the tenets of prototype theory.Keywords: prototypicalityone-word translationequivalencemotionverb AcknowledgementsWe would like to express our sincere gratitude to Đorđe Vidanović, Predrag Novakov, Jasmina Grković Mejdžor, Åke Viberg, Mihailo Antović, Vladimir Figar, Kelsey Montzka-Böttiger, our respondents, and the anonymous reviewers – without their help, this study would not have been possible. The study was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia and implemented at the University of Niš (the projects number 179013 and 179074).
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-01-18
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 5
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot