Argumentative text structure and translation
This study proposes a method for describing the structure of argumentative texts. Two
sample texts are described, and the descriptions are used as tools in translation quality
assessment. The method contains problem-solution analysis, interactional and illocutionary
analysis, and macrostructure analysis. The texts are shown to be hierarchical
organisations of minitexts, in which the 'PS-components' of situation, problem, solution,
and evaluation are identified. The problem alone can constitute a minitext. The text is
looked at as an implicit dialogue in which an imaginary reader is assumed to challenge the
writer. Therefore the problem component has an assertive illocution: the reader's agreement
is not taken for granted. The problem component conveys the writer's thesis and its
justification. The solution component has a directive illocution: it conveys a recommendation
or a proposal. These features of the problem and solution are presented as text type
markers. The relations inside and between minitexts are hypotactic or paratactic along the
principles suggested by Grimes (1975). Macrostructure analysis organises the content of the
texts into typologically distinct sets of macropropositions, which constitute summaries of
the PS-components. The descriptions of the sample texts are used to assess translations of
extracts from them. It is tentatively suggested that success or failure in the conveyance of
the structure highlighted by the method may account for overall impressions of translation
equivalence. It is also suggested that access to the entire text may help translators to
perceive such structure and to convey it in the translation. Experiments are outlined for the
testing of these hypotheses.
...


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978-951-39-8195-2Keywords
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- Väitöskirjat [3040]
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