A Semiotic Approach to the Theory of Translation: - Bruno Osimo ...

Translation L N → L N ’ is a creative process, consisting of the
transformation of the units of language RC, in which is
encoded the sender’s message M, into units of another
language RC’, reproducing so far as possible a constant
information I=I’.
This definition provides answers to some earlier questions:
1. We can speak of a general model of translation. It is
always as in the modified version of figure 1, i.e., with a
transformer between RC and RC’.
2. Therefore the three traditional genres are only subclasses
of a general class, and their characteristics are not in
complementary distribution as some writers put them
(e.g., literary-creative vs. technical-mechanical).
3. Therefore the degree of fidelity to be aimed at is always
the same, contrary to what some writers claim, because
the aim of the process is always the same.
Sender
(S)
→ Information
formulated
to send
(I)
Message
(M)
→
Channel
M’ I’
→
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . .
.
Extralinguistic
‘Reality’
(R)
Figure 1
Rules & Code Book
(RC)
(=Competence/Lexicon)
(RC’)
Receiver
(S’)
Modified
world
image
(R’)
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