Question 1

What does 'polysystem' mean?

Accepted Answer

A polysystem refers to a group of intersecting and partially overlapping systems such as different literary or cultural traditions that function together as a structured whole. It is not a hierarchical order of disparate, non-interacting systems or simply a variety of different systems functioning in parallel.

Question 2

What does Even-Zohar say is the 'normal' position of translated literature?

Accepted Answer

Even-Zohar argues that translated literature is typically seen as secondary to literature originally written in the target language.

Question 3

Which of the following is/are an advantage of descriptive translation studies?

Accepted Answer

Descriptive translation studies are systematic and provide a replicable framework, allowing for comparison across different studies. However, they do not focus on evaluating the quality of a target text (TT).

Question 4

Which is the best definition of norms in Toury's model?

Accepted Answer

Norms in Toury's model refer to sociocultural constraints that individuals learn through education and socialization, influencing their behavior and decisions within a specific cultural or social context.

Question 5

What is an 'adequate translation' in Toury's model?

Accepted Answer

In Toury's model, an 'adequate translation' is one that adheres more closely to the source language (SL) norms rather than the target language (TL) norms.

Question 6

What are Toury's two laws of translation?

Accepted Answer

Toury's two laws of translation are the law of growing standardization and the law of interference, which describe tendencies in how texts are translated from one language to another.

Question 7

Which of the following is correct?

Accepted Answer

S-universals are typical shifts between STs (Source Texts) and TTs (Target Texts) that tend to occur in translations. They are not necessarily present in all translations, nor are they unique to translated writing compared to non-translated writing.

Question 8

Of the norms proposed by Chesterman, which has the most ethical slant?

Accepted Answer

The Accountability norm is the most ethical of the three as it emphasizes the responsibility of the translator to provide accurate and faithful translations, as well as to acknowledge any errors made. This aligns with ethical considerations such as honesty, integrity, and accuracy in communication.

Quiz 7: Systems Theories