APPROACHING CULTURAL RELATIONS FOR TRANSLATION PURPOSES

Abstract

‘Raising cultural awareness’, ‘translating across cultures’ or ‘cultural proficiency’ have become common words in translating and interpreting. The concept of culture has constituted recently the main subject of many translation books and scientific articles (Tannen 1985; Triandis 1994; Hatim and Mason 1997; Katan 2004; Croitoru 2006, 2008). Likewise, the concept of intercultural communication (the process of exchanging meaningful and unambiguous information across cultural boundaries, in a way that preserves mutual respect and minimises antagonism – Wikipedia) has become a key concept in everyday communication practices and especially in translation or interpreting. According to the Journal of Intercultural Communication, communication needs to be “… as constructive as possible, without misunderstandings and breakdowns. It is our belief that research on the nature of linguistic and cultural similarities and differences here can play a positive and constructive role.” (http://www.immi.se/intercultural/).