Using CAT in Literary Translation - How Tools May Support Translators in Source-Text Analysis, Translation and Retranslation: A Case Study of “Mr Loveday’s Little Outing”

Abstract

In this thesis, the central question was what potential benefits there are for literary translators using Voyant Tools (VT) and Sketch Engine (SE), and SDL Trados Studio (Trados) for source-text analysis and translation practice. The research braved the niche within translation studies with regard to literary translation and translation technologies other than machine translation. The research was centred around Evelyn Waugh’s short story “Mr Loveday’s Little Outing” (1936) as a case study, analysing the source text with VT and SE individually and retranslating it in Trados. This allowed for (potential) benefits to be identified, some of which also apply to literary translation without an existing translation being available. In this case, VT proved to be most beneficial in identifying recurring words, phrases and patterns in the text. Although SE showed significant limitations, it showed potential with regard to analysing larger and more complex corpora. Trados offered a greater general overview of the text and the term base and translation memory offered better documentation of translation choices. It was found that the tools added a new, more objective view of the text to that of a translator and made it easier to follow through translation choices based on the results of source-text analysis. As for retranslation, Trados’ segmentation reinforced a better comparison of the source text and the existing translation. General possibilities resided in more efficiently combining the workings of the tools, to which further research may add in order to work towards the actual implementation of CAT in literary translation.