Reflection of Ideological Orientations in Translation of ISIS News: A Critical Discourse Analysis Approach

Abstract

The media plays a significant role in delivering news and transmitting the corresponding ideology to the world. Generally speaking, news agencies are influenced by the dominant ideology of the ruling groups in broadcasting. Likewise, translation of the political news is influenced by the ideology of the dominant power in the target society. Translation is believed to be a purpose-oriented and conscious process. In fact, a translator is consciously or unconsciously influenced by his ideology or the ideology of the ruling class that results in the manipulation of the ST. This study aimed at investigating the impact of dominant ideology on translation of ISIS news through critical discourse analysis (CDA). To this end, Farahzad's model of CDA as well as Zauberga's theory of ideological manipulation were used. The data were gathered from ISIS-related BBC news and was compared with its Persian translations presented by “BBC Persian” and some of Iran’s government news agencies. The results revealed ideological manipulation in Persian translations. Moreover, according to Farahzad's CDA model, “lexical choices” and “tense” were of the highest frequencies and considering Zauberga's theory of ideological manipulation, “deletion” and “addition” were the most frequently used strategies in transmitting the dominant ideological orientations in the target society.