Target-Oriented Approach in the Analysis of Translations: A Case Study on Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady

Abstract

Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), as a theory among target-oriented approaches to translation studies underscores the descriptive rather than prescriptive aspect in research. Gideon Toury, the founder of this theory, has identified three sets of translational norms which can change during the course of time to contribute to the description of translations. The present study, using DTS as the main framework, intermingles this theory of translation studies with debates over gender linguistics. The focus of the study was investigation of the function- and product-oriented aspects in the translation of Henry James's "The Portrait of a Lady" by Majid Massoudi; at the same time the relation of gender and language in the translated text was studied. For investigating the function-oriented aspect a Persian novel – "I Put off the Lights" by Zoya Pirzad – was chosen and a set of questionnaires based on FIC (Feminist Identity Composite) by Fischer, et al (2000) were distributed among a sample of Iranian readers. The analysis of the data showed that these texts fulfill the same function. The product-oriented aspect was investigated by comparing target text (TT) and source text (ST) and identifying the norms. The findings manifested that the translation was source-oriented and “adequate”, tending to show interference from the ST without the translator's major interference when rendering the gender related parts.