The reader and the writer in technical texts in English, Spanish and Catalan

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an ongoing study of how writers involve the reader in technical texts in English, Spanish and Catalan. The traditional rhetorical devices used to involve the reader in Romance languages are rather different from those used in English. Thus, when translating from English, the translator has to decide between literal translation and modulations. We have analysed translations into Spanish and Catalan in two different genres, academic textbooks and semi-technical magazines to compare the translation strategies followed in each genre. Different translators adopt different strategies, however, they tend to be extremely coherent in the strategy used. In semi-technical magazines we have found that there is more overt reader address in translations than in academic textbooks. This is probably because they are written in a less formal style and because they are often oriented towards selling a product.