ABSTRACT
This article introduces a cognitively grounded theoretical framework for the translation of illustrated technical texts, situating itself at the interface of translation studies and cognitive studies of illustrated text comprehension. The article proposes that translators of illustrated technical texts process both verbal and visual information and that, consequently, their translation solutions are built on information interpreted from the combination of two different modes. The article outlines a theoretical framework supporting these propositions by examining what has been proposed about translation as cognitive activity, and comparing this with two cognitive models of illustrated text comprehension, namely the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the Integrated Theory of Text and Picture Comprehension. The article discusses the implications of the present discussion for future research on the translation of illustrated texts and emphasizes the importance of such research.
Note on contributor
Anne Ketola is a PhD candidate in the School of Language, Translation and Literary Studies at the University of Tampere, Finland, and a member of the MULTI (Multimodality in Translation and Interpreting) research group, investigating the role of multimodality within translation studies. This article is a part of her doctoral thesis in which she examines the interaction of visual and verbal information within the translation of illustrated technical texts. She is also a co-author of the forthcoming monograph Revoicing Picturebooks (together with Riitta Oittinen and Melissa Garavini), examining the role of visual information within picture-book translation.