The translational metaphor in psychoanalysis

Abstract

The translational metaphor in psychoanalysis refers to the traditional method of interpreting or restating the meaning of verbal and behavioral acts of a patient in other, presumably more accurate terms that specify the forces and conflicts underlying symptoms. The analyst translates the clinical phenomenology to explain its true meaning and origin. This model of analytic process has been challenged from different vantage points by authors presenting alternative conceptions of therapeutic action. Although the temptation to find and make interpretations of clinical material is difficult to resist, behaving in this way places the analyst in the position of a teacher or diagnostician, seeking a specific etiology, which has not proven fruitful. Despite its historical appeal, I argue that the translational model is a misleading and anachronistic version of what actually occurs in psychoanalysis. I emphasize instead the capacity of analysis to promote the emergence of new forms of representation, or figuration, from the unconscious, using the work of Lacan, Laplanche, and Modell to exemplify this reformulation, and provide clinical illustrations of how it looks in practice.

Translations of summary

Die Übersetzungsmetapher in der Psychoanalyse

In der Psychoanalyse bezeichnet die Übersetzungsmetapher die traditionelle Methode der Deutung oder Neuformulierung der Bedeutung verbaler Äußerungen und Verhaltensakte eines Patienten in andere, mutmaßlich präzisere Formulierungen, welche die den Symptomen zugrundeliegenden Wirkungskräfte und Konflikte spezifizieren. Der Analytiker übersetzt die klinische Phänomenologie, um ihre eigentliche Bedeutung und ihren Ursprung zu erklären. Dieses Modell des analytischen Prozesses wurde unter verschiedenen Blickwinkeln von Autoren in Frage gestellt, die alternative Konzeptualisierungen der therapeutischen Wirkung formuliert haben. Wenngleich man der Verlockung, nach Deutungen des klinischen Materials zu suchen und Deutungen zu geben, nur schwer widerstehen kann, versetzt dieses Verhalten den Analytiker in die Position eines Lehrers oder Diagnostikers auf der Suche nach einer spezifischen Ätiologie; dies hat sich als nicht ergiebig erwiesen. Ich behaupte, dass das Übersetzungsmodell trotz seiner historischen Anziehungskraft eine irreführende und anachronistische Version dessen ist, was in der Psychoanalyse tatsächlich geschieht. Daher betone ich die Fähigkeit der Analyse, das Auftauchen neuer Formen der Repräsentation oder Figuration aus dem Unbewussten zu fördern. Zur Illustration dieser Neuformulierung stütze ich mich auf die Arbeiten von Lacan, Laplanche und Modell und zeige an klinischen Beispielen, wie sich diese neue Sichtweise in der Praxis niederschlägt.

La Metáfora de la Traducción en el Psicoanálisis

La metáfora de la traducción en psicoanálisis se refiere al método tradicional de interpretar o de re‐definir el significado de los actos verbales o de comportamiento de un paciente en otros términos, presumiblemente más correctos, que detallen las fuerzas y los conflictos que subyacen a los síntomas. El analista traduce la fenomenología clínica para explicar su verdadero significado y origen. Algunos autores han cuestionado este modelo de proceso analítico desde diferentes puntos de vista y han presentado concepciones alternativas de acción terapéutica. Si bien resulta difícil resistirse a la tentación de encontrar y hacer interpretaciones del material clínico, este comportamiento le ubica al analista en la posición de un maestro o un diagnosticador, en busca de una etiología, lo cual no ha resultado fructífero. A pesar de su atractivo histórico, el autor considera al modelo de la traducción una versión errónea y anacrónica de lo que realmente ocurre en el psicoanálisis. En cambio, subraya la capacidad del análisis de promover la emergencia de nuevas formas de representación o de figuración, desde el inconciente; utiliza los trabajos de Lacan. Laplanche y Modell para ejemplificar esta reformulación, y provee algunas ilustraciones clínicas para mostrar cómo funciona en la práctica.

La métaphore de la traduction en psychanalyse

La métaphore de la traduction en psychanalyse renvoie à la méthode traditionnelle de l'interprétation ou de la reformulation du sens des actes de parole et de comportement en des termes plus adéquats qui spécifient les forces et les conflits qui sous‐tendent les symptômes. L'analyste traduit la phénoménologie clinique pour expliquer son véritable sens et son origine. Ce modèle du processus analytique a été remis en cause à partir de différents vertex par des auteurs qui proposent d'autres visions de l'action thérapeutique. Bien qu'il soit difficile de résister à la tentation de trouver et de formuler des interprétations du matériel clinique, pareille attitude met l'analyste dans une position d'enseignant ou de diagnosticien à la recherche d'une étiologie spécifique, ce qui s'est révélé infructueux. En dépit de l'intérêt historique du modèle de la traduction, l'auteur soutient que celui‐ci constitue une version erronée et anachronique de ce qui advient en réalité en psychanalyse. Il met plutôt en évidence la capacité de l'analyse de promouvoir l'émergence de nouvelles formes de représentation ou de figuration de l'inconscient et s'appuie sur les travaux de Lacan, Laplanche et Modell pour illustrer cette reformulation et fournir des exemples cliniques issus de la pratique.

La metafora traduttiva in psicoanalisi

In psicoanalisi la metafora traduttiva si riferisce al metodo tradizionale di interpretare o riformulare il significato degli atti verbali o comportamentali del paziente in altri termini, presumibilmente più accurati, che esplicitano forze e conflitti sottostanti i sintomi. L'analista traduce la fenomenologia clinica per spiegare la vera origine e il vero significato dei sintomi. Questo modello di processo analitico è stato messo in discussione da diversi vertici da autori che presentano concezioni alternative di azione terapeutica. Per quanto sia arduo resistere alla tentazione di dare interpretazioni del materiale clinico, questa modalità finisce per collocare l'analista nella posizione del docente o del diagnosta, alla ricerca di una specifica etiologia, che si è rivelata infruttuosa. Propongo che, sebbene sia stato storicamente allettante, il metodo traduttivo è una versione fuorviante e anacronostica di quello che effettivamente avviene in psicoanalisi. Sottolineo, invece, la capacità dell'analisi di promuovere l'emergere di nuove forme di rappresentazione, o raffigurabilità, dall'Inconscio, con un rimando ai lavori di Lacan, Laplanche e Modell, al fine di esemplificare questa riformulazione. Vengono fornite illustrazioni cliniche per evidenziare questo approccio alla prassi clinica.

Key words:

• translation
• interpretation
• figuration
• symbolization
• speech
• signifier

1. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/gpgB9BuChPw

1. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/gpgB9BuChPw

Notes

1. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: http://youtu.be/gpgB9BuChPw

2. “As you know, I am working on the assumption that our psychic mechanism has come into being by a process of stratification: the material present in the form of memory traces being subjected from time to time to a rearrangement in accord with fresh circumstances – to a retranscription. & I should like to emphasize the fact that the successive registrations represent the psychic achievement of successive epochs of life. At the boundary between two such epochs a translation of the psychic material must take place” (Freud, letter to Fleiss, 12 December 1896; Masson, 1985).

3. This perspective was developed extensively by Scarfone (2007) in his paper presented at the Berlin Congress.

4. In the famous case of Senatspresident Schreber, Freud stated (1911, SE 12, p. 71): “It was incorrect to say that the perception which is suppressed internally is projected outwards; the truth is rather, as we now see, that what was abolished internally returns from without.”

5. In his paper for a Festschrift for André Green, Modell (1999) commented that early affective memories (like the experience of a ‘dead mother’ about which Green wrote) become templates that provide the meaning of later life experiences.

6. Lacan discusses questions of the signifier and the trace in many places, notably his seminars on Les formations de l'inconscient (1957–58) and L'identification (1961–62).

7. This is why the Other's question [la question de l'Autre] – that comes back to the subject from the place from which he expects an oracular reply – which takes some such form as ‘Che vuoi?’ (‘What do you want?’), is the question that best leads the subject to the path of his own desire, assuming that, thanks to the know‐how of a partner known as a psychoanalyst, he takes up that question, even without knowing it, in the following form: ‘What does he want from me?’ (Lacan, 1960a).

8. Lacan discusses the relation between the signifier and the subject in many places. A basic reference is in ‘The instance of the letter in the unconscious, or reason since Freud’ in The Écrits in which he writes that the subject is what slides under the chain of signifiers (1960b, p. 689). Although his formulation changes over time, with a growing appreciation of the non‐linguistic aspects of the signifier, the general idea remains fairly consistent (see Seminar XX, for example).

9. “When we say gender is performed we usually mean that we've taken on a role or we're acting in some way and that our acting or our role playing is crucial to the gender that we are and the gender that we present to the world. To say that gender is performative is a little different because for something to be performative means that it produces a series of effects. We act and walk and speak and talk in ways that consolidate an impression of being a man or being a woman” (Butler, interview, 29 Feb 2011).