Creating an electronic journal:
opportunities and challenges. The story of Jostrans, The Journal of Specialised
Translation
Lucile
Desblache
Jostrans, The Journal of Specialised
Translation (www.jostrans.org) came to existence in January 2004. It is a
peer-reviewed, bi-annual, internet publication and its fifth issue will be
published in January 2006. The aim of this paper is to introduce it in the
context of existing electronic publications and to outline the main
opportunities and challenges encountered in running it.
The number of electronic
publications in the field of translation is relatively low, if we compare it to
other disciplines. Medical e-journals, for example, are published in huge
numbers by comparison. In order to put Jostrans in the context of other
electronic publications in Translation Studies and other related fields, a few
quantitative results have been drawn from the list of translation publications
available on the Geneva Ecole de Traduction et d'Interprétation library
database. If we include areas such as linguistics and multilingual current
affairs publications, such as Le Monde Diplomatique, about eighty e-journals
that are significant on the international Translation Studies scene are listed.
Although the list is not exhaustive, it does reflect the Translation Studies
electronic landscape. From this
selection of eighty journals, around half are exclusively electronic journals.
The rest also offer a paper version of their issues, or may offer an electronic
supplement.
Electronic publications in
translation, linguistics and their related areas are primarily monolingual.
From the list chosen, over fifty journals are monolingual, mostly published in
English by non-English native speakers. A few journals, mainly Canadian and
Spanish are bilingual, a dozen are multilingual. Multilingual publications are
not always the ones we might expect. For example, the Journal of Arabic and
Islamic studies encourages authors to write not only in English and Arabic but
in a wide range of European Languages. In many instances, contributors'
guidelines do not specify the language of use, English being assumed, which may
seem surprising in a multilingual, intercultural and interdisciplinary context.
The Journal of Intercultural Communication and the Journal of Multilingual and
Multicultural Development for instance, state no policy on language use. As
regards genre, 80% of online publications listed are journals, the rest are
newsletters, information bulletins or texts integrated within an interactive
site.
Many e-publications explore
possibilities which are still new to the publishing world in a creative and
stimulating manner. This is not specific to, but reflected in Translation
Studies. The main exploratory outputs concerns modes of publications. 'Gradual'
modes of publication, where documents are brought out regularly on the website,
and not as part of monthly, bi-monthly or bi-annual publication are used to
encourage readers and viewers to visit the site regularly as not only articles,
but perhaps also information lists and other details, including links to
related sites, are frequently updated. 'Grey literature', that is, in this
context, articles which have not been peer-reviewed, is also included, as space
limitations are not an issue in e-publishing. Another advantage of electronic
publishing is that it allows an unprecedented archives and search potential.
E-journals make the most these opportunities by creating electronic search
facilities. At macro-level, electronic library services such as Ingenta Connect
make huge corpora in Translation Studies available to readers instantly. Interactive developments are expanding in e-publishing,
but are very slow to develop in Translation Studies. Interactive translation
forums and directories such as Proz.com are moving in this direction, but
translation journals tend to remain quite reluctant to explore interactive
forms of communications.
Having discussed the context of
e-publishing in Translation Studies, we shall now concentrate on Jostrans, The
Journal of Specialised Translation. First, we shall summarize its editorial
policies and content. Second, the main challenges encountered will be explored
and future developments considered.
Jostrans aims to provide a forum for
translators, interpreters and researchers, disseminating information,
exchanging ideas and providing a dedicated outlet for research in specialised,
non-literary translation. Led by a team of internationally recognised scholars
(among whom Daniel Gile, Jeremy Munday, Peter Newmark, Anthony Pym, Christina
Schäffner and Jorge Díaz-Cintas), the journal promotes an integrative approach
in three main respects:
First, it has a multilingual
mission. Much is said about multilingualism, but as a recent study shows, it is
still primarily "a consequence of processes of migration and
minorisation" (Extra and Yağmur, 2004: 25). In about half of the
countries of the world, over fifty languages are spoken (Ethnologue Country
Index). Yet, in contrast to this multilingual presence, English is dominating
the publication world. This has two main consequences: most non-native English
speakers are required to publish in English. This is not only linguistically
challenging. It also puts these authors under pressure to consider topics
essentially relevant to an English-speaking readership. In addition, most
publications are translated from English, English being the most culturally and
politically prominent language (Unesco)[i]. Jostrans wants to make it possible for
writers to write in their native tongue and wants to encourage diverse points
of view in publishing articles from a range of linguistic and cultural sources.
Second, Jostrans is focused on
non-literary translation, an extremely large area which deals with pragmatic
texts, that is texts "of generally immediate, short-term use, which
imparts some information of a general nature or specific to a domain and for
which aesthetics play a secondary role." As pragmatic texts are considered
to comprise "some 90% the translations created in the world today"[1], (Delisle et al. 1999: 169-170) the
scope is huge. We have received articles on topics ranging from the terminology
of Buddhism to the history of Trados. We are keen to consider intracultural and
intercultural questions relating to non-literary translation. Claude Bédard
(1980), in his seminal work on technical translation, exposed the triple myth
of scientific language used in seemingly uniform, well established and well
structured ways. Cultural issues, as localisation has proved, are visible in
the most technical of texts and have not yet been given the importance and
attention which they deserve in non-literary translation. This means exploring
theories in fields which have mostly so far been explored nearly exclusively in
literature or cultural studies (such as postcolonial writing). It also means
investigating how languages in non-literary environments show their lack of
uniformity and express their diversity. In other words, considering issues
which relate to the interpretation of a source discourse and the construction
of a target discourse through the influence of cultural, social and political
frameworks. Thanks to its electronic format the journal is also flexible as
regards space and accessibility, which means that a wide range of point of
views, both through peer-reviewed contributions and informal feedback can be
exchanged.
Third, non-literary translation is inseparable
from an inter/multidisciplinary context. We have already emphasised the variety
of sources present in the conceptual framework used by researchers in
translation. The interdisciplinary nature of non-literary translation is
evident in the range of topics that the text contents, text types and text
forms provide: from tourist guides to technical brochures, from scientific
papers to medical reports, the range is huge. The debate concerning whether an
ideal translator is primarily a subject specialist or a trained linguist (Paul
Wijnands, 2001) is still open. The wide influence that each discipline has on
how texts are transferred, on the norms and conventions used (or transgressed)
has barely been studied in relation to non-literary translation. Since it is an electronic journal, Jostrans
endeavours to feed from and recount this wealth of subjects not only through
the traditional publication of articles but also through other features made
possible by electronic means. Jostrans is thus hoping to contribute to close
the gap between academia and professionals in the industry, providing scholarly
articles as well as a forum for exchange and information.
On paper, it may seem
straightforward to prioritise these three integrative aspects, but many challenges
have emerged as the journal was created and are emerging as it evolves. These
challenges can be grouped in four categories although they are interlinked.
They concern editorial decisions, content, technical matters and finance.
The decision to have a large
editorial board was taken with the aim of building a widely consultative,
collaborative, multinational team. The variety of communication modes widely
available makes it possible to exchange ideas and to collaborate from the four
corners of the globe. In practice though, organising videoconference sessions
has not been possible and our team has remained largely Eurocentric. We have
found quite difficult to involve practitioners and academics from smaller or
non European countries, although there is a strong Canadian presence in
Jostrans. Involving members electronically and implementing their suggestions
or decisions fairly can also be a challenge.
All participants live in different geographical locations, and it has
been difficult to build a collaborative relationships between participants.
Nevertheless, after three years of editorial life, a core of active members is
formed, and a sense of direction, trust and partnership is now present.
From a linguistic point of view,
relatively few contributors choose to publish their article in a minority
tongue. We thought that more authors would take the opportunity to write an
article in their native tongue and have it, or at least its abstract, translated
into English. We expected more difficulties concerning finding peer-reviewers
in minority languages. So far, this has proved to be a reasonable (and
enjoyable) task, partly because of our academic contacts throughout the world,
partly because it has not be overwhelming, the majority of non-English speaking
contributors wanting to write in English. In particular, academics are more
highly rated in their country of origin for writing in English and often prefer
to do so. This means that our English editors have to revise and style edit
quite a large number of articles, as the contributions are not always of a good
enough standard linguistically. The borderline between English facilitating
communication as a lingua franca and English as a language of power damaging to
diversity is thin and delicate. To close this paragraph on editorial decisions,
we shall briefly consider the question of quality vs quantity. One the most
remarkable advantages of electronic publishing is the lack of space limitation.
This is very useful as regards the multilingual policy discussed above, but
raises the issue of how much text could or should be included. Is relevant grey
literature desirable as a source of information? So far we have not included
it, but this decision may be revised. It was decided to not publish thematic
issues, or at least not exclusively thematic, as the strong point of Jostrans
is to circulate articles and information of interest without the usual
publication delays. Non-literary translation covers an immense area, and the
publication output of the journal may be sometimes eclectic, but we wish to
leave the door open for interesting articles to be published rapidly, which few
publications allow.
Technically, there is a lot of scope
for future growth, but Jostrans has developed considerably. Two key persons are
in charge of the journal, the webmaster Andy Walker (although the site was
initially developed by Charles McBride) and Robin Scobey, looking after
streaming developments. Miguel Bernal has just joined the team. We strongly
believe that an electronic publication should not just be a print journal
transferred to a website, but should use and strengthen opportunities offered
by technology. Within our limited means, we have endeavoured to do so, updating
events calendars and using comments received from readers electronically as
well as the data on readers which is available electronically to shape the
future of the journal. An average of forty-two readers a day are currently
accessing the journal, and from the information provided by our provider, they
are browsing through the journal, not only stumbling on the home page and
quitting. We have been providing streamed interviews of professionals in
translation and translation studies. These features play an important role in
filling the gap between academics and practitioners and allow us to provide
something quite unique in the translation publication world. We encounter
problems weekly of course. These can generally be solved with time and adequate
financing, which is the subject of our next paragraph.
A crucial aspect of a journal is its
financing. Jostrans is no exception. Finding resources for a creative
enterprise is an art. It requires time, useful contacts and imagination.
Currently, the publishing world in Translation Studies seems to be essentially
financed in three ways: through private sponsorship (The Translation Journal at
http://accurapid.com/journal/); through a
publishing company (the Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development
at http://www.multilingual-matters.net/jmmd/default.htm,
which is part of the Multilingual Matters output); through subscriptions only
or in conjunction with academic subsidies. Jostrans has so far been financed by
academia, indirectly through funds which had been gained through income
generating ventures. It has also benefited from the generosity of professionals
in Translation Studies who have contributed, with unfailing support, expert
advice and original articles. Initially, the editorial board agreed to offer
the journal free on a trial period of two years. We are reaching the end of
this period now and decisions need to be made regarding further funding. Having
some independence is crucial and we are exploring ways of obtaining funds while
developing this independence, for example through the publications of
conference proceedings, the organisation of conferences.... We would like if possible to retain the free
accessibility of the journal, as it plays an essential role in providing
information and exchange within the translation community, but we may have to
implement a subscription system. The journal has been set up in what can be
considered an idealistic but truly open and transparent manner. It does belong
to the translation community and is shaped by its needs. It does not 'belong'
to an institution or a group of individuals, even though it is supported by
both.
What of the future then? Our fifth
issue will be centered around audiovisual matters. We would like to provide
semi-thematic issues on a more regular basis, organised with one thematic part, one part left to a range
of subjects. Training and revision are the next key issues to be explored.
Guest editorship were considered at our last board meeting and have now been
adopted. They endorse our collaborative, open policy. We are also planning to use our academic
network for further collaborative programme. In the first issue of Jostrans, Peter
Newmark stated that "No profession is as divided as that of
translation". In transferring information, translators and interpreters
communicate with their readership and audience. But they also create texts
which mirror the state of the world: conflicts, contradictions, along with
cooperative ventures. We know now that
Bibliography
Bédard, Claude, (1980),
Delisle, Jean, Lee-Jahnke, Hannelore
and Cormier, Monique C. (eds.), 1999, Translation Terminology, Amsterdam/Philadelphia
: John Benjamins
Extra, Guus and Yağmur, Kutlay,
(eds.), (2004), Urban Mutlilingualism in
Newmark, Peter, "Non-literary in the Light of
Literary Translation" in Jostrans, Issue 1
http://www.jostrans.org/issue01/articles/newmark.htm
Wijnands, Paul, (2001),
"Subject-specific language and the acquisition of specialised knowledge: a
didactic model" in Lucile Desblache (ed.), Aspects of Specialised
Translation, Paris,
Ethnologue Country Index at http://www.ethnologue.com/country_index.asp
Site consulté le 24/10/2005.
Unesco, Index Translationum database
http://databases.unesco.org/xtrans/stat/xTransStat.a?VL1=SL&top=50&lg=0
Site consulté le 20/10/2005.
[1] Jean Delisle, Hannelore Lee-Jahnke
and Monique C. Cormier (eds.), 1999, Translation Terminology,
Amsterdam/Philadelphia : John Benjamins, pp. 169-170.
[i] The source text in the list
of the most popular books translated is English in over half of the cases. See
Unesco reference.