Hermes Journal of Language and Communication in Business

Journal Information

ISSN / EISSN : 0904-1699 / 1903-1785

Total articles ≅ 910

• Number of articles
• Open access articles

Abstract:

This study correlates with a research study published in the journal Pragmalingüística, in which the contrastive use of the rhetorical functions of citations in master's theses in Spanish and English was studied. The main objective pursued by this new research is to determine which rhetorical functions are used most frequently in the different parts of a master's thesis and what these can accomplish in each part of the text. Following Petrić (2007), a computerized textual analysis of the rhetorical function of citation was used to study this phenomenon in a corpus of sixteen (16) theses of which eight (8) were written by American and eight (8) by Spanish postgraduates in their native language. With regards to cultural conventions, the results showed that when compared to native Spanish writers, the Americans students use the highest number of citations and write a relatively longer Introduction and Conclusion parts. The sets of functions are consonant with the rhetorical purpose of each part, which thus shows a close link between the citation and the structural organization of the academic text, despite the frequent use of Attribution (AT) in most parts of the thesis.

Lluis Català-Oltra, Clemente Penalva-Verdù

Abstract:

This study analyses the languages used by companies in their telematic means (website, social media, etc.) in a specific geographical area, the Valencian Community (Spain), where two official languages (Catalan and Spanish) coexist and where there is a large influx of foreign tourists (mainly British). More specifically, the aim of the study is to understand the weight each language has in companies' telematic communication. The theoretical approach used for the analysis is the centre-periphery model, which is used to analyse national identity and language. Different techniques (use of secondary sources, mystery shopping, content analysis and direct observation) have been used in the quantitative empirical study to obtain a statistically disaggregated data matrix. The results strongly emphasize the peripheral and marginal position of Catalan in this region, and, on an international scale, the resistance of Spanish, which clearly maintains its hegemonic position over English in the telematic communications of these companies.

Abstract:

The language used in a product or service has an extraordinary impact on the creation of its brand and on its online success. As localization is a key aspect of a globalized business, attention should be given to the localization of brand language to ensure global consistency. This study explores brand language localization problems in an online help corpus. Specifically, it analyzes the problems posed by the localization of brand names and terms in the pre-translation phase, following Nord's pre-translation text analysis theory (2012). The main objective of the study is to understand the nature of identified brand language problems (professional purposes) and examine them (research purposes). The method implemented is a qualitative, interpretative analysis of a monolingual corpus in English comprising representative extracts from the Dropbox and Google Drive Online Help systems. The study is part of a wider research project exploring the concept of localization problems in online help localization.

Abstract:

Language-sensitive recruitment is a language management tool frequently used by corporate organizations. However, its relationship with corporate policy is lacking; hence, this study aims to consider language-sensitive job advertisements from a computational text analysis perspective and explore the match (or mismatch) between language-sensitive recruitment (English, Japanese, or bilingual) and corporate language policy. This study uses corpus methods combined with topic modeling and text analysis to investigate the influence of corporate language policy on the textual practice of language-sensitive recruitment in a Japanese multinational corporation (MNC). This study finds a considerable discrepancy between recruitment needs and corporate language policy. It also finds that bilinguals still play a key role in crossing language boundaries 10 years post-mandate of the English language policy in this Japanese MNC. The study contributes to business language by exploring an additional scenario for linking language competency with actual recruitment needs. Thus, this study sheds light on the implementation of language-sensitive recruitment in a multilingual corporate context, affecting the communication patterns and recruitment tactics.

Abstract:

Languages vary when it comes to linguistic manifestations of formal politeness, but what particularly marks professional email communication is the flexibility of the genre compared to traditional, formal business letters. This poses the question of how individual email writers navigate without clear standards and clearly prescribed formulae. This study focuses on the individual email writer and, specifically, opening salutations and closing valedictions in 927Norwegian workplace emails, followed by metapragmatic interviews with their senders. In an egalitarian society with few explicit linguistic manifestations of formal politeness, individual choices of formulations provide a rich source of data. Linguistic content analysis reveals a significant degree of consistency in each person's individual use, which indicates that when there are no commonly held norms, people make their own rules. The interviewees are aware ofwhich openings and closings they prefer, but often not why. Further analysis of the data reveals that hierarchical social distance is not a motivational factor, but the intentions to be either personally close or professionally distant are. Both are regarded as viable options in formal workplace emails by their users. However, the informants' perception of which linguistic items represent these motivations depends on individual preferences rather than on any establishedor institutionalised practises. The latter is not a uniquely Norwegian problem, but concerns email correspondents in general because of the flexibility innate to the email genre.

Abstract:

Translation is commonly regarded as a service both in translation industry and within Translation Studies (TS), but the question of what makes translation a service has not been widely explored. This conceptual paper looks at non-literary translation as a service, applying a paradigm of Service-Dominant S-D logic (S-D logic) to the field. Practices in translation service provision are analysed using the Facilities-Transformation-Usage framework (FTU framework), designed on the premises of S-D logic, as a tool. The paper shows that translation practices in general comply with this theoretical perspective, making translation, by definition, a service, and opens a window into the aspects that make it a service. Some current practices in the field do not, however, meet the criteria of an ideal service. These practices are discussed briefly in order to pinpoint, from the service theoretical point of view, where the problems lie.

Abstract:

Increasing automation and the emergence of new needs and forms of communication are triggering a redefinition of the role and work settings of translators and interpreters. For this reason, and with a view to enhancing employability, students need to be aware of the range of professional profiles they can pursue and the value they can bring to society. The aim of this paper is to put forward a series of teaching proposals aimed at promoting entrepreneurial competence. After presenting the results of an exploratory study of students' views of the profession, it proposes some activities that are considered particularly useful for fostering entrepreneurial competences.

Abstract:

The boundaries between translation technologies are fading and language professionals are heading towards a pluri- and transdisciplinary job description, for which the use of CAT tools, translation management systems, and machine translation (MT) are compulsory. "Language paraprofessionals", "paralinguists", "language consultants", "digital linguists", and a long list of other titles is emerging to refer to the professionals who master a number of features of several tools, while remaining attentive to linguistics (see Bond 2018). According to TAUS DQF Dashboard data presented in TAUS Newsletter the 1st of May of 2019, the industry averages show that 9.7% of the translation output origin comes from MT and that 1,057 words per hour are post-edited on average. This has clear repercussions on the profession from the employability perspective.With 66 submissions by LSCs and industry stakeholders, and 142 answers from individuals (in-house or freelance translators), we present the most salient subject matters from and for the translation industry regarding MT post-editing. Some represent gaps to be filled; others represent common ground already found. Thanks to this up-to-date knowledge of the globalization landscape, clear goals can be set, and the way is paved for evolution.

Gys-Walt Van Egdom, Kalle Konttinen, Sonia Vandepitte, María Fernández-Parra, Rudy Loock, Joop Bindels

Abstract:

This paper reviews entrepreneurial activities that take place within the simulated translation bureaus of member institutions of the INSTB network and establishes a link between entrepreneurism, self-efficacy and perceived competence. Reusing pre-test and post-test data of a student survey, a first attempt is made to design and test a survey instrument for gauging the impact of a simulated translation bureau on perceived entrepreneurial competence and self-efficacy for planning, setting up, and managing a translating organisation in pedagogical translation company simulations. Tentative results suggest a positive effect of participation in translation company simulation modules on students' entrepreneurial self-efficacy and perceived competence. Because of the anonymity of the data, pre-test and post-test responses could not be paired. As a consequence, the statistical significance of the results could not be confirmed.

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Hermes Journal of Language and Communication in Business

Source: https://www.scilit.net/journal/133449

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