Academic research by the Centre for Translation & Interpreting Studies in Scotland

The Centre for Translation & Interpreting Studies in Scotland's (CTISS) research emphasises the importance of language as structure and social action in translation and interpretation, especially with regard to majority and minority languages.

Public service interpreting

A particular strength in public service interpreting (PSI) and translation has been nurtured within the Department, with De Pedro Ricoy, Perez, Turner and Wilson all active participants in major networks of international expertise in PSI, presenting invited seminars, keynote lectures and the like nationally and internationally within a broader context of dialogue interpreting studies.

Literature & translation

Winters’ research has centred upon literary translation, using corpus linguistics as a platform for uncovering detailed insights into translator styles. Winters is currently exploring new avenues to the use of corpus-based techniques in translation studies.

Other text-types altogether are explored in Liao’s work on the emergence of popular science literature in Taiwan. Liao is currently extending this interest to examine the translation of Chinese culture in Scottish Museums.

Specialised communication

Alternative forms of specialised communication are addressed in the Department’s work on the translation of multimodal texts, showcased, for instance, in De Pedro Ricoy’s invited contributions to Summer Schools on Screen Translation in Bertinoro, Italy.

McLaren-Hankin’s work, meanwhile, highlighting a different form of specialised communication (ie textology in corporate communications), examines whether national business communities textualise genres differently. A new initiative under discussion envisages interdisciplinary collaboration with Heriot-Watt colleagues working in textiles and design to analyse the language and semiotics of the ‘ethical’ garment retail industry.

Translation & interpreting processes

As a group, CTISS colleagues are also engaged in reflexive interrogation of Translation & Interpreting processes within the design and delivery of the activity of research: Wilson has a long-standing interest in cross-cultural survey design and implementation, which has led to external invitations, while Turner is currently exploring both the experimental generation of quasi-naturalistic, ‘spontaneous’ interpreted data and the role of translation in the representational and analytical processes in BSL research.