Translation of media tracking for multinationalsdeveloping a practical, theoretical and ethical framework and methodology

Abstract

Translation of Media Tracking for Multinationals: Developing a Practical, Theoretical and Ethical Framework and Methodology This doctoral thesis focuses on the translation of media tracking, whereby multinationals require copies of Spanish media content in English translation in order to gain on the spot information on the visibility of their products, the portrayal of the chief executive officer (CEO), the company itself or the sector as a whole. This quantitative and qualitative monitoring process is considered an essential part of a company¿s strategic communications and budget and is closely linked to the globalisation of the marketplace and the rapid developments in information and communication technologies in recent decades. In reference to the latter, this encompasses translation commissions sourced from both offline (printed press) and online media, including social networks such as Facebook and/or Twitter. This study is based on data gathered from direct professional experience working for multinationals in Spain for over fifteen years, amounting to a corpus of 7.5 million words. Media tracking assignments over a three-year period are divided into five principal categories for analysis: product mission, market situation, crisis management, corporate social responsibility, and CEO visits and interviews. Close analysis of fourteen case studies shows that texts for translation can be organised usefully according to a key target text function; a new concept stemming, on the one hand, from the application of functionalist translation theory and resulting in the identification of 4 text types: informative, aesthetic, appellative or phatic. On the other hand, this concept requires the identification of corporate strategies underpinning the press clippings: market penetration, product development, market development, diversification and/or corporate image. Moreover, the case studies include discussion of the relevant ethical questions surrounding translation of media content, taking into account the implications of corporate image. Drawing together these strands of translation theory, business strategy and professional ethics leads to the development of a new practical, theoretical and ethical framework and methodology. In this practical framework, the first step is to identify the category of media tracking, the second is to pinpoint the underlying corporate strategy, in the third and fourth steps the source and target texts need to be classified respectively and, finally, the key target function is defined in the fifth step. The reasons why this methodological framework should be applied in academic instruction are then outlined, backed by suggestions, in the form of lesson plans, on how to apply it in translator training. For this purpose, descriptive analyses of a cohort of undergraduate translation assignments on media tracking are presented. Based on these analyses, it can be concluded that the effective application of the key target text function serves as a key performance indicator in translator training and practice, thereby helping translators to make a significant contribution to the lexical, stylistic, informational and ethical aspects of present and future commercial discourse, which, in turn, feeds into business intelligence.