4 Text typology

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4 Text typology
4.1 Intetext!"lity "n# text types
4.1.1 Text types "n# t"nsl"tion $!"lity
4.2 %"th"in" &eiss' text typology
4.3 Typologies o( texts in sim!lt"neo!s intepeting sit!"tions
4.3.1 %opc)yn*ski +19,0-
4.3.2 .ie#)ielski +19,,-
4.4 The ele/"nce o( text typology to intepeting
4.4.1 0lexie/"1s sem"ntic mo#el "s " tool (o est"2lishing text types
4.4.2 3!ggestions (o " hie"chic"l text typology (o intepeting

4 Text typology
4.1 Intetext!"lity "n# text types
Intetext!"lity "s " st"n#"# o( text!"lity concens 4the w"ys in which the po#!ction
"n# eception o( " gi/en text #epen# !pon the p"ticip"nts' knowle#ge o( othe texts4
+#e 5e"!g"n#e 6 7essle 19,1:1,2-. 0cco#ing to 5ell +1991:1809181-
intetext!"lity e(es to 4the el"tionship 2etween " p"tic!l" text "n# othe texts
which sh"e ch""cteistics with it: the ("ctos which "llow text9pocessos to
ecognise; in " new text; (e"t!es o( othe texts they h"/e enco!ntee#4. .e!2et 6
3he/e +1992:120- see intetext!"lity "s el"te# to the notion o( text type; "n#
intetext!"l #istinctions "e 4(ist9o#e text9typologic"l #istinctions4:
Intetext!"lity is 2"se# on wh"t the text !se; not the "n"lyst; expects to see in the text.
+<- Intetext!"lity "llows e"#es to i#enti(y scienti(ic texts "n# poems "s #i((eent
types o( texts. Thei expeience with pe/io!s inst"nces o( these two kin#s o( texts h"s
t"!ght them to look (o #i((eent ling!istic m"kes.
0 text typology "long (!nction"l lines co!l# incl!#e #escipti/e; n""ti/e; "n#
"g!ment"ti/e texts +#e 5e"!g"n#e 6 7essle 19,1:1-. The ch""cteistics o(
"g!ment"ti/e texts in t"nsl"tion h"/e 2een #isc!sse# 2y Tikkonen9Con#it +19,=:
19,>-; see section =.2.1.
The (ollowing t"2le; compile# on the 2"sis o( &eiss' #esciption +&eiss 198>:989100-
shows some o( the most well9known 4cl"ssic"l4 text typologies; 2"se# on %"l
5?hle's tip"tite mo#el o( the (!nctions o( ling!istic signs. &eiss' own typology will
2e #esci2e# in moe #et"il in section 4.2 2elow.

5?hle
(!nctions o( ling!istic signs 3tiehle
types o( h!m"n cognition Cosei!
l"ng!"ge (oms &eiss
text types
in(om"ti/e +7"stell!ng- thinking; pecei/ing #escipti/e; #ecl""ti/e;
in(om"ti/e in(om"ti/e
expessi/e +0!s#!ck- (eeling expessi/e; "((ecti/e; emoti/e
expessi/e
/oc"ti/e +0ppell- willing /oc"ti/e; impe"ti/e ope"ti/e
@ig!e 4 91 Text typologies +"(te &eiss 198>-
4.1.1 Text types "n# t"nsl"tion $!"lity
0cco#ing to &eiss +198>-; the "ssessment o( " t"nsl"tion e$!ies th"t in the (ist
pl"ce one m!st #etemine the kin# o( text the oigin"l epesents +in tem o( text type
"n# text /"iety-: the t"nsl"to's conception o( the t"nsl"tion +to 2e in(ee# (om his
m"nne o( t"nsl"ting; "n# peh"ps "lso explicitly st"te# in " t"nsl"to's pe("ce-: "n#
the "im o( the t"nsl"te# text. Anly when these ("ctos h"/e 2ecome est"2lishe# is one
in " position to B!#ge " t"nsl"tion 4("ily4; in "cco#"nce with the "ppopi"te citei".
+&eiss 198>:989100.-

Text concept T"nsl"tion type T"nsl"tion "im

Text C s!m o( wo#s wo#9(o9wo# t"nsl"tion +inteline"- comp""ti/e
ling!istic ese"ch
Text C s!m o( sentences lite"l t"nsl"tion +g"mm" t"nsl"tion- (oeign
l"ng!"ge le"ning
Text C 2"sic ling!istic sign

le"ne# t"nsl"tion +#eli2e"tely m"ke# D comment"y- st!#y o( c!lt!e92o!n#
l"ng!"ge #i((eences
Text C /e2"l component o( " comm!nic"tion pocess +text9with9"9(!nction-
comm!nic"ti/e t"nsl"tion
"- nom"l c"se

2- speci"l s!2type
"- integ"l comm!nic"ti/e pe(om"nce
2- "ll kin#s o( ch"nges o( (!nction
@ig!e 492 Typology o( t"nsl"tion +&eiss 198>-
4.2 %"th"in" &eiss' text typology
In o#e to set !p " text typology ele/"nt to t"nsl"tion; &eiss +198>- 2egins with the
2"sic comm!nic"ti/e sit!"tions in which texts (!l(il $!ite speci(ic "n# #istinct
comm!nic"ti/e (!nctions. 0 tip"tite "spect o( l"ng!"ge; 2"se# on %"l 5?hle1s
tems 7"stell!ng; 0!s#!ck; 0ppell; +5?hle 1934- s!ggests " simil" #i/ision o(
2"sic /e2"l comm!nic"ti/e sit!"tions with thee coespon#ing text types:
In(om"ti/e
El"in comm!nic"tion o( ("cts +news; knowle#ge; in(om"tion; "g!ments; opinions;
(eelings; B!#gements; intentions etc.;- whee the topic is in the (oego!n# o( the
comm!nic"ti/e intention. This incl!#es ph"tic comm!nic"tion; the "ct!"l in(om"tion
/"l!e o( which is )eo; "n# the mess"ge is the comm!nic"tion pocess itsel( .
The #omin"nt (om o( l"ng!"ge is (!nction"l l"ng!"ge.
The text is st!ct!e# pim"ily on the sem"ntic9synt"ctic le/el.
Fxpessi/e
Ce"ti/e composition; "n "tistic sh"ping o( the context. The sen#e is in the
(oego!n#. The "!tho ce"tes his topics himsel(; conscio!sly exploits the expessi/e
"n# "ssoci"ti/e possi2ilities o( the l"ng!"ge in o#e to comm!nic"te his tho!ghts in
"n "tistic; ce"ti/e w"y.
The text is #o!2ly st!ct!e#: (ist on the synt"ctic9sem"ntic le/el; "n# on the le/el o(
"tistic og"nis"tion.
In "##ition to this ling!istic (!nction; "n expessi/e text m!st "lso (!l(il "n "tistic
(!nction.
Ape"ti/e
Text in#!cing 2eh"/io!"l esponses; "s stim!li to "ction o e"ction on the p"t o( the
e"#e. The (om o( /e2"lis"tion is m"inly #etemine# 2y the "##esse# ecei/e o(
the text.
The text is #o!2ly o tiply st!ct!e#: on the sem"ntic9st!ct!"l le/el; on the le/el o(
pes!"sion; "n# sometimes 2!t not necess"ily; on the le/el o( "tistic og"nis"tion.
0n ope"ti/e text m!st (!l(il 2oth " ling!istic "n# " psychologic"l (!nction.
4.3 Typologies o( texts in sim!lt"neo!s intepeting sit!"tions
4.3.1 %opc)yn*ski +19,0-
In the con(eence sit!"tion thee is " /"iety o( texts "nging (om completely
!npep"e# o"l spont"neo!s speech to the e"#ing o( " pep"e# witten text. 3ome o(
the typic"l inp!t texts "e:
1. !npep"e# o"l monolog!e o #i"log!e +e.g. " to"st; "n exposG; (ee #isc!ssion-:
2. semi9pep"e# o"l monolog!e with notes +e.g. " lect!e; " p"pe-:
3. " witten monolog!e inten#e# (o o"l #eli/ey H e"#ing theeo( +e.g. " lect!e; "
p"pe; " epot; " speech-:
4. " witten monolog!e inten#e# (o witten me#i!m H e"#ing theeo( +e.g. " (in"l
comm!ni$!G; " esol!tion; " #"(t #oc!ment; etc.-;
A( those (o! types; type 3 is po2"2ly the most common.
0cco#ing to %opc)yn*ski +19,0-; it is e"son"2le to "ss!me th"t the o!tp!t text
po#!ce# 2y the intepete h"s the (om o( extempo"neo!s speech. 3ince the
intepete is "n in#iect so!ce in the comm!nic"tion ch"in; his pe(om"nce is not
completely 4spont"neo!s4 in the sense o( 4!npep"e#; !npl"nne#4; 2ec"!se the
intepete (ollows the spe"ke1s pim"y so!ce text. The intepete1s o!tp!t text is
extempo"neo!s me"ning 4po#!ce# on the 2"sis o( " pe/io!sly !nknown text.4
%opc)yn*ski +19,0- "ss!mes pe/io!s knowle#ge 2y the intepete o( the (iel# o(
#isco!se o( the t"nsl"te# texts incl!#ing teminology; the topic o( the con(eence;
etc. 5y "n 4!nknown text4 is then me"nt concete text!"l e"lis"tions o( " pe/io!sly
known (iel# o( #isco!se.
Fxtempo"neo!s speech in this sense po2"2ly h"s most o( the (e"t!es o(
spont"neo!s o"l speech +%opc)yn*ski 19,2-.
In tems o( #i((eence 2etween witten "n# spoken s!2co#es; "n# concei/ing o(
t"nsl"tion in its 2o"#; semiotic sense; %opc)yn*ski +19,0- #isting!ishes the
(ollowing t"nsl"tion"l pocesses when the sim!lt"neo!s intepete #e"ls with the text
types #e(ine# "2o/e:
Type 1; !npep"e# o"l monolog!e o #i"log!e:
spoken s!2co#e L1 99I spoken s!2co#e L2
Type 2; semi9pep"e# o"l monolog!e with notes:
spoken s!2co#e L1 99I spoken s!2co#e L2
Type 3; witten monolog!e inten#e# (o o"l #eli/ey:
witten s!2co#e L1 99I spoken s!2co#e I.T +intesemiotic t"nsl"tion- 99I spoken
s!2co#e L2
Type 4; witten monolog!e inten#e# (o witten me#i!m:
witten s!2co#e L1 99I spoken s!2co#e I.T 99I spoken s!2co#e L2
In consec!ti/e intepeting; whee t"nsl"tion goes tho!gh the st"ge o( note9t"king;
the pocess is e/en moe complex:
Types 1 "n# 2. spoken s!2co#e L1 99I g"phic me#i!m I.T 99I spoken s!2co#e L2
Types 3 "n# 4. spoken s!2co#e L1 99I g"phic me#i!m I.T 99I spoken s!2co#e I.T
99I spoken s!2co#e L2.
4.3.2 .ie#)ielski +19,,-
.ie#)ielski +19,,- h"s #e/elope# " typology o( sim!lt"neo!s intepeting; inspie# 2y
the ch""cteistics o( texts in con(eence intepeting #esci2e# 2y %opc)yn1ski
+19,0-. Je elies on #e 5e"!g"n#e1s "n# 7essle1s +19,1- st"n#"#s o( text!"lity "s
" theoetic"l 2"sis. To thei se/en st"n#"#s; .ie#)ielski "##s "n eighth one; #ensity o(
in(om"tion +#ensitG #1in(om"tion-. This is #e(ine# "s the m"them"tic"l po#!ct o(
the length o( the #isco!se; its sem"ntic #ensity; its mophosynt"ctic complexity; its
"co!stic cl"ity; "n# its spee# o( #eli/ey +.ie#)ielski 19,,:492949=-.
.ie#)ielski #isting!ishes se/en types o( texts in sim!lt"neo!s intepeting "mong the
two m"in text types: 4o"l texts4 which "e not witten; "n# 4witten texts4 th"t "e
witten; e"#9"lo!# texts.
A"l texts:
Impompt! monolog!e
Eep"e#; not e#ite# monolog!e
E"ti"lly pep"e# #i"log!e
Eep"e# "n# p"ti"lly e#ite# monolog!e
Konolog!es le"nt 2y he"t "n# ecite#
&eco#e# texts
Litten texts:
F#ite# "n# ecite# monolog!e
F#ite# "n# e"#9"lo!# text
In sim!lt"neo!s intepeting; text #eli/ey sp"ns (om impompt! speech to the
e"#ing "lo!# o( witten #oc!ments. .ie#)ielski points o!t "n inteesting p""#ox in
the ("ct th"t the intepete ten#s to "#opt " moe 4con/es"tion"l4 style when
intepeting " spe"ke who e"#s his text; while he ten#s to 4e#it4 " moe spont"neo!s;
spoken !tte"nce. 0cco#ing to .ie#)ielski; this is "pp"ently #!e to the pecei/e#
ole o( the intepete "s " con/eyo o( the inten#e# me"ning o( the spe"ke. The
intepete th!s h"s to m"ke the text e"sy to !n#est"n# (o the listene; i.e. ince"se
the "ccept"2ility in tems o( text!"lity.
0nothe expl"n"tion co!l# 2e th"t the intepete; in the moe o less 4"nonymo!s4
con(eence intepeting sit!"tion; is tying to (in# some kin# o( pecei/e# 4mi##le
nom4 in his o!tp!t H m!ch in the s"me w"y "s o(ten h"s 2een #esci2e# in the
context o( witten t"nsl"tion.M>N 0n ill!st"tion in o! cop!s o( this 4"ccept"2ility (o
"ll4 pinciple c"n 2e (o!n# in section >.1.2.4.
0 thi# expl"n"tion (o the 4con/es"tion"l4 style o( the intepete h"s 2een s!ggeste#
2y 3tol) +1992-: the intepete is "ct!"lly t"lking (eely "n# is thee(oe 2o!n# to 2e
moe e#!n#"nt th"n the spe"ke. This is 2ec"!se in the intepete's !tte"nce
"##ition"l !nconscio!s e#!n#"ncy is "##e# to the conscio!s one +po#!ce# 2y the
spe"ke "n# !ttee# 2y the intepete-. In o#e to "/oi# pocess!"l o/elo"# the
intepete o(ten h"s to st"t to (om!l"te "n !tte"nce 2e(oe he knows the whole
tho!ght "n# c"n only g!ess the gene"l intention o( the spe"ke. I( the (ollowing inp!t
#oes not cont"in in(om"tion th"t the intepete h"# "nticip"te# "n# the intepete
h"s c"p"city to go 2"ck "n# #eli/e the coecte# in(om"tion; he will 2y necessity 2e
moe e#!n#"nt +3tol) 1992:1=2-.
0cco#ing to the s"me pinciple o( "lle/i"ting cogniti/e stess then; some o( the
e#!n#"ncy in the speech (low o( the 4spont"neo!s4 spe"ke c"n 2e e#!ce# 2y the
intepete. This 4compessing4 2y intepetes is #esci2e# 2y Cheno/ +c(. section
8.1.2-.
In the (ollowing speech s"mple (om o! cop!s; "ll o( the l"tte +@innish- p"t is
stictly spe"king e#!n#"nt "s it only e(es to wh"t the spe"ke h"s "le"#y st"te# in
the initi"l !tte"nce in 3we#ish. This eite"tion 2y the spe"ke m"ks th"t she is now
st"ting " new section; hence it is o( co!se necess"y to intepet; 2!t some o( the
e#!n#"ncy c"n 2e t"ken "w"y witho!t "ny neg"ti/e conse$!ence.

3ection no. Aigin"l T"nsl"tion o( oigin"lIntepet"tion T"nsl"tion o(
intepet"tion
102 i #ett" s"mm"nh"ng h" B" / h"(t lite "tt gO" me ope"(oskning in this
connection I h"/e h"# / some cont"cts with ope" ese"ch tPssP yhtey#essP olen
Boss"in mPPin Bo!t!n!t tekemisiin ooppe"t!tkim!ksen k"nss" In this connection
I h"/e to some extent 2een in cont"ct with ope" ese"ch /
103 och B" tPnke n! 2yt" spQk "n# I "m now going to ch"nge l"ng!"ge /
"ion nyt se!""/"ksi /"iht"" kieltP / I "m now next going to ch"nge l"ng!"ge
104 e(tesom #e hP (oskningspoBektet gQ pQ (insk" since this ese"ch poBect
is c"ie# o!t in (innish kosk" poBekti on s!omenkielinen / since the poBect is
in the (innish l"ng!"ge
< < < <
10, olen to#ell" like I s"i# I h"/e B" h" "lltsQ I h"/e "s I s"i#
109 /iime "ikoin" ecently
110 Bo!t!n! om"ss" t!tkim!ksess"ni h"# the ch"nce in my own ese"ch i
mitt (oskning / in my ese"ch
111 "ik" p"lBon $!ite " lot
112 peehtymPPn s!om"l"iseen ooppe""n to get to know (innish ope"
kommit in i #en (insk" ope"n got into (innish ope"
113 B" sen !simpiin teoksiin
+3.-
"n# its newest woks Q #i ny"ste /eken / "n# the newest woks
It"lics: #eletion
@ig!e 493 Fconomic"l intepeting +compession-

4.4 The ele/"nce o( text typology to intepeting
Rentile +19,,:4,3- s!ggests (!the ese"ch on text typology 2"se# on text!"lity
st"n#"#s:
+...- it m"y 2e (!it(!l to pocee# +...- with ese"ch on " typology 2"se# on text!"lity
st"n#"#s "s o!tline# 2y 5e"!g"n#e "n# 7essle +19,1-; especi"lly those st"n#"#s
which el"te moe to the ecepto th"n to the text itsel( "n# pecisely those o(
"ccept"2ility; in(om"ti/ity; sit!"tion"lity "n# intetext!"lity.
The #e/elopment o( "n "#e$!"te text typology (o intepeting is impot"nt (o
e#!c"tion"l p!poses in the t"ining o( intepetes; "s well "s the theoetic"l
#e/elopment within intepeting ese"ch. The (ollowing "ppo"ches co!l# 2e p"t o(
the 2"sis (o s!ch "n en#e"/o!.
4.4.1 0lexie/"1s sem"ntic mo#el "s " tool (o est"2lishing text types
In he wok with #e/eloping tools (o the st!#y o( sim!lt"neo!s intepeting; 0lexie/"
h"s pesente# " mo#el (o the "n"lysis o( the #eep st!ct!e o( intepete# texts. The
mo#el is 2!ilt !p "o!n# " thee9tie system o( sem"ntic !nits:
"- 3em"ntic (e"t!es +components- "s the minim"l #i((eenti"ting ("ctos:
2- Cl!stes o( sem"ntic (e"t!es; s!2#i/i#e# (!the into "g!ments; el"t"2le to the
sem"ntic c"tegoy o( o2Bect; "n# pe#ic"tes; el"t"2le to the sem"ntic c"tegoy o(
e/ent:
c- Ee#ic"tions: " pe#ic"tion is " two9tem sem"ntic c"tegoy o( " poposition"l
n"t!e; consisting o( " pe#ic"te "n# "g!ment+s-.
Lithin this ("mewok; the me"ning o( "n !tte"nce; "s the 2"sic !nit o( speech; c"n
2e epesente# "s " set o( pe#ic"tions +7eep 3em"ntic 3t!ct!e-. +@o #et"ils o( the
mo#el; see 0lexie/" 19,=:19=.-
The es!lt o( this pe#ic"tion "n"lysis c"n help to (in# o!t the m"Bo pe#ic"tions o( "
text +mico9text- o "n "ggeg"te o( texts +the m"co9text- #eli/ee# "t " con(eence:
"n# to est"2lish the types o( sem"ntic el"tionship 2etween the mico9texts o( "
con(eence. This in t!n helps !s to 2!il# " typology o( the texts #eli/ee# "t "
con(eence; "n# moe p"tic!l"ly; thei them"tic pogession; which is especi"lly
impot"nt (o the ope"tion o( the po2"2ility pe#iction mech"nism on the sem"ntic
le/el +0lexie/" 19,=:19>9198: 1994: c(. Cheno/; section 8.1-.
4.4.2 3!ggestions (o " hie"chic"l text typology (o intepeting
0cco#ing to Jeinem"nn 6 Siehwege +1991-; thee is now " ("9e"ching consens!s
"2o!t the #i((eence 2etween text c"tegoies "n# text cl"sses +4Textsoten4 "n#
4Textkl"ssen4: i.e. text9exten"lly #e(in"2le 'genes'- on the one h"n# "n# text
typology +4Texttypologie4- on the othe.
The (ome concepts e(e to the empiic"l cl"ssi(ic"tion o( texts th"t "e 2eing !se# in
/"io!s comm!nic"ti/e sit!"tions "n# (o /"io!s nee#s in h!m"n societies. This
me"ns th"t text c"tegoies "n# text cl"sses +genes- "e histoic"lly "n# soci"lly
#etemine# "n# pone to ch"nge "cco#ing to cic!mst"nce +c(. 5h"ti" 1993: 3w"les
1990-.
Text typology; on the othe h"n#; is the theoetic"l c"tegois"tion o( texts into
#i((eent types "cco#ing to cet"in ch""cteistics. Jeinem"nn 6 Siehwege +1991-
#e/elop " hie"chic"l; m!ltile/el typology (o the cl"ssi(ic"tion o( text types; the
m"in le/els 2eing:
I @!nction types
II 3it!"tion types
III 0ction types
IS Text st!ct!e types
S Eototypic"l (om!l"tion p"ttens
0long those lines; I s!ggest th"t " text typology (o intepeting wo!l# h"/e to t"ke
into "cco!nt the (ollowing ("ctos:
"- the #isco!se (!nction; i.e. whethe the text is; in &eiss' tems; see section 4.2;
in(om"ti/e; expessi/e; ope"ti/e +"g!ment"ti/e; pes!"si/e- o ph"tic:
2- sit!"tion types; i.e. the setting; e.g. type o( instit!tion whee intepeting is
con#!cte#: the n!m2e o( p"ties in/ol/e# in the inte"ction "n# thei oles in society;
p!pose o( inte"ction etc.:
c- type o( "ction th"t the sit!"tion #em"n#s; i.e. choosing the +"ppopi"te- gene o in
@o!c"!lt's tems; the text po#!ce# within " 4(ellowship o( #isco!se4: c(. 3w"les
1990:
#- text!"l st"tegy types; i.e. m"cost!ct!e; hetoic"l types "n# 4"esthetic4 (e"t!es:
etc. th"t the gene e$!ies:
e- pototypic"l (om!l"tion m"tices; i.e. con/ention"l ph"ses; con/entions (o
inte"ction; e.g. politeness; etc.