Notes on Christiane Nord’s Approach to Translation oriented

Text Analysis
Most writers on translation theory agree that before embarking upon any translation the translator
should analyse the text comprehensively. This is the only way of ensuring that he ST has been wholly
and correctly understood. Various proposals have been put forward as to how such an analysis should
be carried out and how particular translation problems might best be dealt with.
According to Nord what is needed is a model of ST analysis which is applicable to all text types and
text specimens, and which can be used in any translation task that may arise. The model should
therefore be
(a) general enough to be applicable to nay text and
(b) specific enough to take account of as many generalizable translation problems as possible.
So, the model is largely concerned with the language – independent aspects of culture,
communication and translation.
The factors of the communicative situation in which the source text is used are of decisive importance
of text analysis because they determine its communicative function. These factors are intratextual and
extratextual according to Nord.
The interplay between extratextual and intratextual factors can be conveniently expressed in the set of
“wh-questons”. Depending on their relationship to either the communicative situation of the text
itself, these questions can be assigned to the extratextual or intratextual factors of analysis.
Extratextual wh-questions Intratextual wh-questions
Who transmits On what subject matter
to whom does s/he say
what for what
by which medium what (not)
where in what order
when using which non-verbal elements
why in which words
the text in what kind of sentences
with what function? in which tone
in what effect ?
Intra textual factors consist of the content discourse and the structure whereas the factors of
extratextual consists the factors such as who the writer is, what the purpose of the writer, who the
reader is , etc.