Reframing Narratives in Translation: Analysis of Framing and Narratives in the Translation of Palestinian-Israeli Conflict in MEMRI (2011-2012)

Abstract

Is the translator “a monkey, with no choice save to make the same grimaces as his master” (Leppihalme, 1997, p. 19)? The current thesis addresses the key issue of whether the translator, especially when translating texts which are related to political conflicts, can be 100% impartial; or he/she may use various reframing devices and strategies, to either accentuate or suppress the frames of the original narrative. It attempts to answer the research questions: What are the types of devices and strategies which the translator can apply in order to reframe the ST?, how can the application of such devices and strategies accumulate to produce in the TT frames that are different from the ones in the ST?, and how does frame analysis add to the understanding of the human capacity to manipulate frames? In pursuit of this goal, the researcher analyses a sample of translated articles in light of the theory of “Framing” and linking it to the notion of “narrative” and to the process of “translating”. These articles have first been written in Arabic by Arab thinkers and have been published in Arab media, and then they have been translated and published by MEMRI (The Middle East Media Research Institute). Through this analysis, the researcher identifies how much “(re)framing” the translator has applied. The current study also pinpoints how frame analysis adds to the understanding of the human capacity to manipulate frames in interaction. The most important conclusion of the current research is that the translator is a second author. He/she can play a vital role, not only in representing reality, but more importantly in shaping it.