Translation and visual communication: Case study of a hospital information leaflet.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explain and demonstrate that, in the leaflet--as a specific form of discourse-- meaning is primarily a product of the textual interrelationship of both its verbal and visual components. Our definition of meaning of the message in this analysis is that of form-meaning. The object of our analysis is a particular genre of discourse--the leaflet--which is placed at the intersection of verbal and visual communication. We begin by looking at visual communication theory to better understand how meaning is produced in "visual discourse". Next, we proceed to trace the way translation theory deals with the notion of "form" with regard to meaning. Finally, based on a case study of a hospital informlation leaflet we clearly demonstrate that there is an "isotopic" relationship between meaning and textual form. Ultimately, our study will reveal the necessity to reconsider the notion of "form" as it applies to pragmatic texts in translation theory and didactics. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)