Business Websites as a Genre: Rendering Fair Language while Matching Corporate Values and Reader Expectations
Main Article Content
Abstract
This article aims at presenting web content as a genre with specific features, including very precise writers’ and readers’ expectations, diverse functions (skopos), text types and a strong bond with graphics and aesthetics. Business websites are investigated as a prime example of this genre focusing on the main challenges in rendering fair language in the English into Italian translation. In this genre, language is the mean through which writers—here, companies—can prove to be able to meet the readers’—here, potential customers—expectations in terms of company values. Framing the Italian linguistic and cultural context, the quest for inclusivity and gender-neutral language is evident and extremely relevant, making it a top priority for companies. Responding to the most common requests by corporations, some strategies are presented and their limits commented based on my experience as a practising translator. Linked to the idea of inclusivity, the concept of accessibility of web content is illustrated as a principle to follow to really embrace everybody. Web content is a brilliant case in which the choice of the language to be used reflects the most recent social transformation—sometimes even asking for avant-garde solutions—to meet readers’ expectations
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Banzanella, Claudia. “Genere e lingua”, Enciclopedia dell’italiano, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana fondato da Giovanni Treccani, 2010. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/genere-e-lingua_(Enciclopedia-dell%27Italiano)/. Accessed 02 Aug. 2023
Benetello, Claudia. When translation is not enough: Transcreation as a convention-defying practice. A practitioner’s perspective. The Journal of Specialized Translation. Jan. 2018. Issue 29, pp. 28-44. https://www.jostrans.org/issue29/art_benetello.php. Accessed 03 Aug. 2023.
Chukwumerije, Nkem. “Equitable Health Care Requires Inclusive Language.” Harvard Business Review, 19 July 2022, hbr.org/2022/07/equitable-health-care-requires-inclusive-language Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
D’Achille, Paolo. Identità e discorsi. Studi offerti a Franca Orletti, a cura di Laura Mariottini, Roma, RomaTrE-Press, 2015, pp. 55-73.
D’Achille, Paolo. Un asterisco sul genere, Accademia della Crusca, 24 Sept. 2021. https://accademiadellacrusca.it/it/consulenza/un-asterisco-sul-genere/4018. Accessed 02 Aug 2023.
Di Michele, Valentina, et al. Scrivi e lascia vivere. Palermo. Flacowski, 2022.
European Parliament, Gender-neutral language in the European Parliament, 2018
Gaballo, Viviana. Exploring the boundaries of transcreation in specialized translation. ESP Across Cultures 9. 2012, pp. 95-113.
Katan, David. Translation at the cross-roads: Time for the transcreational turn? Perspectives: Studies in Translatology. 2016, 24(3) pp. 365-381.
McCulloch Gretchen. Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language. First Riverhead paperback edition 2020 ed. Riverhead Books 2020
Moran, Kate. “The Four Dimensions of Tone of Voice.” Nielsen Norman Group, 17 July 2016, www.nngroup.com/articles/tone-of-voice-dimensions/ Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
Redazione. “Cacciari Contro Schwa E Asterisco: “Il Rispetto Non Passa per Una Trasformazione Artificiale.”” Agenzia Dire, 9 Feb. 2022, www.dire.it/09-02-2022/706502-cacciari-contro-schwa-e-asterisco-il-rispetto-non-passa-per-una-trasformazione-artificiale/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
Reiss, Katharina. Type, Kind and Individuality of Text: Decision Making in Translation. Poetics Today, vol. 2, no. 4, 1981, pp. 121–131, https://doi.org/10.2307/1772491. Accessed 24 Aug. 2023
Sabatini, Alma. Il sessismo nella lingua italiana, Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, Roma, 01 Jan. 1987, https://www.nngroup.com/articles/tone-of-voice-dimensions/ Last accessed 30 Nov. 2023
“Sanremo, Beatrice Venezi: “Direttore, Non Direttrice”. E I Social Si Spaccano Sulla Scelta.” La Repubblica, 6 Mar. 2021, www.repubblica.it/dossier/spettacoli/sanremo-2021/2021/03/06/news/sanremo_beatrice_venezi_direttore_non_direttrice_e_i_social_si_spaccano_sulla_scelta-290592565/. Last accessed 30 Nov 2023
Schiller, Annette, and Jenny Williams. Aspects of Cohesion in Web Site Translation: A Translator’s Perspective.2008.https://doras.dcu.ie/610/1/Annette_Schiller_DCU_PhD_Dissertation_2008.pdf Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
Willige, Andrea. “People Prefer Brands with Aligned Corporate Purpose and Values.” World Economic Forum, 17 Dec. 2021, www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/12/people-prefer-brands-with-aligned-corporate-purpose-and-values/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023
Woodstein, B. J. Translation and Genre. Cambridge University Press, 2022.