Metadiscursive Acts in the Translation of Scholarly Linguistic Texts: A Case Study of French and Russian Material

Commenting on translations of scientific texts is part of metatranslation activity. Studies in this field traditionally involve analysing translation techniques, tactics and strategies explicitly presented in paratextual elements. Meanwhile, the discursive features of commentaries remain underexplored, especially in the context of Russian–French translations of works in linguistics. The present study examines translational metadiscourse as a medium through which translators and editors articulate the outcomes of translational decisions and their stance towards these choices when working on the translation of a scientific text in linguistics. The aim of the study is to identify translational metadiscursive acts in commentaries on translations of linguistic works, to determine their functions, as well as the pragmatic and epistemological grounds for the choice of particular means. To achieve this aim, the study applies discourse analysis to a corpus of commentaries produced by translators and editors of fundamental works in linguistics, including those by leading Russianand French-speaking linguists of the 20th century. A qualitative examination of metadiscursive elements is combined with the interpretation of their functions in the context of language and concept asymmetry between Frenchand Russian-speaking linguistic traditions. The study reveals a connection between the aporetic and constitutive character of linguistic discourse in general and specific translational metadiscursive acts. It further demonstrates that translator commentaries reflect not only language but also epistemological challenges characteristic of linguistic inquiry and the communication of its results. The findings highlight the translator’s active role in scholarly communication: translational metadiscourse operates as a tool for asserting and evaluating translation choices as well as for responding to the solutions of other translators and to the discursive features of the source text. The results contribute to translation theory and may be applied in the training of translators. Prospects for further research involve expanding the corpus of analyzed texts and developing practical guidelines for translators.

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