Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities

Carrer, Luisa

doi:10.21256/zhaw-2804

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2804

Publication type:	Master thesis
Title:	Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities
Authors:	Carrer, Luisa
Advisors / Reviewers:	Jekat, Susanne Johanna
DOI:	10.21256/zhaw-2804
Extent:	120
Issue Date:	2021
Series:	Graduate Papers in Applied Linguistics
Series volume:	14
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Winterthur
Language:	English
Subjects:	Easy-to-read language; Easy Italian; Intellectual disability; Functional illiteracy; Leichte Sprache Italienisch
Subject (DDC):	418.0087: Barrier-free communication 418.02: Translating and interpreting
Abstract:	Recent studies show that low literacy affects large segments of the adult population, both in Switzerland and Italy. Easy Language is an essential instrument of inclusion for people who would otherwise be excluded from access to written information and full participation in society. In Italy, high readability and comprehensibility of texts of public interest have been the focus of academic research since as early as the mid-1970s. Nonetheless, in recent years, little experimental research has addressed the impact of Easy Italian on text comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities (ID). This thesis aims to fill this gap. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used to address the following research questions: (1) What strategies do translators employ when translating from Standard into Easy Italian?, and (2) Do translators’ strategies facilitate reading comprehension of Easy Italian texts to people with ID? Three health-related texts in Easy Italian are analysed in the context of their adherence to the European standards for Easy Language. A reading comprehension test is then conducted to assess the degree of readability and comprehensibility of the texts. The test is administered to 26 participants with mild to moderate ID. The analysis shows that all texts contravene several European guidelines. Furthermore, the test results suggest that non-compliance with guidelines hinders respondents’ comprehension of the texts. It is concluded that, on the one hand, standards for Easy Language are essential to guide the translator’s work. On the other hand, high comprehensibility can only be achieved through a careful consideration of the target communicative situation. Recenti studi dimostrano che bassi livelli di competenze alfabetiche funzionali interessano ampie fasce della popolazione sia in Svizzera sia in Italia. La Lingua facile è uno strumento essenziale di inclusione che può garantire l’accesso universale all’informazione scritta e, dunque, la piena partecipazione alla società. In Italia, l’alta leggibilità e comprensibilità dei testi di pubblica utilità sono state oggetto di ricerca accademica sin dalla metà degli anni Settanta. Tuttavia, negli ultimi anni, non si riscontrano attività di sperimentazione sulla reale comprensibilità dei testi in Lingua facile da parte di persone con disabilità intellettiva. Il presente lavoro si propone di colmare questa lacuna. Utilizzando metodi sia quantitativi sia qualitativi, la tesi mira a rispondere alle seguenti domande di ricerca: (1) Quali strategie vengono adottate dai traduttori nel processo di traduzione da Italiano Standard a Lingua facile? e (2) Le strategie adottate dai traduttori hanno un impatto sulla reale comprensione dei testi da parte di persone con disabilità intellettiva? Si analizzano tre testi inerenti alla salute e se ne verifica il grado di adesione agli standard europei per la Lingua facile. Successivamente, si conduce un test di comprensione scritta per valutare il reale livello di leggibilità e comprensibilità dei testi stessi. Il test viene somministrato a 26 partecipanti con lieve o moderata disabilità intellettiva. L’analisi dimostra che tutti i testi in esame disattendono, in maggior o minor grado, le linee guida europee sulla Lingua facile. Inoltre, i risultati del test suggeriscono che la non conformità alle linee guida influisce negativamente sulla comprensione dei testi da parte dei partecipanti. Si conclude che, da un lato, gli standard per la Lingua facile sono essenziali per guidare il lavoro dell’autore o del traduttore. Dall’altro lato, un’alta comprensibilità del testo può essere raggiunta solo attraverso un’attenta considerazione della situazione comunicativa di ricezione.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/22490
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY 4.0: Attribution 4.0 International
Departement:	Applied Linguistics
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Translation and Interpreting (IUED)
Appears in collections:	Graduate Papers in Applied Linguistics

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Carrer, L. (2021). Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities [Master’s thesis, ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften]. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2804

Carrer, L. (2021) Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities. Master’s thesis. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2804.

L. Carrer, “Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities,” Master’s thesis, ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Winterthur, 2021. doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2804.

CARRER, Luisa, 2021. Translating into Easy Italian : an analysis of health-related texts and their impact on comprehension by people with intellectual disabilities. Master’s thesis. Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften

Carrer, Luisa. 2021. “Translating into Easy Italian : An Analysis of Health-Related Texts and Their Impact on Comprehension by People with Intellectual Disabilities.” Master’s thesis, Winterthur: ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2804.

Carrer, Luisa. Translating into Easy Italian : An Analysis of Health-Related Texts and Their Impact on Comprehension by People with Intellectual Disabilities. ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, 2021, https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2804.