Parcellation In Linguistic Analysis and Translation: A Historical and Contemporary Perspective

Abstract

This article delves into the concept of "parcellation" in linguistic analysis and translation, tracing its historical development and contemporary relevance. The term "parcellation" has been a subject of terminological ambiguity in academic discourse, varying in interpretation across linguistic traditions. In the early 20th century, structural linguists such as Ferdinand de Saussure and Leonard Bloomfield laid the foundations for structural linguistics, emphasizing the division of language into structural elements for analysis. They highlighted the significance of breaking down sentences into smaller units to grasp their overall meaning and structure. In the realm of translation, the concept of parcellation gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly through the work of translators like Evgeny Nida and Katarina Reiss. They advocated for segmenting sentences during the translation process, making it easier to analyze and provide accurate translations, especially for complex sentences.

Contemporary translation practice frequently employs "parcellation" to depict the division of sentences into smaller segments for translation. This approach considers syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic factors, helping translators focus on individual segments and produce contextually appropriate translations.