(Not) Lost in Translation: Psychological Adaptation Occurs During Speech Translation

Abstract

While language style is considered to be automatic and relatively stable, its plasticity has not yet been studied in translations that require the translator to “step into the shoes of another person.” In the present study, we propose a psychological model of language adaptation in translations. Focusing on an established interindividual difference marker of language style, that is, gender, we examined whether translators assimilate to the original gendered style or implicitly project their own gendered language style. In a preregistered study, we investigated gender differences in language use in TED Talks ( N = 1,647) and their translations ( N = 544) in same- versus opposite-gender speaker/translator dyads. The results showed that translators assimilated to gendered language styles even when in mismatch to their own gender. This challenges predominating views on language style as fixed and fosters a more dynamic view of language style as also being shaped by social context.

Stereotyping in the digital age: Male language is “ingenious”, female language is “beautiful” – and popular

“…Digital communication platforms target at the popularization of science and knowledge, and speakers in these formats often adhere to an informal, entertaining style to present their ideas to a broad audience [e.g., 7 ]. Past research suggests that women are underrepresented on these platforms [ 38 ], and that female gender may constrain the impact of content shared online [ 1 , 7 ]. This raises the question of whether influence and social evaluations in the digital age are governed by the same rules as traditional settings of social evaluation: Is influence driven by features of power and masculinity?…”

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“…The data collection method complied with the terms and conditions for the TED website (see: https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policiesterms/ted-com-terms-of-use). Data was collected as part of a larger project that examined psychological adaptation in translations [38]. We started from the sample of N = 1,647 TED Talks used in [38], which only included talks given by single speakers that were no live other artistic performances, and we had to exclude seven talks for which information about talk ratings and views was missing.…”

“…Digital communication platforms target at the popularization of science and knowledge, and speakers in these formats often adhere to an informal, entertaining style to present their ideas to a broad audience [e.g., 7]. Past research suggests that women are underrepresented on these platforms [38], and that female gender may constrain the impact of content shared online [1,7]. This raises the question of whether influence and social evaluations in the digital age are governed by the same rules as traditional settings of social evaluation: Is influence driven by features of power and masculinity?…”

“…their gender and age [12,13,37,46]. Abstract and analytical language-language features with greater persuasive power-are more commonly displayed by men than by women [38,46,47]. Male-typical language seems to be more concerned with references to facts and "the big picture".…”

“…Male-typical language seems to be more concerned with references to facts and "the big picture". Conversely, female-typical language has been described as more narrative, personal, social and emotional; women tend to refer more to themselves and to other people [38,46,[48][49][50]. While these language features have previously been linked to lower persuasive power and status [42,43,51,52], language features commonly displayed by women may at the PLOS ONE same time convey more psychological closeness and authenticity [47,53].…”