A Study of African American Vernacular English in Three Novels and Colloquial Finnish in their Translations – The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three, A Time to Kill and Push

Pro gradu -tutkielma käsittelee afroamerikkalaisen puhekielen (African American Vernacular English, AAVE) käyttöä kolmen englanninkielisen romaanin dialogissa ja suomen yleispuhekielen käyttöä romaanien käännöksissä. Tutkimus on pääasiassa kvantitatiivinen ja deskriptiivinen. Romaanit ovat Stephen Kingin The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987) (Musta torni 2, Kolme korttia pakasta 2005, suom. Kari Salminen), John Grishamin A Time to Kill (1989) (On aika tappaa 1994, suom. Kimmo Linkama) ja Sapphiren Push (1996) (Precious – harlemilaistytön tarina 2010, suom. Kristiina Drews). Alkukielisten romaanien osalta Grisham ja Sapphire suosivat lauseopillisia kielenpiirteitä, kun taas King on suosinut äänteellisiä. Sen sijaan käännöksissä piirteistä yleisimpiä ovat äänteelliset ja harvinaisimpia lauseopilliset. Vaikka käännöksissä sanastolliset piirteet ovat taajaan esiintyviä, äänteellisiä piirteitä esiintyy niitä enemmän. Poikkeuksena on On aika tappaa, jossa sanastollisia piirteitä esiintyy enemmän kuin äänteellisiä. Tulos eroaa Sampo Nevalaisen vuonna 2003 tekemästä tutkimuksesta, jossa hän sai selville, että käännöksissä käytetyt piirteet olivat enimmäkseen sanastollisia, kun taas alun perin suomeksi kirjoitetussa kaunokirjallisuudessa puhekielisyyden vaikutelma saatiin aikaan pääasiassa äänteellisin keinoin. Mahdollinen selitys tässä tutkimuksessa havaitulle erolle on se, että kahdessa romaanissa esiintyvä leimallinen AAVEn käyttö on saanut kääntäjät käyttämään samanlaisia strategioita kuin suomalaiset kirjailijat murretta kirjoittaessaan.

Colloquial Finnish in Subtitles – a Survey on the British Situation Comedy Peep Show

The use of dialects in audiovisual texts is increasing, but the use of standard language in Finnish subtitles is still the prevalent norm and seldom flouted. This may not be in the best interest of the audience as the way the characters speak – their idiolects – is very important for the atmosphere of the audiovisual text and widely used to give the characters personalities and background. This thesis studies whether the viewing experience could be enhanced by taking the characters’ idiolects into account in subtitling. The study was executed as a survey, and the respondents were recruited from social media and an university of applied sciences. A total of 113 respondents were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n=59) and the control group (n=54). Both groups were shown an excerpt of the British situation comedy Peep Show, but with different subtitles. In the experimental subtitles, three characters were given a written idiolect with a level of colloquial language corresponding to the spoken idiolect of the character, while the control subtitles followed the norm of using standard language. The questionnaire contained background questions, a Likert-scale question and open questions. The quantitative responses were analysed statistically through cross tabulation and Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis test (CI=95%, α=0,05). The results showed a statistically significant difference in keeping track on which of the characters was speaking for the benefit of the experimental subtitles. In the other items no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. In the open questions the use of colloquial language was mostly commented favourably.

Finnish Fighting Words: Printing the Työmies Translation Project

The Työmies translation project involves the translation of that newspaper’s accounts of significant events from Michigan’s 1913-1914 Copper Strike. Työmies was a Finnish-language newspaper, published in Hancock, Michigan, whose socialist-unionist perspective on the strike differed markedly from that of the local English-language newspapers. This project is the first time significant portions of Työmies have been translated into English. In June of 2013, the presenter printed the translation of the Työmies account of the strike’s first day on a hand-operated Chandler & Price platen press. Thus, the presentation describes this unique project: the translation itself, the presenter’s search for necessary type and equipment, and the printing of the broadsides. The presentation will include a history of Työmies and the Strike, with an emphasis on ways in which human culture and language is reflected in the material culture of printing.

Review of 'Interpreting the Renaissance' by Manfredo Tafuri, translated by Daniel Sherer

Review of the English edition of Manfredo Tafuri's Ricerca del rinascimento (1992), translated by Daniel Sherer and published in 2006 as Interpreting the Renaissance.

The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) as a screening tool for hepatic steatosis

Introduction. Hepatic steatosis due to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) is a prognostic screening tool to detect people at risk for type 2 diabetes without the use of any blood test. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether FINDRISC can also be used to screen for the presence of hepatic steatosis. Patients and methods. Steatosis was determined by ultrasound. The study sample consisted of 821 non-diabetic subjects without previous hepatic disease; 81% were men (mean age 45 +/- 9 years) and 19% women (mean age 41 +/- 10 years). Results. Steatosis was present in 44% of men and 10% of women. The odds ratio for one unit increase in the FINDRISC associated with the risk of steatosis was 1.30 (95% CI 1.25-1.35), similar for men and women. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for steatosis was 0.80 (95% CI 0.77-0.83); 0.80 in men (95% CI 0.77-0.83) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.73-0.93) in women. Conclusions. Our data suggest that the FINDRISC could be a useful primary screening tool for the presence of steatosis.

Imagem percebida de Lisboa como destino turístico por parte do mercado finlandês

RESUMO: O presente estudo pretende analisar a imagem percebida de Lisboa como destino turístico por parte do mercado finlandês, considerando as seguintes perguntas de partida: a) quais os elementos que caracterizam a imagem percebida de Lisboa como destino turístico por parte dos turistas finlandeses; b) quais os factores com maior predominância na imagem percebida e c) qual o perfil do turista finlandês que visita Lisboa. Para atingir os objectivos deste estudo, foi realizado um inquérito por questionário a turistas finlandeses em Lisboa, de forma autoministrada, nos meses de Maio, Junho, Setembro e Outubro de 2008, no último dia da sua estada. Para além de questões que visaram compreender a imagem percebida de Lisboa como destino turístico, por parte dos inquiridos, o questionário incluiu perguntas sobre as suas características sócio-demográficas. Os resultados confirmaram as três componentes da imagem propostas no modelo de Echtner e Ritchie: psicológica-funcional, atributos-holística e comum-única. Os mesmos permitem também concluir que os inquiridos valorizam principalmente as características históricas e estéticas da cidade, como também o bom clima e a simpatia da população local. Por sua vez, os aspectos relativos à programação, eventos, diversão nocturna, interacção com a população local e preços, são os factores menos associados à cidade pelos inquiridos. As qualidades e as características únicas de Lisboa foram destacadas, tendo-se também verificado um elevado grau de satisfação com a visita à cidade e um vasto leque de sugestões dos inquiridos para melhorar Lisboa como destino turístico. ABSTRACT: This study aims to analyze the perceived image of Lisbon as a tourist destination by the Finnish market, considering the following questions: a) what are the elements that characterize the perceived image of Lisbon as a tourist destination by Finnish tourists b ) what features/attributes are most predominant in the perceived image c) what is the sociodemographic profile of the Finnish tourist who visits Lisbon. Data was collected in May, June September and October 2008. The questions were used seeking to identify the image of Lisbon of the respondents as a tourist destination, as well as the socio-demographic characteristics of the tourists. The results identified the three components of the image model proposed by Ritchie and Echtner: psychological-functional, attributes-holistic and commonunique. The results also allowed to conclude that respondents identify and value particularly historical and aesthetic characteristics, as well as the good weather and the friendliness of the local people whereas factors of the city such as the events, the nightlife, the interaction with the local population and the price level, didn’t particularly convinced the respondents. The qualities and the unique characteristics of Lisbon were highlighted, having also noticed a high degree of satisfaction on the visit to the city and a wide range of suggestions obtained from respondents to improve Lisbon as a tourist destination. TIIVISTELMÄ: Perehdyin tutkielmassani suomalaisten kokemusperäiseen mielikuvaan Lissabonista matkakohteena. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, millaisia kokemuksia ja mielikuvia suomalaisilla matkailijoilla on Lissabonista matkakohteena. Tutkimus pyrki vastaamaan kolmeen kysymykseen: a) mitkä tekijät luonnehtivat suomalaisten matkailijoiden kokemusperäistä mielikuvaa Lissabonista matkakohteena, b) mitkä ominaisuudet hallitsevat kyseistä mielikuvaa sekä c) mihin sukupuoli-, ikä-, koulutus- ja yhteiskuntaluokkaan Lissabonissa vierailevat suomalaiset matkailijat kuuluivat. Tiedot kerättiin touko-, kesä-, syys- ja lokakuussa 2008. Kyselyssä keskityttiin pääosin matkailijoiden kokemuksiin ja mielikuviin Lissabonista sekä matkan ominaisuuksiin ja matkailijoiden matkakohdetta koskeviin tietoihin. Lisäksi matkailijoita pyydettiin kirjoittamaan, miten Lissabonin asemaa matkakohteena voitaisiin parantaa. Alkuperäisen olettamuksen mukaan tulokset osoittivat Echtnerin ja Richien ehdottaman mallin mukaisesti mielikuvien muodostuvan kolmesta osatekijästä: toiminnallinen-psykologinen, attribuutti-kokonaisvaltainen ja yleinenainutlaatuinen. Tulokset osoittivat vastaajien yhtyvän mielikuvissaan ensisijaisesti kaupungin toiminnallisiin osatekijöihin. Sen sijaan kaupungin tapahtumiin ja yöelämään tai vuorovaikutukseen paikallisten kanssa taikka hintatasoon liittyviä ominaisuuksia ei koettu erityisen merkittäviksi. Vastauksista tulivat selvästi esille Lissabonin vetovoimatekijät ja ainutlaatuiset ominaisuudet matkakohteena. Lisäksi vastaukset osoittivat matkailijoiden olleen suurimmaksi osaksi erittäin tyytyväisiä vierailuunsa kaupungissa. Vastauksiin sisältyi myös useita ehdotuksia Lissabonin aseman parantamiseksi matkailukohteena.