Multi-Modality

The idea behind multi-modality research is that translation as a phenomenon is not limited to written texts; rather, it occurs between different semiotic systems. Translation can occur between different components of the same text (for example, words and illustrations, existing side-by-side in illustrated books), or in the transition between texts, which in itself can be multimodal (for instance, a computer game “translated” into a movie). In other words, the translation of songs, movies, and other media is affected not only by issues commonly encountered in the study of translation, but also by the meaning conveyed by means other than words. Multi-modality is therefore a rich field of research that goes beyond written translation.