Lexicon in comics translations: an experience based on corpus

Abstract

This research has the theoretical-methodological framework of Corpus Linguistic, of investigations on Learner Corpora, as well as studies based on the Lexical Approach. In this article, we describe an exercise of translation of Turma da Monica comics, from Portuguese into English, performed by students of a private school education in the city of Votuporanga, in the northwest region of the State of Sao Paulo. The compilation of this data was organized into files and gave rise to a corpus of learners parallel, here called CALI-TradHQ (Corpus of Learners of the English Language - Translation of Comic Books). The methodology is concerned with the compilation of translated texts and processing of data in electronic format by using the software WordSmith Tools. Thus, this article aims to show how we, foreign language teachers can use corpora to understand how Brazilian students use the English language, notably in the treatment and employment of the lexicon. In the item data analysis, we investigate the choices made by students to translate some specific lexical items and idioms and discussed the importance of using translation learner corpora.