Tourist texts

Multilingual and monolingual magazines

Periodicals

Leaflets

Visitor guides in booklet and brochure format

Posters advertising artistic performances

Panels placed near monuments

Etc.
Language domains:

Architecture

History of art

History

Geography

Gastronomy

Economy

Sports

Customs and traditions

Music and dance

Shops, etc.
Functions of tourist texts:

Informative

Expressive
Operative
Differences between

Italian tourist
language
- more formal
- vivid, florid
descriptions
- evocative, figurative
language
English tourist
language
- tends to engage the
reader directly
- imperatives are
often used
Examples

Italian tourist language
- Pensate alle Terre di Siena e dimenticatevi tutto il resto
- Terra di conquista, terra che conquista, da sempre nel
Mediterraneo angiporto, landa ospitale e preludio d'Oriente, il
Salento è sempre più metafora di una felice adesione della
storia e della natura
- Mai come in Sicilia tanta gente si è fermata, si è incrociata, si è
amata, combattuta o a malapena tollerata. Occhi così chiari da
sembrare trasparenti che fanno capolino sotto chiome corvine,
parole d'origine araba che si intrecciano a termini francesi...
Examples

English tourist language
- Visit the Roman City at Wroxeter


See the remarkable Iron Bridge itself and explore
seven museums
Enjoy the unique experience of Granada Studios
Tour. Stroll by the restored canals and work up an
appetite for the world's most famous fish and
chips at Harry Ramsdens
When translating tourist texts the convention is to
adhere to the target language style
PERSONAL



IMPERSONAL
Visit a truly unique Scottish
destination
La Scozia è una meta
veramente unica
Share with us the legacy of
ancient peoples
Qui è possibile condividere
l'eredità di popoli antichi
Absorb Scotland's dramatic
and breath-taking scenery...
Scenari maestosi e mozzafiato
si possono ammirare nella
splendida Scozia...
When translating tourist texts the convention is to
adhere to the target language style
MONUMENTS, MUSEUMS, PLACES OF WORSHIP AND
HISTORICAL INTEREST

Westminster Bridge
Il ponte di Westminster

The Tower of London
La torre di Londra

St. Paul's Cathedral
La cattedrale di St Paul
National Museum of
Scotland
Museo Nazionale Scozzese


St. Alfege's Church

Glamis Castle

Durham Heritage Coast
La Chiesa di St. Alfege
Il castello di Glamis
When translating tourist texts the convention is to
adhere to the target language style
ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS, SHIPS, COLLEGES, THEATRES,
GALLERIES, MARKETS, SHOPPING CENTRES

Old Royal Observatory
Old Royal Observatory

Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College

Mayflower
Il/La Mayflower

Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall

Hayward Gallery
La Hayward Gallery

Overgate Shopping Centre
L'Overgate Shopping Centre
A textual feature common to both English and
Italian descriptions is THEMATISATION of place
and time adverbials
Examples:





At its heart, ancient Bridgnorth has one of the finest
settings in the country...
To the west, the remote Clee Hills...
In the space of a few miles you can find not only the
World Heritage, but also...
West lies Coverdale, green and silent...
All around this area are delightful, unspoilt villages,
remote churches and country pubs
A textual feature common to both English and
Italian descriptions is THEMATISATION of place
and time adverbials
Examples:




In the early 11th century, a Danish king, Canute,
consolidated England into a relatively peaceful unity.
On his death, the crown reverted to the old royal line,
and to a king, Edward the Confessor, who was not the
strong man needed...
On his death, England fell apart and the invader William,
Duke of Normandy, took over...
On Christmas day, 1066, William was crowned in
Westminster Abbey
A textual feature common to both English and
Italian descriptions is THEMATISATION of place
and time adverbials

In English they constitute instances of “fronted themes”
and fulfill 2 functions:

They act as points of orientation by connecting
back to previous stretches of text

They act as points of departure by connecting
forward and contributing to the development of
later stretches
> This thematic structure is MARKED in English, but can be
reproduced naturally in Italian
Examples of fronted place and time adverbials in Italian:
- Sulla sponda sud-occidentale, presso la stazione ferroviaria di
Castel Gandolfo, si apre un ninfeo scavato nella roccia detto...
- A pochi chilometri da Giovinazzo, procedendo verso Nord, si
giunge a Molfetta
- Durante il conflitto tra Firenze e Siena, la città condivise le sorti
di quest'ultima...
- Nel 1777 il Granduca Pietro Leopoldo indicò in Sarteano la sede
di un unico palazzo del gonfalone...
GREENWICH
Take a boat trip on the River Thames between Greewich, The Thames Barrier and back to
Greenwich with Thames River Services. Book a tour and pass by some of London's most
historic buildings and sites.
Your river cruise on London's oldest thoroughfare from Greenwich to The Thames Barrier
and back is an opportunity to take a truly different view of London, passing some its best o
historical landmarks. The ancient town of Greenwich has been a gateway to London for ove
a thousand years. Invaders from the continent passed either by ship or the Old Dover Road
built by the Romans, on their way to the capital. In 1012, the Danes moored their longships
at Greenwich and raided Canterbury, returning with Archbishop Alfege as hostage and later
murdering him on the spot where the church named after him now stands.
Early in the 15th century, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester built a manor house overlooking
the river. Later the wife of Henry VI decided to enlarge it as a royal residence. Greenwich
was further developed by succeeding Tudor monarchs being almost completely rebuilt by
Henry VII. The palace was a favourite of Henry VIII, who was born there as were his
daughters Mary and Elizabeth. James I gave the estate to his consort, Anne of Denmark wh
commissioned the court architect, Inigo Jones to build a house in the park, work
commenced on the Queens House in 1616.
Following the Civil War the original Tudor Palace was so dilapidated that Charles II had it
demolished. On its site he started building a new palace, but the money ran out in 1669. In
1694 Mary II rededicated the unfinished buildings as the Royal Naval Hospital for Seamen
and they were completed to plans brilliantly conceived by Christopher Wren to suit the new
use. The Royal Naval College took over the buildings in 1873.
Source: S.Laviosa, V.Cleverton, Learning by Translation, 2003, Ch.3