Translation semiotics and semiosic translation: clarification of disciplinary intension and concept

Abstract The paper aims to clarify the distinction of intension and concept between translation semiotics and semiosic translation to determine their disciplinary classification as well as the theoretical framework of translation semiotics. Translation semiotics is a relatively young interdisciplinary field connecting specifically semiotics and translation studies. In essence, it is a branch of semiotics where the research object is the semiotic transformations and sign activities involved in the translational semiosic and interpretive process. Semiosic translation attaches itself conceptually to an extended notion of semiosis involving the transformation of any sign system into other sign systems and pertains to the illustration and analysis of translational phenomena from the perspective of semiotics. Translation semiotics focuses on semiotic transformations and constructs a semiotic theory and application model based on the dimension of semiotic transformation. Both translation semiotics and semiosic translation take semiotic transformations as their research object. Notwithstanding, semiosic translation puts particular emphasis on semiosis, whereas translation semiotics explores the phenomena of semiotic transformations and related problems involved in the process of translation grounded on semiotic theories and methodology (Jia 2016a: 96). As such, translation semiotics and semiosic translation are under the jurisdiction of different disciplines.