explicitation

Explicitation is a translation strategy in which the translator makes explicit information that is implicit in the source text. The aim is to enhance readability and comprehension for the target-language audience by adding details, clarifying references, and supplying connective or cultural cues that the original leaves implicit.

Common forms of explicitation include syntactic explicitation (adding or clarifying explicit subjects, objects, or deictic elements), lexical explicitation (providing clarifying synonyms or explicit terms), and discourse explicitation (inserting explicit connectives, repetitions of nouns, or explicit pronouns). Cultural explicitation may introduce background information or terminology familiar to readers in the target culture but not stated in the source. Explicitation can be overt, with clear signals in the text, or covert, where the expansion remains subtly integrated into the discourse.

Explicitation frequently occurs across genres and media, including literature, journalism, film subtitles, and dubbing. It is often guided by considerations of audience, genre conventions, and the translator’s perceived communicative goals (the Skopos or intended function of the translation). While it can improve comprehension and coherence, explicitation also raises questions about fidelity and translation ethics, as it may alter the balance between staying close to the source and meeting target-reader expectations.

In practice, explicitation is one among several shifts (such as expansion or domestication) that translators may employ to optimize reception in the target culture. Its use is debated: proponents argue it supports clarity and cultural transfer; critics worry it can bias meaning or alter authorial intent.