Eye Movement Patterns of Reading Literary Texts for Translation

Abstract This study explores the eye movement patterns of reading literary texts for translation using eye-tracking technology. It compares four tasks: reading aloud, sight translation, text copying, and written translation. Results show that translation tasks involve more fixations per word, longer reading times, and higher regression probabilities than non-translation tasks. The study identifies four initial orientation styles: systematic planners, quick planners, scanners, and head starters. It also discerns online planning behaviors such as sentence planning, narrow-context planning, and broad-context planning. These findings highlight the complex interplay between reading, translation, and cognitive processes. The study underscores the importance of analyzing translators’ eye movement patterns to refine translation methodologies. Future research should explore the influence of factors like translation proficiency and task complexity on these patterns.