It happens too often that there exists a given notion in one particular language (source lg) that has no legitimate equivalent in the other language (target lg). The possible reason may be lack of sufficient terminology in a given field in this particular language. Or is the structure of the language itself to blame?
Let's take the example of one of the psychological terms: ''commitment device'' that I've recently come across (Daniel Goldstein, The Battle Between Your Present and Future Self, TED Talks). The English version of Wikipedia gives quite satisfactory account of what is hidden behind the term:
Journalist Stephen J. Dubner and Economist Steven Levitt define a commitment device as "a means with which to lock yourself into a course of action that you might not otherwise choose but that produces a desired result". Put differently, a commitment device is "[a] way to change one’s own incentives to make an otherwise empty promise credible". It is a technique where someone makes it easier for themselves to avoid akrasia (acting against one's better judgement), particularly procrastination.
As we read further, the term "commitment device" is used in both economics and game
theory. In particular, the concept is relevant to the fields of
economics and especially the study of decision making (Brocas, et al.).
"Commitment devices are a way to overcome the discrepancy between an
individual’s short-term and long-term preferences- in other words, they
are a way for self-aware people to modify their incentives or set of
possible choices in order to overcome impatience or other irrational
behavior. You know the story of Ulysses
tying himself to the mast so that he couldn’t be lured in by the song
of the Sirens? You can think of that as the quintessential commitment
device" (Beggs 2009).
Examples of commitment devices abound. Dubner and Levitt give the example of Han Xin,
a general in ancient China, who positioned his soldiers with their
backs to a river, making it impossible for them to flee, and thereby
leaving them no choice but to attack the enemy head-on. They also
present various commitment devices related to weight-loss (2007). In
addition, some game theorists have argued that human emotions and sense
of honor are forms of commitment device (Arslan 2011 & Ross and
Dumouchel 2004).
The article on ''commitment device'' gives us a good enough overview and introduces the very idea of what is meant by this concept. Still, a Polish translator is facing a serious challenge as to how render the item in question into the target language. This is just one of the numerous examples of cases where the Polish readers have to satisfy themselves with half-baked ideas and ad hoc solutions provided by the translators because either the field has not been explored sufficiently and there is no legit equivalent or the English version is less verbose and clumsy.
Possible renditions of ''commitment device'' into Polish:
- motywator
-czynnik zobowiązujący do pożądanego działania
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