“Common Sense in Translation and (Technical)
Writing.”
Admittedly,
“common sense” is not the most legitimate of concepts. Yet translation studies
scholars, specialists of technical writing and practitioners alike are prone to
refer to the concept of common sense, often to regret the lack of it. But what
is common sense? Why does it mean so much to so many? Should we mistrust,
resist or even refute it? Can it be approached theoretically, or,
failing that, can some of our theories account for what it describes?
