prof. asif-trn 2

7/28/2019 Prof. Asif-TRN 2

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TRANSLATION STUDIES

Prepared by:M ASIF IKRAM ANJUM

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Various methods of translation Translation is the process to transfer written or spokensource language (SL) texts to equivalent written orspoken target language (TL) texts.

Purpose of translation:

The basic purpose of translation is to reproducevarious types of texts, comprising literary, religious,

scientific, philosophical texts etc. in another languageand thus making them available to wider readers, to agreater number of target audiences and to bring theworld closer.

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However translation is not an easy job. Iflanguage is just a classification for a set of

general or universal concepts, it will be ofcourse very easy to translate from a sourcelanguage to a target language. But

translation covers not only word for wordtranslation but also many other factors. Theconcepts of one language may differ

radically from those of another. This isbecause each language articulates ororganizes the word differently.

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The bigger the gap between the SL andthe TL, the more difficult the process oftransfer will be. The difference betweenthe two languages and the difference incultures makes the process oftranslating a real challenge. Theproblematic factors in translation areform, style, meaning, proverbs, idiomsetc.

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Translation Procedure The translation procedure can be divided into twogroups:

Technical procedure: This implies an analysis of thesource and target languages and a complete study ofthe SL text before translating it.

Organizational procedure: This implies a constant

re-evaluation of the translation made. It also includesthe comparison of the existing translation with thetranslations of the same text by other translators.

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The organizational procedure alsochecks the translated text's

communicative effectiveness by gettingthe opinion of the TL audience toevaluate its accuracy and effectivenessand studying their reactions.

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Methods of translation:

There are eight methods of translation

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Word-for-word translation Here the source language word is translated intoanother language by their most common meanings,which can also be out of context at times, especially inidioms and proverbs. The SL word order is preservedand the words translated by their most commonmeanings. Cultural words are translated literally. Themain use of this method is either to understand themechanics of the source language or to interpret adifficult text as pre-translation process.

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Literal Translation Here the source language grammatical constructionsare translated to their nearest target language.However the lexical words are translated singly, out ofcontext. The SL grammatical constructions areconverted to their nearest TL equivalents but thelexical items are again translated out of context. Atpre-translation process, it indicates problems to besolved.

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Faithful Translation Here the translation interprets the exact contextualmeaning of the original within the constraints of thegrammatical structures of the target language. Itattempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaningof the original within the constraints of the TLgrammatical structures. It transfers cultural words andpreserves the degree of grammatical and lexicaldeviation from SL norms. It attempts to be completelyfaithful to the intentions and the text-realization ofthe SL writer.

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Semantic Translation Semantic translation refers to that type of translationwhich takes into account the aesthetic value of thesource language text. It differs from faithful translationonly in as far as it must take more account of theaesthetic value of the SL text, compromising ofmeaning so that no assonance, word play or repetitionjars can be seen in the finished version. It does not rely

on cultural equivalence and makes very smallconcessions to the readership. While `faithful'translation is dogmatic, semantic translation is moreflexible.

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Communicative Translation This method displays the exact contextualmeaning of the original text in a manner where

both content and language are easily acceptableand comprehensible to the readers. It attempts torender the exact contextual meaning of theoriginal in such a way that both language and

content are readily acceptable and comprehensibleto the readership.

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Idiomatic Translation It translates the message of the

original text but tends to distort the

original meaning at times by preferringcolloquialisms and idioms. Itreproduces the message of the original

text but tends to distort nuances ofmeaning by preferring colloquialismsand idioms.

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Free Translation This method of translation produces

the translated text without the style,

form, or content of the original text. Itreproduces the matter without themanner, or the content without the

form of the original. Usually it is aparaphrase much longer than theoriginal.

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Adaptation Adaptation refers to that type of

translation which is used mainly for

plays and poems. The text is rewrittenconsidering the source languageculture which is converted to the target

language culture where the characters,themes, plot are usually preserved.

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Translation ProceduresLundquist lists seven translation

procedures, while Newmark lists awhole bunch of them. Here is anoverview which integrates the

Lundquist's and Newmark'sprocedures into one list:

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Direct procedures:

Literal translation: word-for-word translation

Transference : transferal of a word or expressionfrom the source language/text directly into the targettext without translating it at all.

Translation loan: retention of syntactic

construction, but translation of the words in it. Thorough translation: literal translation of

collocations and combinations the Differencebetween this and translation loans is that in thoroughtranslation, you strife for Literal translation and ahigher degree of formal retention.

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Naturalization: basically transference in which you

apply target language spelling and morphology (and

pronunciation) to the expression or word in question.

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Indirect Procedures Equivalence: here, you focus on equivalence in

meaning in the perspective of the reader of the target

text this means that you may sacrifice equivalent in

form, or you may have to choose something which is

not exactly the same thing as in the source text, but

which is the closest to it in the target language.

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Cultural equivalent: translating a culturally rootedword of the source text/language with a roughly

equivalent culturally rooted word in the targetlanguage/text note, this is what Lundquist callstilpasning.

Functional equivalent: translating a word of thesource language/text with a functionally equivalenttarget language word (i.e. a word which has the samemeaning)

Descriptive equivalent: translating a sourcelanguage/text word using a description of the conceptit refers to in the target language.

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Synonymy: translating a source language/text word or

expression with a target language expression that isnearly, but not completely, functionally equivalent

Reduction/expansion: adding or removing elementsin translation

Paraphrase: amplification or explanation of meaningin target text

Compensation: making up for the loss of somethingin the source text, by adding something else in thetarget text.

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Principles of Translation Everything in the world is governed by certain rulesand principles and translation is no exception. Eacharea of translation has its own scope and limitations.A

translator requires illustrating the most common basicprinciples, problems, challenges and strategies beforetranslating important and sensitive texts andparticularly revealed Message. If a translator is

unfamiliar with basic principles of translating,injustice, both with SL text and its rendering in TL iscertain. Translation is not merely substitution andreplacement of linguistic items, instead it is a complex

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Nida is of the view that:

translating is basically not a process of matching

surface forms by rules of correspondence, but rather amore complex procedure of analysis, transferring andrestructuring.

The phrase complex procedure demandssome principles as a procedure is based upon certainprinciples, e.g., principles of analysis, principles oftransferring and principles of restructuring.

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(1) Meaning Reading and comprehending isolated lexical itemsmay be highly misleading. Yallop1z says that: Wordsdo not mean what we want them to mean but are

governed by social convention we normally use andrespond to meanings in context. The phrase/clausesocialconvention and meaning in context show thatwords are given meaning by social convention as the

same word may mean something else in a differentsocial convention. Similarly words in isolation havedifferent referential and connotative meanings butwhen they are used in some context, they give

contextual meaning. 25


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The translation should give accurate meaning of the

SL message in its context. Nothing should be added orremoved arbitrarily through paraphrasing. Thetranslator is to ensure:

(a) Is the meaning of the original text clear? If not

what and where is something wrong?

(b) Are any words loaded that need some explanationof the underlying implications?

(c) Is dictionary meaning of a particular word suitableone?

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(2) Form Form is style and style is form. The ordering of wordsand ideas in a translation should match the original asclosely as possible. But for better communication or

comprehension, differences in language structureoften require changes in the form and order of words.In the Quranic translation, the idiom of Arabic ischanged into the idiom of English/TL with regard to

receptors expectations.

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(3) Register Languages like Arabic and English often differ greatlyin their levels of formality in a given context (e.g.,Arabic and the Quran). To resolve these differences, a

translator must distinguish between formal/informal,fixed expression or personal expressions, so thetranslator is to consider:

(a) Does literal translation of any expression sound tooformal or informal?

(b) Does the intention of the writer come through inthe translation or the message is distorted?

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(4) Source Language InfluenceWhatever the translation style is, it seems influencedby SL. The most common criticism of translation isthat it does not sound natural in TL. This is because

the translators thought and choice of words is shapedby the original text.

English where idiom of English is notmaintained is the outcome of SL influence. This styleis not appreciated by particularly unfamiliar commonEnglish reader.

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A balanced approach is needed remaining faithful to

the original text and realizing communication and

receptors difficulties of comprehension.

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(5) Style and ClarityA style of translation is to be determined to: (a) Have clarity of the intended message,

(b) Maintain fidelity to the original text

(c) Fulfill receptors expectations (with regard to TL).

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(6) Idiom Imagery and idiomatic expressions are generallyuntranslatable in their true sense. These may includesimiles, metaphors, proverbs and sayings,

colloquialism and in English phrasal verbs. If theexpression cannot be directly translated, any one ofthe following may be tried for better communicationand comprehension:

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(a) Retain the original word in inverted commas

(b) Retain the original expression with a literalexplanation in brackets, e.g., saddan (a barrier/awall),

(c) Use a non-idiomatic or plain prose translation, e.g.,a barrier is erected in front of stubborn non-believers.

A golden principle is that an inappropriateidiom carrying inappropriate meaning must not be

forced into the translation.

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(7) Three essential Stages of

Translations (a) Forming thoughts in SL.

(b) Finding some suitable expression (with regard tocontext/register, SL).

(c) Recreating the text in another language (TL).

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Nida also suggests three important and similar steps in

translating, i.e.,

(i) Analysis of SL text and TL,

(ii) transferring linguistic form/items and

(iii) Restructuring the text into TL.

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Here an important point to note is that a translator is

not supposed to spot the original text only, but toexplore and distinguish the differences between the

three versions, (e.g., Arabic, Urdu and English in a

Pakistani situation). This also supports the idea that

errors may creep into translation from translation. So

translation direct from the original text (SL) is more

reliable.

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