Preliminaries to translation as a product
product
Chapter 2
Lecturer: Abrar Mujaddidi Translation LANE 350
1. Degrees of freedom in translation
• In this chapter, we will examine two degrees in of freedom in translation:
Extreme SL bias Extreme SL bias Extreme TL bias
These two extreme will be shown in a number of translations:
a. Interlinear translation b. Literal translation
c. Free translation
d. Communicative translation
Interlinear translation
• In Interlinear translation, TT does not respect the TL grammar, but has grammatical units corresponding to every grammatical unit of the ST.
to every grammatical unit of the ST.
ت ت ا
What passed died
• Interlinear translation is used in descriptive
linguistics or language teaching, but not in practical translation.
Literal translation
• In literal translation:
The denotative meaning of words is taken as if straight from the dictionary (i.e. out of context)
from the dictionary (i.e. out of context) TL grammar is respected
Involves grammatical transportation:
The replacement of given parts of speech in the ST by other parts of speech in the TT.
ا It’s sunny
Free translation
• Free translation shows maximum TL bias.
• There is only a global correspondence textual units of ST and TT.
ST and TT.
ت ت ا
Let bygones be bygones
• Grammar and vocabulary are completely different.
Communicative Translation
• In comunicative translation, the ST uses an SL
expression that is standard for that situation, and the TT uses a TL expression standard for an equivalent TT uses a TL expression standard for an equivalent target cultural situation.
• Common in public notices , proverbs, conversation clichés.
او
Don’t mention it
From interlinear to free translation
SL bias TL bias SL bias TL bias
Literal faithful balanced idiomizing free
(adapted from Newmark 1981)
Idiomizing translation
• Idiomizing translation refers to the translation that respects the ST message content but prioritize the TL naturalness over faithfulness to the ST detail.
naturalness over faithfulness to the ST detail.
• What is an idiom?
• Idomizing vs. idiomatic
• Compare the different translations of the same sentence:
ما ه آ ل!"إ $ ءا ه &
ما ه آ ل!"إ $ ءا ه &
Like these things to them demand much now
The likes of these things have much demand now Things like these are in great demand now
This type’s all the rage This one’s dead trendy
Equivalence and translation loss
descriptively
The relationship between ST features
and TT features
TT quality is not important
Equivalence
ل'(ا ع'*
=
forbidden is the entrance
prescriptively
The relationship between SL expression and the
canonic TL rendering of it as
required
ل'(ا ع'*= no entry
Translation loss
• Translation loss is the incomplete replication of the ST in the TT.
• It refers to the inevitable loss of textually and culturally relevant features .
• Translators should not agonize over the loss, but should try to reduce it.
• Refer to pages21-22 for examples.
cont.,
Translation loss
loss
Translation by omission
Translation
by addition
Translation by omission
• Translation by omission occurs when something in the ST is simply omitted from the TT.
•
• Omission can happen for many reasons:
▫ It reflects the different ways in which Arabic and English link bits of text together.
English link bits of text together.
آ, -ا . (Arabic connectors) Unimportant information
Cultural difference
Translation by addition
• Translation by addition is translation by adding
something in the TT which is not present in the ST.
• Translation by addition can occur for many reasons:
▫ General considerations of English usage require something to be added.
something to be added.
/آ0ا /*$ا *
▫ Certain contexts require addition for clarification.
Controlling translation loss
• It is very important to remember that
▫ Translation strategies depend on the purpose of translation.
translation.
▫ The context of the text also affects the decisions which the translator makes.
Thank You ☺
