Translation studies slides 1st Lecture.ppt
- 2. What is Translation? Introduction: To give an exact definition or meaning of word “ Translation” is not easy task. Translation like poetry has become elusive. Translation is a myth. It is both a substitution and a transfer of meaning from one language ( source language) to another language (target language). A process of translation from SL to TL. In the light of recent literary criticism which denies the author, undermines the text, highlights the reader and emphasizes the polysemy of interpretation and pleaded for the indeterminacy of meaning, the art of translation has become
- 3. What is Translation? • Translation, according to, • Dr Johnson “Change into another language, retaining the sense”. • A.H.Smith (1988: 8) for modifies previous statement, “To translate is to change into another language retaining as much of the sense as one can.”
- 4. • Catford (1985: 20) defines it from linguistic point of view, “The replacement of textual material in one language (SL) by equivalent material in another language.” • Theodore Savory (1957) defines it as an “Art” • Horst Frenz (1961: 72-96 ) opines “Translation is neither a creative art nor an imitative art, but stands somewhere between the two.”
- 5. • Eugene Nida “Translation is basically not a process of matching surface forms by rules of correspondence, but rather a more complex procedure involving analysis, transfer and restructuring .” • Dotest “The transference of meaning from one set of patterned symbol into another set of patterned symbol.” According to “ Benedetto Croce” famous dictum, “Traddutore-traitor” “Translator is a traitor, a falsifier of the original.” “ Translation is like a woman if beautiful, it cannot be faithful.”
- 6. • Wilss (1982:134) defines translation as “A transfer process which aims at the transformation of a written SL (Source Language) text into an optimally equivalent TL (Target Language) text, and which requires the syntactic, the semantic and the pragmatic understanding and analytical processing of the SL text".
- 7. • Hatim and Mason (2001:8) define it as “The transfer of meaning from one language to another". • Hartmann and Stork(1972:242) focus on translation as a product when defining translation as “The replacement of a representation of a text in one language by a representation of an equivalent text in a second language".
- 8. • According to Nida and Taber (1989:12), "translating consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style”.
- 9. It is an act of adjustment and a compromising exercise. Translation is an operation performed on language process of substituting a text in one language for a text in another. Clearly, any theory of translation must draw upon a theory of language- a general linguistic theory. Translation Studies is a new academic discipline related to theory and phenomena of translation. By nature, it is multidisciplinary Language Communication Studies Philosophy Cultural Studies
- 10. Points to remember • Change from SL to TL retaining sense by using TL equivalents. • Translation is a bridge between creative and imitative art. • Complex procedure involving analysis, transfer and restructuring. • Transference of meaning and structure.
- 11. 1. According to Traditional Theorists Translation LITERARY NON-LITERARY Sense + Style Sense Kinds of Translation
- 12. Literary: • Mataphorical/ Rhetorical According to G.E Wellworth, literary translation requires 1.The recreation of a situation or cohesive semantic block in the new language with its cultural setting. 2.The translator decodes the motive of the SL text and encodes it in the TL text. 3.The mode of displacement continues.
- 13. Non-literary: • In the realms of Physical Science, Social Science, Journalism, Law etc. • Concerns with ‘Meaning’ not Style. e.g. translating political, scientific economic theories from SL to TL • Contents get precedence over Form
- 14. 2. Catford divides non-literary translation into three basic types NON-LITERARY TRANSLATION Context Level Rank Full/ Total Linguistic Items Partial/ Restricted Unbound/ Free Bound
- 15. Context • Full/ Total: Every part of the SL text is replaced by the TL text material. It is a myth. The translator becomes the de- coder of it. • Partial: Some parts of the SL text are left untranslated. • Restricted: The replacement of SL textual material at only one level. It is hardly any translation.
- 16. Level • Phonological: SL phonology is replaced by equivalent TL phonology. The grammar and lexis of SL text remain same except some random grammatical and lexical deviation. • Graphological: SL graphology is replaced by equivalent of TL graphology. The equivalence is based on the relationship to the same graphic substance.
- 17. • Grammatical: Replacement of SL grammar by equivalent of TL grammar but the lexis is not replaced. The equivalent is based on the relationship to the same contextual substance. • Lexical: Replacement of SL lexis by equivalent TL lexis but the grammar is not changed.
- 18. Rank • Bounded: Selection of TL equivalent is deliberately confined to one rank or few ranks (levels). Word for word translation. • Un-bounded/ Free: Equivalent shift freely up and down the rank scale.
- 19. Translation METAPHRASE PARAPHRASE IMITATION 3. John Dryden divides translation into three basic types Word For Word Sense For Sense Free
- 20. • Metaphrase: Turning an author word by word and line by line, from one language into another. • Paraphrase: Translation with latitude, the Ciceronian ‘sense for sense’ view of translation. • Imitation: Where the translator can abandon the text of the original as he sees fit.
- 21. 4. Roman Jakobson divides translation into three types Translation INTRALINGUAL INTERLINGUAL/ TRANSLATION PROPER INTERSEMIOTIC/ TRANSMUTATION
- 22. • Intralingual: Interpretation of verbal signs by means of other signs in the same system. e.g. synonyms Commotion, noise Bachelor, celibate • Interlingual: interpretation of verbal signs by means of verbal signs in other linguistic system. e.g. Wazu, ablution
- 23. • Intersemiotic: interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs of non-verbal sign system. e.g. traffic signals, nodding, shaking of head etc. Jakobson’s approach makes it clear that no translation however accurate it may provide the exact equivalence of the messages of the SL text.
- 24. 5. According to Mc-Guire Translation VERTICAL Horizontal
- 25. • Vertical: Translation into the native language from the SL which has a special value. • Horizontal: Translation, when both SL and TL have the same value. It includes imitation and borrowing.
- 26. References • A. H. Smith, ed., Aspects of Translation (London: Seeker and Warburg, 1988)8. • J. C. Catford, A Linguistic Theory of Translation ( London: OUP, 1985)20. • Theodore Savory, The Art of Translation (London: Cape, 1957). • Horst Frenz, “The Art of Translation” in N.P. Stallknecht and H.Frenz (eds) Comparative Literature: Method and Perspective (Carbondale: South Illinois University Press, 1961)72-96.
- 27. • Eugene Nida, Towards a Science Science of Translating (Leiden: E.J.Brill, 1964). • G.E. Wellworth, “Special considerations in Drama Translation,” Translation Spectrum: Essays in Theory and Practice, ed. M.G. Rose (New York: 1981)143. • Bassnett-McGuire, (1991) 71. • Roman Jacobson, “ A Linguistic Aspects of Translation,” On Translation ed. R.A. Brower (New York: Oxford University Press, 1966) 233.