Textbook of Translation

Peter Newmark

Chapter 2. The Analysis of a Text

Reading a text Purposes:

Understand what it is about Analyze it from a ”translator’s” point of view

a. General reading Intention/function

- essence/gist subject & concepts - The way it is written
(encyclopedias, textbooks, - Particular & recurrent problems
specialist papers, and so forth) - Suitable translation method

b. Close reading
- Contextualized & decontextualized words (in & out context)
to find SENSE:

- Words/phrases metaphorically, musically, technically, colloquially used

- Acronyms1
- Neologisms2
1
A word made up from the first letters of the name of something such as an organization. For example,
NATO is an acronym for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

2
a new word or expression, or a word used with a new meaning. Syn. Coinage:

a. a word or phrase that has been recently invented : The phrase ‘glass ceiling’ is a fairly recent
coinage.

b. the invention of new words or phrases

1
 - Figures & measures
- Names of people & places
- World knowledge
- Presupposed3 & assumed knowledge

Words like ‘always’, ‘never’, ‘all’ and ‘must’ have no place in talk about translation –there are
‘always’ exceptions (Newmark 1988: 11-12).

INTENTION OF A TEXT
What is meant by X?

Represents the SL writer’s:

- attitude to/opinion of the subject matter
- point of view/ tone
- modal4 component to the proposition

‘unfortunately, ‘nevertheless’, ‘Hopefully’

Irony
Implicitly/obscurely-openly/explicitly expressed/conveyed

- Type of language (register, genre)

- Grammatical structures
passive voice
impersonal verbs
nominalizations
verb types
word order (emphasis)

3
presuppose
- to depend on something that is believed to exist or to be true. Syn. assume:
The idea of heaven presupposes the existence of God.
Your argument presupposes that Dickens was a social reformer.
- to have to happen if something is true :
Without struggle there can be no progress, and struggle presupposes winners and losers. [LDOCE]
4
Modal meanings are concerned with the attitude of the speaker to the hearer or to what is being said.

2
Same event different lexical and grammatical structuring different attitude

Intention/always a point of view subjective writing

About newspaper: a condemnation of the press
About nuclear weapon: advertisement

Translator has to be aware of the tone of the writing.

Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Prentice Hall International.