TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NHA TRANG

TRANSLATION THEORY

ANALYZING TRANSLATION METHODS

CHAPTER 5
LECTURER: HỒ YẾN NHI

CLASS: 62.NNA-1

MEMBERS:

1. Hồ Hoàng Trang 62132333

2. Phạm Ngọc Diệu 62133586

3. Bùi Thị Thanh Nguyên 62134016

4. Nguyễn Võ Lâm Linh 62130982

5. Lâm Thạch Minh Hạ 62133649

Table of Contents
I. Introduction ( Ngoc Dieu)..........................................................................................3

II. Translation methods ( Minh Ha, Thanh Nguyen)......................................................3

III. Compare semantic translation and communicative translation ( Lam Linh)............7

IV. Linguistic level in translation methods of Peter Newmark ( Hoang Trang).............7

V. Conclusion ( Ngoc Dieu)........................................................................................11

References...................................................................................................................12
I. Introduction ( Ngoc Dieu)

Translation methods are essential in the process of converting content from one
language to another. The process of translation involves much more than simply
replacing words with their equivalents in the target language. Professional translators
must consider various factors, such as cultural nuances, idiomatic expressions, and the
intended audience, to ensure that the translation effectively conveys the intended
meaning and achieves its desired purpose.

The following report will examine the many methods of translation employed by
translators to produce precise and efficient translations. In the shape of a V-diagram,
we shall study the eight translation strategies offered by Peter Newmark, which are
split into two primary categories: TL translation includes word-by-word translation,
literal translation, faithful translation, and semantic translation. And SL Translation
includes adaptation, free translation, idiomatic translation, and communicative
translation.

When translating into another language (TL), the translator concentrates on creating a
text that is successful and appropriate for the intended audience, considering things
like linguistic and cultural differences between the source and target languages. In
order to communicate the desired meaning in a way that sounds more natural in the
target language, TL translation methods may entail deviating from the wording or
structure of the source material.

In SL translation, the translator strives on retaining as much of the phrasing and

organization of the original material while still communicating the message that is
desired. This method can be helpful when the source text contains idiomatic terms,
cultural references, or other features that are challenging to translate into the target
language.

II. Translation methods ( Minh Ha, Thanh Nguyen)

Minh Ha
 Though not necessarily symmetrical, relationships across languages can often be
thought of as bidirectional. The process of translation is always unidirectional; it is
always carried out in one direction, "from" one language "into" another (Catford,
1965).

Peter Newmark, in his “A Textbook of Translation”, mentioned there are 8 translation

methods that are divided into 2 branches in the V diagram. The left branch emphasizes
the source language (word-for-word translation, literal translation, faithful translation,
and semantic translation). The right one emphasizes the target language (adaptation,
free translation, idiomatic translation, and communicative translation) (Newmark,
1988).

1. Word-for-word translation:

The word-for-word translation means that the words are translated singly by the most
common meaning, however, they can be out of context, especially idioms, proverbs,
and cultural words (Newmark, 1988). It is considered at the lexical level and often
used in close reading, or analyzing texts. We can apply this method in scientific,
technical, or legal literature that translated without any changes.

Examples:

· My girlfriend is an eager beaver.

Word-for-word translation: Bạn gái tôi là một con hải ly háo hức

· All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the

United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
(Section 1, Article I, The Constitution of the United States)

Word-for-word translation: Tất cả các Quyền lập pháp được cấp ở đây sẽ được trao
cho Quốc hội Hoa Kỳ, bao gồm Thượng viện và Hạ viện.

2. Literal translation
The lexical words are once again translated individually and out of context, but the SL
grammatical structures are changed to their closest TL equivalents (Newmark, 1988).
It is considered at a syntactical level. It is not only a method but also used as a
technique because of its features. According to Vinay & Darbelnet J in "Translation
Procedures", a literal translation is a word-for-word translation method that substitutes
the syntactic structure of the target language, typically a sentence or clause, with
syntax that is identical to or nearly identical to the source language (Co, 2020).
Example:

· As fast as a kangaroo

Literal translation: Nhanh như một con kang-ga-ru

3. Faithful translation

Faithful translation is the most used method in translation. It simply means that the
translator strives to translate the author's intended meaning for the text—what the
author intended to communicate—as faithfully as possible. It entails not adding
excessive extras, attempting to maintain a respectable level of tone and form similarity,
and hoping that the impression made on the reader in the receiving language resembles
the impression made on the reader in the original language as closely as possible (as
closely as you can judge) (Szirtes, 2009).
Example: It’s too late to lock the stable when the horse is stolen.
Faithful Translation: Mất bò mới lo làm chuồng.

4. Semantic translation

Semantic translation is more flexible than translation according to the content and
natural, good, beautiful voice. It is used for highly expressive texts such as poetry,
literature, and songs. It is considered at a syntactical level and above.

Example:

Falling in love with you was the easiest thing I've ever done.
Nothing matters to me but you. And every day I'm aware of this. (Green Book -2018)

Semantic translation:

Phải lòng em là điều dễ dàng nhất anh từng làm.

Mỗi ngày anh luôn biết rằng chẳng có gì quan trọng với anh ngoài em.

Thanh Nguyen

5. Adaptation

The adaptation process entails modifying the source text to take into account the
linguistic and cultural aspects of the target language. The adaptation method gives the
translator creative license and allows them to strike a balance between the demands of
linguistic and cultural adaptation and the demands of fidelity to the original material,
resulting in a translated work that is both accurate and culturally appropriate. To make
sure that the translated text is natural, understandable, and culturally suitable in the
target language, adaptation may involve adjustments in vocabulary, syntax, cultural
references, and idiomatic phrases. This is the ‘freest’ type of translation (Newmark,
1988, p. 46).

This method situated on the right side of the V-diagram, stands for a focus on the
target language and more flexibility during the translation process.

Ex: SL “He hit the jackpot!”

TL “Anh ta trúng mánh lớn rồi!”

6. Free translation

In the free translation method, the goal is to provide a translation that follows the
linguistic and cultural conventions of the target language and reads naturally and
fluently in that language. To improve clarity and comprehension, the translator may
reword sentences, adapt idiomatic terminology, change sentence structures, or even
add explanatory material. In the V-diagram, it is positioned below the adaption method
on the target language emphasis side. With a focus on the target language and culture,
this positioning suggests that free translation permits a great degree of translation
freedom. It implies that in order to achieve effective communication in the target
language, free translation necessitates more thorough adaptation and innovative
decisions.

Ex: SL “The cat’s out of the bag.”

TL “ Bí mật đã được tiết lộ.”

7. Idiomatic translation

This method “reproduces the 'message' of the original” (Newmark, 1988, p. 47). The
idiomatic translation approach looks for expressions in the target language that are
culturally acceptable and have the same meaning and impact as the original idiom. It
permits the transfer of the figurative meaning while modifying it to match the
idiomatic norms of the destination language. The method is positioned towards the
bottom-right section, below the free translation. This placement suggests that the
translation process was highly flexible and that the target language was the main focus.

Ex: SL “Killing two birds with one stone.”

TL “ Một mũi tên trúng hai đích.”

8. Communicative translation

Instead of translating every word exactly, this method focuses on communicating the
intended meaning and ensuring successful communication in the target language. It
gives the text's overall significance, cultural setting, and intended effect top priority.
Instead of closely following the grammatical form or structure of the source text, it
concentrates on conveying the intended message. This can be seen as a type of free
translation (Dickins, Hervey and Higgins, 2017, p. 14).

It is placed at the bottom-right corner, the communicative translation approach exhibits

a high degree of freedom and an emphasis on the target language.

Ex: SL “Beware of the dog!”

 TL “Nhà có chó dữ!”

III. Compare semantic translation and communicative translation ( Lam Linh)

Language ability includes not only speaking, listening, writing, and reading, but also
translation. To produce a good translation from SL to TL, the translator must translate
both the language and semantics. Translators must be able to combine both meanings
and produce a more accurate translation. Consider the characteristics of both
communicative and semantic translations. (Simon, 2016)

Semantic translation and communicative translation are two approaches to translation

that are often compared and contrasted. While they have some important differences,
they also share some similarities.

One similarity between semantic translation and communicative translation is that both
approaches seek to convey the meaning of the source text in the target language. (Tiến,
2007)

Another similarity is that both approaches require a deep understanding of the source
and target languages, as well as the cultural and social contexts in which they are used.
In semantic translation, the translator must have a strong grasp of the linguistic
structures and vocabulary of both languages, as well as the specific domain knowledge
related to the text. In communicative translation, the translator must have a good
understanding of the intended audience, the purpose of the text, and the cultural and
social norms that underlie the communication. (Tiến, 2007)

There are two different approaches to translation, each with its own focus and goals.

Semantic translation is personal and individual, follows the author's thought processes,
tends to over-translate, and pursues nuances of meaning while aiming for concision to
reproduce the pragmatic impact. A communicative translation, on the other hand, is
social, focuses on the message and main thrust of the text, tends to under-translate, is
simple, clear, and brief, as well as is always written in a natural and resourceful stole.
(Fengling, 2017)
Communicative translation, according to Peter Newmark, focuses on the reader, to
make the text smoother, lighter, more idiomatic, and easier to read; however, the
equivalent-effect element is active if the text is outside of the target language space
and time. In this approach, the translator may modify the content, structure, and style
of the original text to ensure that the translated text has the desired impact on the target
audience. Meanwhile, semantic translation emphasizes the original's contextual
meaning without adding, subtracting, or repairing. (Cai, 2019)

The goal of communicative translation is to make information accessible to readers

and to influence their minds. Most non-literary writings, journalism, textbooks,
scientific and technological writings, public notices, serious literature, and
informational texts conclude with appropriate texts. The goal of semantic translation,
on the other hand, is to recreate the original's flavor and tone while preserving the
author's idiolect. Most people use semantic translation to translate literary, poetic, and
musical genres. (Izza)

Both translations have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice between them
depends on the type of text being translated and the intended audience. The choice
between the two approaches depends on the type of text and the intended audience,
and a skilled translator may use a combination of both approaches to achieve the best
possible translation.

IV. Linguistic level in translation methods of Peter Newmark ( Hoang Trang)

Analyzing the linguistic level in Peter Newmark's translation method plays a crucial
role. In this analysis, we will focus on the left branch of the V diagram. The left branch
of Peter Newmark's translation methods consists of lexical, syntactic, and semantic
levels. The lexical level focuses on individual words and vocabulary choices, while the
syntactic level deals with sentence structure and grammar. The semantic level involves
the overall meaning and interpretation of the text.( Newmark, 1988) From word-for-
word to semantic translation, there will be different linguistic levels depending on the
methods. I am going to analyze specific examples to explain the differences between
the linguistic levels in translation methods.
Source sentence ( English) : “ A picture is worth a thousand words”

Word-for-word translation

Linguistic level: Lexical

Word-for-word translated version (Vietnamese): “ Một bức ảnh là đáng giá ngàn
chữ”

Explanation: In this example, each word in the source text is directly translated into
Vietnamese, maintaining the same word order as the source text. However, this may
result in a less natural-sounding translation.

Literal translation

Linguistic level: A combination of lexical and syntactic levels

Literal translated version (Vietnamese): “Một bức ảnh đáng giá ngàn chữ”

Explanation: In terms of linguistic level, it is similar to word-for-word translation, still

preserving the meaning of the words in the source text, and the words remain detached
from the context. However, this translation closely reflects the meaning of the original
English proverb. Nevertheless, it is not yet a complete translation and does not reflect
the idiomatic and cultural aspects.

Faithful translation

Linguistic level: Semantic (with attention to lexical and syntactic levels)

Faithful translation (Vietnamese): "Một bức ảnh đáng giá ngàn lời."

Explanation: This translation can be considered at the semantic level, but it still has
connections to the lexical and syntactic levels because it does not yet convey the
meaning accurately and appropriately for the reader and does not yet represent an
equivalent idiomatic expression in the target language.

Semantic translation

Linguistic level: Semantic

Semantic translation (Vietnamese): "Nói có sách, mách có chứng."

Explanation: This translation is at the semantic level because the Vietnamese

translation uses a culturally appropriate proverb with a similar meaning. This
translation has aesthetic value and conveys a similar idea in a more culturally relevant
way for the Vietnamese audience.

After analyzing these examples, we can see that Peter Newmark's translation methods
in the left branch connect with linguistic levels, ranging from lexical, syntactic, and
semantic. Each method places emphasis on each level depending on its objectives.
Based on these levels, vocabulary, grammar, and other factors such as culture and
idiomatic expressions will also be adjusted to suit the target audience.

V. Conclusion ( Ngoc Dieu)

In conclusion, translation methods play a crucial role in the process of converting

written or spoken content from one language to another. Professional translators use a
range of methods, including word-by-word translation, literal translation, faithful
translation, semantic translation, adaptation translation, free translation, idiomatic
translation, and communicative translation, to produce translations that are accurate,
culturally appropriate, and effective in conveying the intended message.

Peter Newmark's V-diagram is a helpful framework for classifying translation

techniques according to the degree of source text involvement. Translators can select
the approach that is most suitable for the particular task at hand by comprehending the
various translation methods according to the V-diagram, taking into account elements
such as the purpose of the translation, the target audience, and the cultural and
linguistic distinctions between the source and target languages.

It is crucial to comprehend that there is no one approach that is effective for all
translation projects; rather, the best strategy is dependent on the particular
circumstances and specifications of each project. A proficient translator must be able
to fully understand the underlying meaning of the source text and analyze it, as well as
be acquainted with the cultural and linguistic subtleties of both the source and target
languages.
In today's globalized society, translation methods are a crucial tool for enabling
communication across linguistic and cultural obstacles. Professional translators are
vital in promoting cross-cultural understanding and collaboration via their expertise
and understanding.

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Simon, W. (2016). COMMUNICATIVE VS SEMANTIC TRANSLATION.

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