UNIVERSIDAD DE MORÓN

ESCUELA SUPERIOR DE LEYES

ÁREA DE TÉCNICAS ESPECIALES

TRADUCTORADO PÚBLICO EN IDIOMA INGLÉS

TRADUCCIÓN LITERARIA I (2114)

“When can over-translation or

under-translation be considered an
unfaithful translation?”

o STUDENTS’ NAMES:
-Yazmin García (5101-0091)
-Giuliana Cagianesa (5101-0389)
-Melany Machado (5101-0083)
-Laura Lado (4101-0213)

o LECTURER’S NAME: Traductora

Elisabet Emma Maricochi

o YEAR: 2023
 INDEX
I N T R O D U C T I O N..............................................................................................................................................................................3

F I N D I N G S................................................................................................................................................................................................5

1.1 Over-translation and Under-translation.............................................................................6

1.2 Castellano neutro...............................................................................................................8
2.1 About the author................................................................................................................9
2.2 About the translator.........................................................................................................11
T R A N S L A T I O N S............................................................................................................................................................................14

3.1 Source text (Spanish)........................................................................................................14

3.2 Target text 1 (American English): Translation by J. S. Bernstein......................................16
3.3 Target text 2 (American English): analysis of Bernstein’s translation (according to Under-
translation and Over-translation)...........................................................................................17
3.4 Target text 2: Castellano neutro.......................................................................................18
4.1 Comments and corrections to Bernstein’s translation:...................................................19
4.2 Analysis of Bernstein’s translation (according to the Semantic, Communicative and
Pragmatic approaches)..........................................................................................................20
5.1 Dimensions of language user:..........................................................................................22
5.2 Dimensions of language use:............................................................................................23
C O N C L U S I O N....................................................................................................................................................................................24

B I B L I O G R A P H Y............................................................................................................................................................................26

2
INTRODUCTION

3
 The present work will consist of four sections. Firstly, an explanation of when
over-translation and under-translation can be considered unfaithful translation and how
castellano neutro can have a negative impact on literary translation will be provided.
Secondly, information on Gabriel García Márquez and J. S. Bernstein will be presented.
Thirdly, an extract translated by J. S. Bernstein from El coronel no tiene quien le
escriba1 will be analyzed in terms of over-translation and under-translation; and
semantic, pragmatic, and communicative approach in order to produce an improved
translation. Fourthly, said extract will also be translated into castellano neutro so as to
illustrate how this may result in a cultural loss of the source text.

Finally, a conclusion will be provided at the end.

1
Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. Augirre Ed. Colombia, 1961.

4
FINDINGS

5
 For the main purpose of our work, we must first describe different concepts such
as over-translation, under-translation, and castellano neutro, and explain their incidence
on both the translation process and the target text produced. This information will be
later used to analyze an extract from El coronel no tiene quien le escriba2 by García
Márquez.

1.1 Over-translation and Under-translation

These two phenomena were first put forward by Peter Newmark in his book
Approaches to Translation3.

According to Newmark, both over-translation and under-translation involve the

non-equivalent reproduction of the meaning or style of the source language in the target
language. In the case of over-translation, the information contained in the target
language is more than that of the source language. In the target text, the translator adds
elements of meaning in the form of sentences, words, paragraphs, punctuation marks,
etc. which are not originally found in the source text. Conversely, when referring to an
under-translation, the information contained in the target language is less than that of
the source language. The translator leaves out certain aspects of the source language,
leading to a lack of information necessary for the comprehension of the message
conveyed in the source language.

The primary reason that prompts over-translation and under-translation is

culture. Culture can be defined as the way of life of a particular group of people, their
perception of life, and their behaviors.4 It encompasses different aspects transmitted
from generation to generation such as beliefs, values, knowledge, customs, arts, social
norms, and artifacts. Literature and language are also a part of culture. In this sense, we
may say that translation is the transference of culture. The source language to be
translated is embedded with its own history, social and cultural background which gives
rise to different cultural connotations. The words used in the source text only have their

2
Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. Augirre Ed. Colombia, 1961.
3
Newmark, P. (1988). Approaches to Translation. Prentice Hall. United Kingdom.
4
Wang, M. (2012). An Analysis of Over-translation and Under-translation in Perspective of Cultural
Connotation. International Conference on Education Technology and Management Engineering.
Retrieved from:
https://www.academia.edu/11193688/An_Analysis_of_Over_translation_and_Under_translation_in_Pers
pective_of_Cultural_Connotation
meaning with regard to the culture in which they function. Therefore, a deep
understanding of the cultural background of the source text is needed for a successful
translation. Cultural adjustments will have to be made to achieve an equivalent target
text during the translation process.

Considering the above-mentioned, the different cultural connotations found in

the source text can sometimes lead to an over-translation or under-translation. These
two may be considered inadequate when they pose a harm to the meaning of the source
text; in other words, the meaning of the original text is altered and the final result of the
translation is an unfaithful and non-equivalent target text that deviates from the source
text, leading to the impossibility of target language readers to completely understand the
message the source language tries to convey. It is only in these cases that over-
translation and under-translation must be considered unfaithful.

This being said, on the contrary, sometimes an over-translation or under-

translation is unavoidable, and this is also due to culture. It is possible, and not unusual
in literary translation, to stumble upon cases where an equivalent for a word or sentence
in the source language does not exist in the target language. As a result, the translator
will have to resort to their creativity to create similar scenarios to those in the source
text. This, of course, must be done in line with the author’s intentions as their message
cannot by any means be rendered in a distorted way, or else we will be faced with a bad,
unfaithful translation.

In short, over-translation and under-translation are wrong when translators add

information that cannot be found in the original text or leave out information that is key
for the comprehension of the original text. Such alteration of the source text translates
into a target text that does not faithfully reflect the content of the former. Conversely,
cultural connotations and the lack of equivalents in the target language call for a
reformulation or modification of the text on the translator's part that does not twist the
meaning of the source text. Naturally, this means an inevitable loss of cultural-related
aspects of the source text, but such cultural adaptation is necessary since the task of
translation involves “the cultural and ideological transportation” 5 and accommodation of

5
Gichangi Nginye, M. (2011). Beyond Literal Translation. Journal of Language, Technology &
Entrepreneurship in Africa. Retrieved from: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jolte/article/view/66578

7
the source text into the target text. Consequently, the target audience will better
understand the message of the source text.

1.2 Castellano neutro

Castellano neutro can be defined as an attempt to create an artificial variant of

the Spanish language that reaches different audiences, which aims to delocalize the
language and integrate as many Spanish speakers as possible.6

Texts written in castellano neutro are characterized by their clarity and

conciseness. Castellano neutro uses common formulas instead of expressions or words
from a specific country. It leaves aside slang, idioms, colloquial expressions, or any
other type of regionalism that could lead to confusion among the population of different
countries. Thus, this language avoids misunderstandings, reaches a wider audience, and
can be understood perfectly by any Spanish speaker.

In terms of its origin, this Spanish variant was mainly created for commercial
purposes. By unifying the Spanish-speaking market through a delocalized language that
can be understood by everyone, both the media and entertainment industries avoid the
investment that different adaptations for multiple countries entail. Translating into only
one Spanish variant is much more profitable.

Many people share a positive perception of castellano neutro since this

delocalized language is easier to comprehend. However, this language has also been
criticized. On the one hand, castellano neutro impoverished the lexicon and syntax of
the Spanish7 language as it is an invented language that was created without the
assessment of any linguistic specialist. On the other hand, it promotes a loss of cultural
identity. Words and expressions that are specific to the Mexican culture have seeped
into the vocabulary of many Latin American countries.
6
Colaboradores de Wikipedia. (2023). Español neutro. Wikipedia, La enciclopedia libre. Retrieved from:
https://es.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Espa%C3%B1ol_neutro&oldid=154380442

7
Llorente Pinto, M. R. (2006). ¿Qué es el español neutro?. Departamento de Lengua Española de la
Universidad de Salamanca. Retrieved from:
https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/handle/10366/121971/DLE_LlorentePinto_El_espanol_neutro_existe.pdf?
sequence=3&isAllowed=y#:~:text=El%20espa%C3%B1ol%20neutro%20es%20un,de%20hablar%20de
%20ese%20lugar

8
 Taking this into consideration, we think it is important to highlight the negative
impact castellano neutro has on literary translation. In the next sections, with the
translation of an extract from El coronel no tiene quien le escriba8, we will be able to
see the cultural loss García Marquéz’s story has to suffer if translated into a type of
Spanish that is more concerned with making a product profitable than maintaining
language quality.

2.1 About the author

Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez was born on March 6, 1928 and
died on April 17, 2014. He was a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, and journalist.
He is also considered the primary and most excellent of the Generation of the Boom
writers who promoted Magical Realism.

His parents were Gabriel Eligio Garcia, a telegraph operator, and Luisa Santiaga
Marquez Iguaran. The oldest child of eleven siblings, García Márquez grew up in
Aracataca, Colombia, with his maternal grandparents, who nurtured the promising
writer's imagination with fascinating stories of local history and family events.
Therefore, his grandparents played a significant role in his life and were the inspiration
for his writing. It is also important to mention that during his adolescence he developed
a love for literature, with such works as Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis 9 also
inspiring him to dream of becoming a writer.

Regarding his education, in 1947, he first studied law at Universidad Nacional

de Colombia. However, the university closed indefinitely, Bogotá was destroyed, and
the period known as La Violencia was triggered as a result of the Bogotazo, a massive
outbreak of rioting, that took place on April 9, 1948, following the assassination of
popular leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán. Consequently, García Márquez transferred to
Universidad de Cartagena and began working as a reporter for El Universal. In 1950 he
ended his legal studies to focus on journalism and worked as a columnist and reporter in
the newspaper El Heraldo.

8
Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. Augirre Ed. Colombia, 1961.
9
Kafka, F. The Metamorphosis. 1915.

9
 In the mid-1950s, García Márquez moved to Europe as a journalist for a
Colombian newspaper, El Espectador. Since 1953, the military had taken over power
led by Lieutenant General Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. Therefore, Europe was considered a
better place to continue with his life and work. Nevertheless, while he was staying in
Paris, the dictator Rojas Pinilla shut down the newspaper El Espectador. Consequently,
he was left without a regular income and began to report for another Colombian
newspaper, El Independiente. Unfortunately, it started to fall behind its payments
turning García Márquez’s stay in Paris into a nightmare due to the hardships caused by
hunger, cold, and poverty in the face of the distressing and never-ending wait for the
pay cheques from the newspaper.

Despite this hostile environment, he continued to write fiction, publishing his

first novel, Leaf Storm10, in 1955 and completing the novel El coronel no tiene quien le
escriba11 in 1957.

At the same time, according to García Márquez, El coronel no tiene quien le

escriba12 could have only been written in Paris because he could feel the Latin American
identity through the vision of the whole that Paris provided. He realised that in spite of
being from different countries, people were all crew members of the same boat. It was
possible to travel all around the continent and meet its writers, its artists, its disgraced or
budding politicians, just by making rounds of the crowded cafés of Saint-Germain-des-
Prés.

Thus, it can be stated that there is a strong similarity between García Márquez’s
situation during this period of his life and the Colonel’s situation in the short novel. For
some, he based the Colonel’s character on his grandfather, who was also a Colonel in
the Colombian army. For others, he was inspired by his own state during the 1950s,
since both were waiting for life-saving letters and were in poor living conditions.

Hence, the awareness to commit himself to the violent reality of his country led
him to write and show not only the events of La Violencia but also the reality of living
in a context marked by violence.

10
Márquez García, G. Leaf Storm. Harper&Row. 1972.
11
Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. Auguirre Ed. Colombia 1961.
12
Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. Auguirre Ed. Colombia 1961.

10
 Only in a few historical circumstances has the margin of unpredictability that
can occur in the relationship between writers and their social and political environment
been seen as clearly as in this one (in more abstract terms, in the relationship between
aesthetics and ethics).

2.2 About the translator

J.S. Bernstein is an American translator who was born in 1936 and died in 2014.
He was one of the first translators of García Márquez’s works, such as No One Writes
to the Colonel13, Leaf Storm14, and Chronicle of a Death Foretold 15, among others. His
version of No One Writes to the Colonel 16 was published by the publishing group
Penguin, in 1995.

Despite this, Bernstein was roundly criticized for his version of No One Writes
to the Colonel17 since his translation was excessively literal failing to properly render
the message of the original and conveying the cultural background that the work
contains.

It is necessary to bear in mind that Bernstein performed a translation of a text

that is closely linked to Colombian culture, history, and society. Consequently, if the
translator is not in direct contact with its culture or does not perform proper research,
the translation will be unfaithful and unable to convey the essence of the original
message.

Therefore, being aware of the United States context at the time of the translation
is extremely important to know Bernstein’s background and his understanding of the
world as well as culture. Moreover, it is helpful to know to what extent he was in direct
contact with other cultures, which would enrich his cultural awareness and language
knowledge.

13
Márquez García, G. No One Writes to the Colonel. Penguin Books Ltd. London, 2014.
14
Márquez García, G. Leaf Storm. Harper&Row. 1972.
15
Márquez García, G. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. 1981.

16
Márquez García, G. No One Writes to the Colonel. Penguin Books Ltd. London, 2014.
17
Márquez García, G. No One Writes to the Colonel. Penguin Books Ltd. London, 2014.

11
 Thus, it is important to mention that in particular, the 1990s was a decade filled
with significant changes and events that shaped America's future in the next
millennium. It was characterised by a time of great transformation in American society.

Among the most significant milestones of the 1990s, there is the end of the Cold
War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, creating a new world order where the
United States became the world’s dominant military power.

Furthermore, the United States was undergoing a period of growth and

advances. While the early 1990s saw the US economy mired in recession, a recovery
began, starting in 1994 and began accelerating thanks to a boom created by technology.
The Internet and related technologies made their first broad penetrations into the
economy.

While the Internet was invented before the 1990s, it gained popular use after the
invention of the World Wide Web. This allowed people to connect to pages and access
information on the internet. Within a few years, millions of people learned to use email,
chat rooms, websites, and search engines for the first time. The "information age" had
begun.

The 1990s were also a time of great cultural change. Music was a big part of
this, with the rise of grunge and alternative rock bands. Hip-hop music also grew in
popularity.

Finally, the 1990s was a time of progress in the fight for civil rights. In 1990, the
Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, which made it illegal to discriminate
against people with disabilities. Besides, in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act was
passed, which aimed to reduce domestic violence and sexual assault.

Hence, it can be said that there is a culture shock between American and
Colombian culture and that is visible in Bernstein’s translation. This implies that Latin
America's cultural remoteness has made it difficult for European and North American
countries to identify with their background. In order to be able to understand the
Colonel’s hardships marked by poverty, anguish, and hunger, it is necessary to immerse
oneself in Latin American culture.

12
 It is worth mentioning that even though Bernstein’s version of No One Writes to
the Colonel18 was highly criticised, the publishing group Penguin is still selling it.

18
Márquez García, G. No One Writes to the Colonel. Penguin Books Ltd. London, 2014.

13
TRANSLATIONS

14
3.1 Source text (Spanish)

“(…) El cortejo cambió de sentido. En los barrios bajos las mujeres lo vieron pasar
mordiéndose las uñas en silencio. Pero después salieron al medio de la calle y lanzaron
gritos de alabanzas, de gratitud y despedida, como si creyeran que el muerto las
escuchaba dentro del ataúd. El coronel se sintió mal en el cementerio. Cuando don
Sabas lo empujó hacia la pared para dar paso a los hombres que transportaban al
muerto, volvió su cara sonriente hacia él, pero se encontró con un rostro duro.

-Qué le pasa, compadre -preguntó.

El coronel suspiró.

-Es octubre, compadre.

Regresaron por la misma calle. Había escampado. El cielo se hizo profundo, de un

azul intenso. «Ya no llueve más», pensó el coronel, y se sintió mejor, pero continuó
absorto. Don Sabas lo interrumpió.

-Compadre, hágase ver del médico.

-No estoy enfermo -dijo el coronel-. Lo que pasa es que en octubre siento como si
tuviera animales en las tripas.

«Ah», hizo don Sabas. Y se despidió en la puerta de su casa, un edificio nuevo, de dos
pisos, con ventanas de hierro forjado. El coronel se dirigió a la suya desesperado por
abandonar el traje de ceremonias. Volvió a salir un momento después a comprar en la
tienda de la esquina un tarro de café y media libra de maíz para el gallo. (…)”

Márquez García, G. El coronel no tiene quien le escriba. (p. 7). Augirre Ed. Colombia, 1961.

15
 3.2 Target text 1 (American English): Translation by J. S. Bernstein

“(…) The cortege changed direction. In the poor neighborhoods the women watched it
pass, biting their nails in silence. But then they came out into the middle of the street
and sent up shouts of praise, gratitude, and farewell, as if they believed the dead man
was listening to them inside the coffin. The colonel felt ill at the cemetery. When Sabas
pushed him toward the wall to make way for the men who were carrying the dead man,
he turned his smiling face toward him, but met a rigid countenance.

'What's the matter, friend?' Sabas asked.

The colonel sighed. 'It's October.'

They returned by the same street. It had cleared. The sky was deep, intensely blue.

It won't rain anymore, thought the colonel, and he felt better, but he was still dejected.

Sabas interrupted his thoughts.

'Have a doctor examine you.'

'I’m not sick,' the colonel said. 'The trouble is that in October I feel as if l had animals
in my gut. 'Sabas went 'Ah.' He said goodbye at the door to his house, a new building,
two stories high, with wrought-iron window gratings. The colonel headed for his home,
anxious to take off his dress suit. He went out again a moment later to the store on the
corner to buy a can of coffee and half a pound of corn for the rooster. (…)”

Márquez García, G. No One Writes to the Colonel. (ps. 4 y 5). Penguin Books Ltd. London, 2014.

16
3.3 Target text 2 (American English): analysis of Bernstein’s translation
(according to Under-translation and Over-translation)

“(…) The cortege changed direction. In the poor neighborhoods, the women watched it
pass, biting their nails in silence. But then they came out into the middle of the street
and sent up shouts of praise, gratitude, and farewell as if they believed the dead man
was listening to them inside the coffin. The colonel felt unwell at the cemetery. When
don19 Sabas pushed him toward the wall to make way for the men who were carrying
the dead man, he turned his smiling face toward him but met a rigid countenance.

'What's the matter, friend?' Don Sabas asked.

The colonel sighed. 'It's October, my friend.”

They returned by the same street. The rain had subsided, and the sky had deepened
into a vivid blue. It won't rain anymore, thought the colonel, and he felt better, but he
was still dejected.

Sabas interrupted his thoughts.

'Have a doctor examine you.'

'I'm not sick,' the colonel said. 'The thing is that in October, I feel as if I have creatures
in my stomach. "Don Sabas let out a sigh, 'Ah.' "The colonel said goodbye at the door
of his house, a new two-story building with iron window bars." The colonel headed for
his home, anxious to take off his dress suit. He went out again a moment later to the
store on the corner to buy a can of coffee and half a pound of corn for the rooster. (…)”

19
"Don" is a treatment of respect used in the Spanish language, especially in the
Hispanic tradition. It is placed before the name of a person and denotes a level of
consideration and respect towards them. It is equivalent to a title of courtesy, similar to
"Mr." in English, but with cultural connotations. Its use extends to different social
spheres and is an important part of etiquette and language in Spanish.

17
3.4 Target text 2: Castellano neutro

“(…) El cortejo cambió su dirección. En los barrios empobrecidos, las mujeres lo

observaban pasar mordiendo mudas sus uñas. Pero, entonces, ellos emergieron desde
el medio de la calle y gritaron sus elogios, agradecimientos y despedidas como si
creyeran que el muerto los oía desde el féretro. El coronel se sintió mal en el
cementerio. Cuando el señor Sabas lo empujó contra la pared para dar lugar a los
hombres que cargaban al muerto, giró su rostro sonriente hacia él, pero solo encontró
una expresión draconiana.

—¿Qué pasa, camarada? —inquirió el señor Sabas.

El coronel suspiró.

—Es octubre, camarada.

Regresaron por la misma calle. La lluvia atenuó, pero el cielo se tornó de un vívido
azul.

«Ya no lloverá más.», pensó el coronel, y sintió más tranquilidad, aunque aún se sentía
abatido.

Sabas interrumpió sus pensamientos.

—Ve a que te examine un doctor.

—No estoy enfermo —dijo el coronel—, lo que pasa es que, en octubre, siento como si
tuviera criaturas en mi estómago —El señor Sabas suspiró: “Ah.”

El coronel se despidió en la puerta de su casa: un edificio de dos pisos con ventanas con
barras de hierro. El coronel emprendió la vuelta, estaba impaciente por sacarse el traje.
Él se dirigió hacia la tienda de la esquina un momento después para comprar una lata de
café y media libra de maíz para el gallo. (...)”

18
4.1 Comments and corrections to Bernstein’s translation:

1) "The colonel felt ill at the cemetery."

Over-translation. The use of "ill" indicates a serious illness, while the author of the
novel only describes the character as feeling unwell, without providing further details.
Therefore, we suggest the following translation: The colonel felt unwell at the cemetery.

2) “When Sabas pushed him toward the wall to make way for the men (…)”

Under-translation. In this case, the translator chose to omit the word "don," but we
believe that maintaining the honorific "don" in the translation and using italics along
with footnotes is a strategy that balances faithfulness to the original text with
accessibility for English-speaking readers. This enriches the reading experience by
highlighting important cultural and linguistic elements in the work without
compromising comprehension for those who may not be familiar with these
conventions. This approach respects the authenticity of the work and its cultural context,
which is essential for a full appreciation of the narrative. Therefore, we suggest the
following translation: When don1 Sabas pushed him toward the wall to make way for
the men who were carrying the dead man, he turned his smiling face toward him but
met a rigid countenance.

3) “The sky was deep, intensely blue.”

Under-translation. The literal translation is accurate, but it lacks the beauty and
intensity of the original. To capture the author's original idea, we can use more
evocative language and imagery. For example, we could say: "They returned by the
same street. The rain had subsided, and the sky had deepened into a vivid blue."

4) “The trouble is that in October, I feel as if I have creatures in my stomach.”

Over-translation. The use of "trouble" in this translation is not the most suitable
option, it doesn't fully convey the sense of "feeling" in this context. For a more accurate

19
translation, you can use a word or phrase that conveys the idea of feeling or
experiencing without overtranslation: "I'm not sick,' the colonel said. 'The thing is that
in October, I feel as if I have creatures in my stomach.”

5) “Sabas went 'Ah.”

Under-translation. The translation is quite simple and literal. To add a bit more
richness and context to don Sabas's "Ah", we could opt for a translation that conveys a
more expressive and natural reaction. For example, "Don Sabas let out a sigh, 'Ah.'"
This translation better reflects the expression of surprise or reaction that "Ah" might
indicate in this context, rather than merely stating that he made that sound.

4.2 Analysis of Bernstein’s translation (according to the Semantic,

Communicative and Pragmatic approaches)

From the perspectives of Semantic and Communicative Translation,

considering their advantages and disadvantages, and based on our discussion regarding
the detection of "over-translation" and "under-translation" in certain passages of J. S.
Bernstein's 1995 translation of "El coronel no tiene quien le escriba", certain limitations
are observed in conveying the atmosphere, emotions, and nuances that Gabriel García
Márquez's original work may contain beyond the written words. In the case of a literary
work as rich as "El coronel no tiene quien le escriba", the translation should strive to
capture both the literal meaning and the essence and depth of the work, often involving
cultural and emotional elements. However, J. S. Bernstein's translation leans more
towards a communicative approach than a semantic one. This can be seen in certain
passages, such as the following:

6) "He was dressed in his flannel underwear; his unshaven cheek was swollen."

Under-translation. Inaccuracy in the translation of the phrase as it omits translating

"calzoncillos" and uses "franela" to describe the underwear the character was wearing,
which we understand was not the original wording by the author of the novel: “Estaba
en calzoncillos y franela*, hinchada la mejilla sin afeitar.”

20
To reflect this accurately, the translation should be more specific and precise, and we
propose translating this part as follows: “He was in his underwear and a flannel shirt,
with his unshaven cheek swollen.”

*In Colombia, the word "franela" is commonly used to refer to a garment, specifically a
short-sleeved t-shirt made of soft and lightweight cotton fabric.

7) "The musicians stopped the march."

Under-translation. The original wording was: “Los músicos suspendieron la marcha

fúnebre.” For a more comprehensive and accurate translation, it could be appropriate to
include the translation of "funeraria" to ensure that English-speaking readers fully
understand the context. The translation could be: "The musicians stopped the funeral
procession." In this way, the reference to the funeral context provided by the term
"funeraria" in the original sentence is preserved.

Despite our belief that J. S. Bernstein translated the story from a communicative
perspective, we have observed that in some parts he translated semantically and
exceeded the limits of good translation. We understand that he intended to soften
Márquez's message, but he went too far, to the point that we believe he sought to
assume the role of author rather than translator. For example:

8) “During the course of the week, the flora in his belly blossomed.”

The original wording was: “En el curso de la semana reventó la flora de sus vísceras.”
The literal translation "The flora in his belly blossomed during the course of the week"
is not very appropriate. The Spanish word "reventó" has a negative meaning, implying a
rupture or damage. In this case, the phrase suggests that the flora in the person's viscera
was damaged or destroyed.

According to what to expressed before, we think that a better translation could be: "The
flora in his belly burst violently during the course of the week". This is more accurate
and conveys the original meaning of the phrase. The word "burst" means "explode" or

21
"break", which is consistent with the meaning of "reventó" in Spanish. The word
"violently" also helps to emphasize the negative nature of the action.

A successful approach could be a combination of both approaches, paying

attention to both the words' meanings, the author's intent, and the story's atmosphere.
Literary translators often strive to find this balance to provide an authentic experience to
the reader in the target language. Therefore, it is important that the translation of a
literary work reflects not only the written words but also the depth and spirit of the
original. This is what we aim to accomplish by suggesting some of the modifications
above to J. S. Bernstein's translation to achieve this purpose.

On the other hand, with regard to Pragmatic Translation is an approach that focuses
on the effective communication of the original message in the target language. This
approach is based on the idea that translation is not simply a process of substituting
words or phrases, but rather a process of creating a new text that has the same effect as
the original text. In other words, this approach studies the relationship between the
utterance (text or speech) and the user (reader or hearer).

According to the latter, and considering the previous analysis with the examples
above, we could say that there are some parts where the translation could be improved
by applying the Pragmatic Translation. These changes would improve the effective
communication of the original message in the target language, making the translation
more natural and accurate. The reader would understand the meaning of the phrase and
word better and would be less likely to be confused or misinterpret the message.

On the other hand, the situational dimensions according to House (1977) on the
novel “El coronel no tiene quien le escriba” are:

5.1 Dimensions of language user:

❖ GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGIN: Colombia

❖ SOCIAL CLASS: Upper and Lower classes
❖ TIME: The early 20th century (at the end of “Guerra de los Mil Días”, a civil
conflict happened in Colombia)

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 5.2 Dimensions of language use:

❖ MEDIUM: written text

❖ PARTICIPATION: monologue – third narrative point of view
❖ SOCIAL ROLE RELATIONSHIP: The social role relationship is lower to
higher because the colonel is a humble man who needs the help of the
government, which is a powerful institution. This is reflected in the language of
the story, which shows the colonel's frustration and anger with the government.
❖ SOCIAL ATTITUDE: The social attitude is distant because the colonel is
isolated from society and feels abandoned by the government. This is reflected
in the language of the story, which is a mix of formal and colloquial language.
❖ PROVINCE: literary language

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CONCLUSION

24
 In this work, we have explored the themes of over-translation, under-translation, and
the use of castellano neutro in the context of literary translation, with a particular focus
on Gabriel García Márquez's novel "El coronel no tiene quien le escriba" and J. S.
Bernstein's translation of the same. We have examined various passages in Bernstein's
translation and assessed them from different translation approaches, including semantic,
communicative, and pragmatic ones. Our analysis has revealed certain instances of
over-translation and under-translation, where the translator deviates from the source
text's intended meaning or fails to convey it accurately.

Furthermore, the use of castellano neutro has been a subject of discussion,

highlighting its impact on literary translation. While castellano neutro serves the
purpose of making the text more accessible to a wider audience and avoiding
regionalisms, it can lead to a loss of cultural identity and linguistic richness, which is
particularly important in works like García Márquez's.

Our analysis of Bernstein's translation has shown that he sometimes chose a

communicative approach that aimed at simplifying the text to make it more accessible
to English-speaking readers. However, this approach may have resulted in over-
translation or under-translation, where certain nuances, cultural references, and
emotions were not fully conveyed in the translation.

In conclusion, the art of translation involves a delicate balance between faithfulness

to the source text and effective communication in the target language. Translators must
consider the cultural, emotional, and linguistic aspects of the original work to capture its
essence accurately. While the use of castellano neutro can facilitate a broader
readership, it should not come at the expense of cultural richness and the original
author's intent. Effective translation requires a nuanced understanding of the source text
and a judicious selection of translation strategies to convey its depth and spirit faithfully
to the target audience.

25
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