STUDENT STATE POLYTECHNIC OF SRIWIJAYA

S INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION
HANDOUTS

TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF TRANSLATION

Catford (1989: 21) divides translation into three distinctive types , namely :
1. Full translation v.s Partial translation
2. Total v.s Restricted translation
3. Rank of translation
The distinction between full and partial translation relates on the extent of SL text
which is submitted to the translation process. In a full translation the entire text submitted to
the translation process, that is every part of the SL text is replaced by TL text material, e.g.
Indonesia : English :
- Aku cinta Indonesia = I love Indonesia.
- Dia akan pergi kesana = He will go there.
- Mereka tidak membeli apa-apa = They didn’t buy anything
In a partial translation, however, some part (parts) of the SL text are left untranslated. They
are simply transferred to and incorporated in the TL text, either because they are regarded as
‘untranslatable’ or for the deliberate purpose of introducing ‘local colour‘ into the TL text or
even because they are so common and frequently used that translation is not needed, e.g.
- I like hamburger = Saya senang hamburger.
- Rock Hudson died of aids = Rock Hudson meninggal karena aids
-We need microfilm = Kami memerlukan mikrofilem.
-The UNDP is funded by the UNESCO = UNDP dibiayai oleh UNESCO
-Orang utan itu sejenis monyet = The orang utan is kind of ape.
-Pesinden itu menyanyikan = The pesinden sang megatruh sadly
Megatruh dengan sedihnya
-Dalang itu memainkan wayang = The dalang played the Javanese puppet
Kulit semalam suntuk show all night long.
- Ibu masak rujak cingur untuk = Mother cooked rujak cingur for lunch
makan siang

Do you notice any important change with the words underlined above in the translation ?
Hamburger, aids, UNDP, and UNESCO stay the same graphically yet perhaps they change
phonologically (pronunciation). But microfilm undergoes both spelling and pronunciation
STUDENT STATE POLYTECHNIC OF SRIWIJAYA
S INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION
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change (microfilm – mikrofilem). In the same way the Indonesian ‘orang utan’ becomes ‘orang
utan’ – a change in both spelling and pronunciation in English.
The distinction between total and restricted translation relates to the levels of language
involved in translation. In total translation SL grammar and lexis are replaced by equivalent TL
grammar and lexies. This replacement of SL / graphology by TL phonology/ graphology, e.g.

The child has slept for three hours

Anak itu telah tidur selama tiga jam
Restricted translation at the grammatical and lexical levels means , respectively, replacement of
SL grammar by equivalent TL grammar, but with no replacement of lexis, and replacement of
grammar, e.g.
Replacement of grammar :
1. Anak itu / telah tidur / selama / tiga jam.
- Noun det / Aux verb / Prep / Det Noun ( Indonesian )
- Det noun / aux verb³ / Prep / Det Noun ( English )
2. Pemburu tua itu / membunuh / seekor beruang muda
- Noun Adj Det / Verb / Det Noun Adj ( Indonesian )
- Det Adj Noun / Verb² / Det Adj Noun ( English )
Replacement of lexis :
1. Anak itu / telah tidur / selama / tiga jam.
- Child that / already sleep / for / three hours .
2. Pemburu tua itu / membunuh / seekor beruang muda.
- Hunter old that / kill / a bear young.
The third type of differentiation in translation according to Catford relates to the rank in
grammatical hierarchy at which translation equivalent is established . This rank translation can
be in the form of :
- word to word translation
- group to group translation
- sentence to sentence translation
- paragraph to paragraph translation
STUDENT STATE POLYTECHNIC OF SRIWIJAYA
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- discourse to discourse translation

In this type of translation , lexical and grammatical adjustment should be applied to achieve
equivalent in terms of meaning. The lexical and grammatical adjustment will be discussed more
deeply in modules three and two respectively.
In his article ‘ On Linguistic Aspect of Translation‘, Roman Jacobson distinguishes three
types of translation ( Jacobson , 1959 : 234 ) :
1. Intralingual translation or rewording. It is an interpretation of verbal signs by means of
other signs in the same language, e.g. Paraphrasing.
2. Interlingual translation or translation proper. It is an interpretation of verbal signs by
means of some other language, e.g. the replacement of SL text into the TL equivalent.
3. Intersemiotic translation or Transmutation . it is an interpretation of verbal signs by
means of signs system e.g. from verbal art into music, dance, cinema or painting.
For our purpose here , translation proper ( interlingual translation ) which describes the
process of transfer from SL to TL is in line with our stated specific objectives and should be
discussed more deeply.
Savory ( 1969 : 20 – 24 ) categories translation proper into four types as follow :
1. Perfect translation . All purely informative statement , such as are encountered by the
traveler or used by the advertiser . for example, at some air terminal there hang notice
boards with the following messages :
IMPORTANT
Please ensure that your baggage is
correct before leaving terminal !
ATTENTION
Messieurs less passengers sont pries verifier
Leurs bagages avant de quitter I aerogare !
PERHATIAN
Silahkan memeriksa barang – barang anda
Sebelum meninggalkan pelabuhan udara !
The three messages are not word for word identically phrased , but all contain advice of
identical meaning . you may assume that an Englishman , a Frenchman or an Indonesian
takes away exactly the same impression , and that they all usually react in the same way
STUDENT STATE POLYTECHNIC OF SRIWIJAYA
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and possible with the same sensations. The message is direct and unemotional and it is
made in plain words to which no very intense associations are attached.

2. Adequate translation ( for mere entertainment ).

Into this second category fall the very large number of almost
characterless translations made for general reader who may use them
without giving a thought to the fact that what he is reading was not
originally written in his own language, for example English pop
novels translated into Indonesian. In the process of translating from
English into Indonesian the translator may omit words, or even whole
sentences, which he finds obscure. He can freely paraphrase the original
meaning whenever it suits him to do so. There is no reason why this
should not be so , as long as the readers want nothing but the story.

3. Composite translation. This includes the translation of prose into prose,

of poetry into prose, and of poetry into poetry. The translator may spend
a very long time on his work so that the commercial value of the
translation is often neglected . He would only get the intellectual
exercises and the keen intellectual pleasure that results from the effect.
e.g. Laki – laki tua dan laut translated by Sapadi Djoko Damono from
The old man and the sea by Ernest Hemingway.

4. The translated of all learned , scientific and technical matter.

Scientific and technical has certain characteristic among other :
a. These translation are made solely because of the intrinsic importance of the
original work , an importance that is strictly confined to the practical
business of living. For example , R.C. Punnet’s Mendelism was translated
into Javanese only because the Javanese needed to know the principles of
heredity.
b. The translator shall have a reasonable knowledge of the science of technique
about which the original was written . This will help the translator maintain
STUDENT STATE POLYTECHNIC OF SRIWIJAYA
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accuracy , clearness and precision of the concepts. To translate an English

text on desease you should have a medical background otherwise your
translation will be misleading.
We should also include in this fourth category translation work done solely in the interest
of trade. Consumers goods can be sold in other countries if they can persuasively described in
the language of the purchaser or at least in English . The work of the translators who perform this
service is seldom publicized , seldom appreciated , and seldom criticized . Yet they claim that
their work demands accuracy in the choice and precision in the use of words which many other
translators might find to be more than they could endure.

Summary
1. Catford divides translation into three distinctive types, namely :
a. Full translation V.S. Partial translation.
In a full translation every part of the SL text is replaced by TL text material
While in a partial translation some part (parts) of the SL text are left
. Untranslated.
b. Total translation V.S. Restricted translation
In a total translation SL grammar and lexis are replaced by equivalent TL
grammar and lexis. Restricted translation at the grammatical and lexical
levels means, respectively, the replacement of SL grammar by equivalent
TL grammar with no replacement of lexis and by equivalent TL lexis with
no replacement of grammar.
c. The rank translation can be in the form of : word to word, group to group sentence to
sentence, paragraph to paragraph and so on.

2. Jacobson also distinguishes three types of translation namely, intralingual

( rewording, paraphrasing ) , interlingual ( replacement of SL text into the
TL equivalent ), and intersemiotic or transmutation which is an interpretation
of verbal signs into music, dance, and so on.

3. Savory categories translation proper into four types :

a. Perfect translation ( all purely informative statements )
b. Adequate translation ( for mere entertainment )
c. Composite translation ( for intellectual exercises and pleasure )
d. Scientific translation which aims at attaining the accuracy , clearness,
precision of the concepts.