THANSLATION

THEORY
Objects and objectives
Lecture 1
 Main items:
▪ Introduction: aims and structure of the course.
▪ Translation studies, linguistics and literary theory.
▪ Terms and concepts.
▪ Reading:
▪ Peter Newmark “A textbook on Translation” 1988:
Introduction; Pp. 1-21;
▪ Susan Bassnett “Translation Studies”1991: 1-21.
 Key words:

▪ Source Text (ST)

▪ Source Language (SL)
▪ Target Text (TT)
▪ Target Language (TL)
 What is translation?
▪ In many types of text (legal, administrative,
dialect, local, cultural) the temptation is to
transfer as many SL words to the TL as
possible.
▪ A text may therefore be pulled in ten
different directions, as follows:
 Ten different tensions
▪ (1) The individual style or idiolect of the SL author.
When should it be (a) preserved, (b) normalized?
▪ (2) The conventional grammatical and lexical
usage for this type of text, depending on the topic
and the situation.
▪ (3) Content items referring specifically to the SL, or
third language (i.e. not SL or TL) cultures.
 Ten different tensions
▪ (4) The typical format of a text in a book,
periodical, newspaper, etc., as influenced by
tradition at the time.
▪ (5) The expectations of the putative
readership, bearing in mind their estimated
knowledge of the topic and the style of
language they use, expressed in terms of
the largest common factor, since one should
not translate down (,or up) to the readership.
 Ten different tensions
▪ (6) The conventional grammatical and
lexical TL usage for this type of text,
depending on the topic and the situation.
▪ (7) Content items referring specifically to the
TL.
▪ (8) The typical format of a TT in a book,
periodical, newspaper, etc., as influenced by
tradition at the time.
 Ten different tensions
▪ (9) What is being described or reported,
ascertained or verified (the referential truth),
where possible independently of the SL text
and the expectations of the readership.
 Ten different tensions
▪ (10) The views and prejudices of the
translator, which may be personal and
subjective, or may be social and cultural,
involving the translator's 'group loyalty
factor', which may reflect the national,
political, ethnic, religious, social class, sex,
etc. assumptions of the translator.
 Other tensions in translation
▪ between sound and sense,
▪ word order and grammar,
▪ the figurative and the literal,
▪ neatness and comprehensiveness,
▪ concision and accuracy.
The dynamics of translation
 Translation as a profession
Translation as a profession practised in
international organizations, government
departments, public companies and
translation agencies (now often called
translation companies) began only about
fifty years ago;
 Translation as a profession
even now, the idea that all languages
(there are 4000) are of equal value and
importance, and
that everyone has a right to speak and
write his own language, whether it is a
national or a minority language (most
countries are at least 'bilingual') is not
generally recognised.
 Translation as a profession
Translation as a profession has to be seen
as a collaborative process between:
translators, revisers, terminologists, often
writers and clients (literary works have to
be checked by a second native TL reviser
and desirably a native SL speaker),
where one works towards a general
agreement.
 Translation as a profession
Finally, only one person can be
responsible for one piece or section of
translation; it must have the stamp of one
style.

The translator cannot afford the luxury of

saying that something cannot be
translated.
 Other functions of translation
Translation is an instrument of education
as well as of truth precisely because it has
to reach readers whose cultural and
educational level is different from, and
often 'lower' or earlier, than, that of the
readers of the original.
 Other functions of translation
'Foreign' communities:
their own language structures and their
own cultures,
'foreign' individuals:
their own way of thinking and therefore of
expressing themselves,
but all these can be explained, and as a
last resort the explanation is the
translation.
 Other functions of translation
No language, no culture is so 'primitive'
that it cannot embrace the terms and the
concepts of, say, computer technology or
plainsong.
But such a translation is a longer process
if it is in a language whose culture does
not include computer technology.
 Other functions of translation
If it is to cover all the points in the SL text,
it requires greater space in the TL
language text.

Therefore, whilst translation is always

possible, it may not have the same impact
as the original.
 Basic assumptions

▪ Translation is a means of interlingual

communication.

▪ As a means of interlingual communication,

translation is a transfer of meaning across
cultures.
 Basic assumptions
The translator makes possible an
exchange of information between
users of different languages by
producing in the TL (or the
translating language) a text, which
has an identical communicative value
with the source (or original) text (ST).
 Basic assumptions

■ This target text (TT, that is the

translation) is not fully identical with
ST as to its form or content due to
the limitations imposed by the formal
and semantic differences between the
source language (SL) and TL.
Basic assumptions

⚪ Nevertheless the users of TT

identify it, to all intents and
purposes, with ST – functionally,
structurally and semantically.
⚪ The functional identification is
revealed in the fact that the users
(or the translation receptors–TR)
handle TT in such a way as if it were
ST, a creation of the source text
author.
Basic assumptions
■ The translator is expected to efface
himself as fully as he can to avoid
interference with the process of
communication between S and TR.
■ The ideal translation should be
accurate as to meaning and natural
as to the receptor language forms
used.
Levels of translation :

■ translation is first a science, which

entails the knowledge and verification of
the facts and the language that
describes them;
■ secondly, it is a skill, which calls for
appropriate language and acceptable
usage;
 Levels of translation :

▪ thirdly, an art, which distinguishes good

from undistinguished writing and is the
creative, the intuitive, sometimes the
inspired, level of the translation;
▪ lastly, a matter of taste, where argument
ceases, preferences are expressed, and the
variety of meritorious translations is the
reflection of individual differences.
Basic assumptions

An intended audience who is

unfamiliar with the source text will
readily understand it.
The success of a translation is
measured by how closely it
measures up to these ideals.
 Basic assumptions
▪ The ideal translation should be…
▪ Accurate: reproducing as exactly as possible
the meaning of the source text.
▪ Natural: using natural forms of the receptor
language in a way that is appropriate to the kind
of the text being translated.
▪ Communicative: expressing all aspects of
the meaning in a way that is readily
understandable to the intended audience.
Definition
● Translation is the
interpretationTranslation is the
interpretation of the
meaningTranslation is the
interpretation of the meaning of the
text in one languageTranslation is the
interpretation of the meaning of the
text in one language (the "source
textTranslation is the interpretation of
Definition

⚪ Translation must take into

account a number of factors,
including contextTranslation
must take into account a number
of factors, including context, the
rules of grammarTranslation
must take into account a number
of factors, including context, the
Definition
■ Traditionally translation has been a
humanTraditionally translation has been
a human activity, though attempts have
been made to computerizeTraditionally
translation has been a human activity,
though attempts have been made to
computerize or otherwise
automateTraditionally translation has
been a human activity, though attempts
Definition
■ Perhaps the most common
misconceptionPerhaps the most
common misconception about
translation is that there exists a simple
"word-for-wordPerhaps the most
common misconception about
translation is that there exists a simple
"word-for-word" correspondence
 Definition
• On the contrary, every language is a
historically-evolvedOn the contrary,
every language is a historically-evolved
self-contained system, and
historically-determined differences
between languages may dictate
differences of expression.
 Etimology
□ EtymologicallyEtymologically,
"translation" is "carrying across" or
"bringing across." The Latin "translatio"
derives from the perfect" derives from
the perfect passive" derives from the
perfect passive participle, "translatum,"
of "transferre" ("to transfer" — from
"trans," "across" + "ferre," "to carry" or
"to bring").
Translation

⚪ The modern RomanThe modern

Roman, GermanicThe modern
Roman, Germanic and Slavonic
European languages European
languages have generally formed
their own equivalent terms for this
concept after the Latin model —
after "transferre" or after the similar
"traducere" ("to bring across" or "to
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ translation is used for multilingual notices;
▪ for instructions issued by exporting companies;
▪ for tourist publicity;
▪ for official documents, such as treaties and contracts;
▪ for reports, papers, articles, correspondence, textbooks to
convey information, advice and recommendations for every
branch of knowledge.
 Factors of increasing role of
translation
▪ the rise of the mass media,
▪ the increase in the number of independent
countries,
▪ and the growing recognition of the
importance of linguistic minorities in all the
countries of the world.
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ Translation has been instrumental in
transmitting culture, sometimes under
unequal conditions, ever since countries and
languages have been in contact with each
other.
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ Thus the Romans 'pillaged' Greek culture;
▪ the Toledo School transferred Arabic and
Greek learning to Europe;
▪ and up to the nineteenth century European
culture was drawing heavily on Latin and
Greek translations.
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ In the 19-th century German culture was
absorbing Shakespeare.
▪ (Greene, Bellow, Solzhenitsyn, Boll, Grass,
Moravia, Murdoch, Lessing, Mann, Brecht, Kafka,
Mauriac, Valery, etc.).
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ transmitter of the truth,
▪ a force for progress,
▪ the course of resistance to Bible translation
and the preservation of Latin as a superior
language of the elect,
▪ with a consequent disincentive to translating
between other languages.
 Translation – means of
communication
▪ A technique for learning foreign languages,
translation is a two-edged instrument:
▪ the special purpose of demonstrating the
learner's knowledge of the foreign language.
 Translation theory
▪ University subject called Translation Theory
('Translatology' in Canada, Traductologia in Spain,
▪ Uber-setzungswissenschaft in German-speaking
countries, 'Translation Studies' in the Netherlands
and Belgium).
▪ Narrow sense - the translation method used for a
certain type of text, and it is therefore dependent
on a functional theory of language.
▪ Wider sense - translation theory is the body of
knowledge.
 Translation theory
▪ 1-st translation theory identifies and defines a
translation problem;
▪ second, indicates all the factors that have to be
taken into account in solving the problem;
▪ third, lists all the possible translation procedures;
▪ finally, recommends the most suitable translation
procedure, plus the appropriate translation.
 Object of the science
◆ As any observable phenomenon,
translation can be the object of
scientific study aimed at
understanding its nature, its
components and their interaction
as well as various factors
influencing it or linked with it in
a meaningful way.
 Theory of translation
■ Translation is a complex and versatile
phenomenon. Different aspects of
translation may be studied by different
sciences.
■ The theory of translation studies
psychological, literary, ethnographical and
other sides of translation activity. It also
studies history of translation in this or that
country.
 Theory of translation
The theory of translation provides the
translator with the appropriate tools of
analysis and synthesis, makes him
aware of what he is to look for in the
original text, what type of information he
must convey in TT and how he should act
to achieve his goal.
In the final analysis, however, his trade
remains an art.
Translation is a complicated
phenomenon involving linguistic,
psychological, cultural, literary,
ergonomical and other factors.

Different aspects of translation can be

studied with the methods of the
respective sciences.
Linguistic theory of translation

⚪ The linguistic theory of

translation is concerned with
translation as a form of speech
communication establishing
contact between communicants
who speak different languages.
Linguistic theory of translation

● The basis of this theory is linguistics in

the broadest sense of the word, that is,
macrolinguistics with all its new
branches, such as psycholinguistics,
sociolinguistics, text linguistics,
communicative linguistics, etc., studying
the language structure and its
functioning in speech in their relationship
to mind, culture and society.
 The theory of translation
■ The core of the translation theory is
the general theory of translation
which is concerned with the
fundamental aspects of translation
inherent in the nature of bilingual
communication and therefore
common to all translation events.
 The theory of translation
• An important part of the general theory of
translation is the theory of equivalence
aimed at studying semantic relationships
between ST and TT.
• Of particular interest is that branch of the
theory of translation which is concerned
with the translating process itself, that is,
with the operations required for passing
over from ST to TT.
The theory of translation

□ One more branch of the theory of

translation which deals with the
pragmatic aspects of the translating
process.
□ The communicants involved in
interlingual communication speak
different languages but they also belong
to different cultures, have different
general knowledge, different social and
historical background.
The theory of translation

□ Translation theory consists of

the general and specific
theories.
 Theory of translation

■ Thus, according to the subject of studies

theory of translation can be classified as:
■ psychological theory of translation
■ literary theory of translation
■ ethnographical theory of translation
■ historical theory of translation, etc.
 Theory of translation
Today linguistic theory of
translation occupies the leading
position. It studies translation as
linguistic phenomenon.
Different spheres of theory of
translation together make the whole
picture of translation and describe it
thoroughly.
The main tasks of the theory of translation:

- to determine and describe general

linguistic principles of translation, i.e.
to indicate the features of language
systems and the conformities of
language functioning, make the
translation possible and determine its
frames;
 The main tasks of the theory of translation:

• to determine translation as an object

of linguistic study and to indicate its
difference from other types of
language mediation;
• to elaborate classification of types of
translation activity;
 The main tasks of the theory of translation:

■ to investigate the nature of translation

equivalence as a basis of equal
communicative value of ST and TT;
■ to elaborate general principles and
particularities of individual and special
translation theories for different language
combinations;
The main tasks of the theory of
translation:

▪ to elaborate general principles of

scientific description of translation as a
number of measures taken during
transformation of the ST into the TT;
▪ to investigate the influence of pragmatic
and sociolinguistic factors on translation;
▪ to determine the notion “norm of
translation” and to elaborate the
principles of translation estimation.
Translation theory - a science
Translation theory could become a
science due to the following factors:
Awareness in society in the need to
scientifically summarize translation
experience;
Development in linguistics, communication
theory and other branches of studies
which provided a background for tr-n
scientific researches,
 Translation theory - a science
■ And finally a number of thorough
analytical works that proved beyond
doubt the possibility and promising ways
for a new science that will reveal the
essence of translation as cross-language
and cross-culture communication.
 Questions for the seminar:

• Basic Translation – Основи

перекладу/Навч. Посібник. – Мірам
Г.Е., Київ, 2005.
• Стор.7-20.
• Questions pp.12, 19.
• Exercises: pp.12-13,19-20.
• Test
• Report “The History of Translation
Theory Development”