The Translation of Serious Literature and Authoritative Statements (PN 162-173)

Introduction

Theorists sometimes maintain that cognitive translation (the transfer of cold information) is
perfectly possible and may be near perfect—it represents the hard core, the invariant factor in
translation. The challenge arises when:

(a) there is an emphasis on the form as well as the content of the message, or

(b) there is a cultural gap between source language (SL) and target language (TL) readers,
involving different ways of thinking, feeling, or material objects. There is also a tricky pragmatic
relationship involving the writer, translator, and reader.

These generalizations hold some truth but miss a crucial point: the adequacy of a translation
fundamentally depends on the degree of difficulty, complexity, and obscurity of the entire
passage rather than isolated aspects. Any passage emphasizing SL form can be over-translated
into the TL to retain meaning, though it may lose the impact of the original. However, in general,
translating serious literature and authoritative statements is particularly challenging because both
the word (the first articulation of meaning) and the sentence or line (the second articulation) are
important. Achieving coherence between word, sentence, and text requires continuous
compromise and readjustment.

Expressive function of language, where content and form are equally important, characterizes
two broad text-categories: serious imaginative literature and authoritative statements, whether
political, scientific, philosophical, or legal. The two categories have clear differences:

(a) authoritative statements are more openly addressed to a readership than literature;

(b) literature is often allegorical, while authoritative statements are usually literal and denotative,
becoming figurative only in exceptional passages, such as broad popular appeals.

In translating authoritative statements, the translator must respect the peculiarities of idiolect as
in fantastic literature. For example, translating Charles de Gaulle's statement, "La France y voit
un renfort décisif de notre latinité à l’avantage de tous les hommes" requires preserving the
unique expression of the original.
Poetry

Poetry is the most personal and concentrated form of literature, with no redundancy or phatic
language. The word is the primary unit of meaning, and the line is usually the second,
demonstrating a unique double concentration of units. For instance, in Shakespeare's "Measure
for Measure":

But Man, proud man

Drest in a little brief authority,

Most ignorant of what he's most assured

His glassy essence, like an angry ape,

Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven

As make the angels weep...

The integrity of both lexical units and lines must be preserved, along with corresponding
punctuation and accurate metaphor translation. In translating poetry, original metaphors are the
controlling elements and must be reproduced scrupulously, even if they cause cultural shock. For
example, Shakespeare's "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" may not resonate with Arabic
or Eskimo readers, but they should make the effort to understand the simile.

The transition from one culture to another in poetry translation requires understanding the unique
cultural images. For instance, jade in Chinese culture is white, not jade-colored. Comparisons
involving eyebrows assume the custom of painting women’s eyebrows green. Translating poetry
involves communicating the poet's effect on the translator, rather than trying to produce the same
effect on the TL readers as the poet did on the SL readers.

Syntax, lexis, sound, and culture in poetry are often poles apart between languages, but the
image usually remains universal. Translators must decide whether to prioritize content or
manner, considering whether the expressive or aesthetic function of language is more important.
A successfully translated poem is always another poem, independent of the original.

Short Story/Novel
Translating short stories, while less constrained by meter and rhyme than poetry, still presents
significant challenges. Cultural glosses can be included within the text, unlike in poetry or drama
where they must be relegated to notes or glossaries. The translator must preserve certain cohesive
effects and leitmotifs that characterize a character or situation, such as in Thomas Mann's "Tonio
Kröger." Repeated phrases should be foregrounded and repeated in translation to maintain
thematic unity.

In fiction, dialogue becomes more important, and certain phrases become attached to characters.
The translator must ensure these phrases retain their significance and cohesiveness within the
context of the story.

In conclusion, translating serious literature and authoritative statements requires a balance

between preserving the original meaning and adapting to cultural differences. The translator's
task involves continuous compromise, careful attention to detail, and respect for the original
text's expressive function. The ultimate goal is to create a translation that stands as a work of art
in its own right, while remaining faithful to the source material.

Jeremy Munday (287)

In the digital age, translation has evolved significantly, especially within the software industry,
where it's encompassed in the acronym GILT (Globalization, Internationalization, Localization,
Translation).

- *Globalization (g11n)*: Organizes business processes to support internationalization and

localization.

- *Internationalization (i18n)*: Ensures digital products function internationally during

development.

- *Localization (L10n)*: Adapts products to specific locales, considering sociocultural and

linguistic nuances. It involves translating text and modifying cultural symbols to fit local
standards.

Localization is broader than translation, encompassing various aspects like cultural

appropriateness and compliance with local laws. The distinction between the two is often
blurred, with localization seen as a superordinate term.
Technological advancements have introduced tools like computer-assisted translation (CAT) and
machine translation (MT):

- *CAT tools*: Aid professional translators by aligning text pairs, extracting terms, and using
translation memories to improve speed and consistency.

- *MT tools*: Generate automatic translations for comprehension and initial drafts, which are
later refined by human translators.

These technologies have spurred theoretical discussions on their impact on translation. Anthony
Pym's work explores how internationalization modifies traditional translation models, focusing
on functionality and the complexity of global contexts.

Collaborative translation, including crowdsourcing efforts like those seen with Facebook and
Wikipedia, raises ethical questions about quality, fair compensation, and professional standards.

Michael Cronin's critiques emphasize the transformative effect of globalization and technology
on translation, highlighting the importance of connectivity and the risks of exclusion for
translators without technological access. He advocates for translation as a vital tool for minority
languages and promotes an activist approach to translation, encouraging societal recognition of
its importance.

Recent studies on translator activist networks highlight the role of translators in advocating for
equity and social responsibility within the profession.

Cultural and Political Agenda of Translation (JM 223-233)

- *Lawrence Venuti* argues for a broadening of translation studies to incorporate the value-
driven nature of the sociocultural framework.

- Venuti contests *Gideon Toury's* 'scientific' descriptive model, which aims for value-free
norms and laws, asserting that cultural theory is necessary to assess the significance of
translation norms.
- *Norms* encompass linguistic, literary, domestic values, beliefs, and social representations, all
carrying ideological force.

- *Social institutions*, including publishers, editors, literary agents, marketing teams, and
reviewers, shape translations within dominant cultural and political agendas.

- *Translators* can either accept or rebel against the prevailing culture.

Invisibility of the Translator

- In "The Translator’s Invisibility," Venuti describes how translations are often made fluent and
idiomatic to appear as originals, making the translator invisible.

- This invisibility results from the prevailing conception of authorship, viewing translation as
derivative.

- *Invisibility* is produced by fluent translations that create an illusion of transparency, judged

acceptable when they seem not to be translations.

Domestication and Foreignization

- *Domestication*: Adapts foreign texts to the target culture, minimizing their foreignness and
adhering to domestic values.

- *Foreignization*: Maintains the foreign elements of the source text, highlighting cultural
differences and making the translator visible.

- Venuti prefers foreignization as a strategic cultural intervention to counteract the dominance of

domesticating translations in English-language cultures.

Antoine Berman's Negative Analytic

- Berman's work influenced Venuti, focusing on the ethical aim of receiving the Foreign as
Foreign.

- Berman identifies twelve deforming tendencies in translations that negate the foreign:
rationalization, clarification, expansion, ennoblement, qualitative and quantitative
impoverishment, destruction of rhythms, networks of signification, linguistic patternings,
vernacular networks, expressions and idioms, and the superimposition of languages.
- He advocates for *literal translation*, which respects the 'letter' of the source text and
transforms the translating language positively.

Ethical and Sociocultural Context

- The ethics of translation involve not only linguistic fidelity but also the broader sociocultural
context, including the roles of translators, publishers, reviewers, and other stakeholders in
shaping translations.

This summary encapsulates Venuti's and Berman's perspectives on the cultural, political, and
ethical dimensions of translation, highlighting the tension between domestication and
foreignization and the impact of sociocultural forces on translation practices.

Postcolonial translation theory emphasizes the cultural and ideological impacts of translation,
particularly regarding colonial history and power imbalances.

Key Concepts in Postcolonial Translation Theory:

1. *Sherry Simon*:

- Highlights the cultural turn in translation, integrating gender and cultural complexities within
poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and postmodernism.

2. *Gayatri Spivak*:

- Criticizes translation of Third World literature into English, which often results in a
homogenized "translatese" that erases cultural identities.

- Advocates for translators to learn original languages to preserve unique cultural perspectives
and avoid over-assimilation.

3. *Tejaswini Niranjana*:

- Views translation as a tool of colonial power that shapes and reinforces asymmetrical power
relations.
 - Criticizes translation studies for ignoring power imbalances, having flawed concepts, and
embedding colonial domination in Western philosophy.

- Calls for postcolonial translators to deconstruct colonialism and adopt an interventionist

approach to resist colonial discourse.

4. *Susan Bassnett and Harish Trivedi*:

- Discuss the power struggle between local languages and English as the "master-language" in
postcolonial contexts.

- Explore translation's role in transnational and diasporic experiences, emphasizing concepts

like 'in-betweenness', 'third space', and 'hybridity'.

5. *Homi Bhabha*:

- Theorizes 'cultural translation' involving identity, agency, and belonging.

- Suggests ambivalent cultural hybridity can undermine colonial power, allowing space for
colonized discourse.

Postcolonial translation theory thus underscores recognizing and addressing power dynamics in
translation, advocating approaches that preserve cultural identities and resist colonial legacies.