Procedures of

translation
Literal translation

Laura Camila Sarria

Esquivel
Dalia Daniela Berrio
Navarro
Literal translation
■ Is a word-for-word translation, as the
name suggests, and it can be used
depending on the sentence structure and
when the languages involved share
parallel structures and concepts. Literal
translation carries the imprint of the
original.

■ This technique is used when it is possible

to transpose the source language (SL)
message element by element into the
target language (TL) and obtain a text
that is idiomatic.
■ According to Vinay and
Darbelnet, a literal translation
can only applied with
languages which are extremely
close in cultural terms. It is
acceptable only if the TT
retains the same syntax, same
meaning and the same style as
the ST
 Example
s
■ I am a doing a presentation.

– Yo estoy haciendo una

presentación.

■ the experienced teacher had never

been…
– El profesor experimentado nunca
había…
■ I am going to the beach.
– Soy yendo la playa

– Voy a ir a la playa.

■ I go to the beach.
– Voy a la playa.

■ She is Reading.
– Ella está leyendo.

■ I’ve left my book on the table.

– He dejado mi libro sobre la mesa.
Disadvantages
■ Being translated word by word
you can lose a lot of meaning and
sense of the text

■ If you do not have a minimum

knowledge of the source language
it is very difficult for you to fully
interpret everything that has been
translated.
Conclusion
■ Literal translation, does not work for idioms in general, it often does not work
for prepositions, and it does not work in many other cases.

■ While a literal translation can give you a sense of the meaning, a translator
approach is to.

■ Read the words in the source language.

■ Get the meaning.

■ Capture the meaning in the target language way of expressing things.

■ The desired result is often, perhaps usually, not a literal translation.