OVERVIEW OF THE

TRANSLATION TASK
Form and Meaning

Hikmal Syah Aziz Rahman

 Characteristics of language which affect
translation
• Meaning components
First, let us look at the characteristics of meaning components. Meaning
components are “packaged” into lexical items, but they are “packaged”
differently in one language than in another. In Aguaruna, however, plurality
is a component of the verb stem itself and cannot be separated cut for many
of the more common verbs. If the actor is singular, the first form will be
used, if plural, the second.
Example :
1. tupikau = he runs
2. pisaju = they run

1. eketu = he sits
2. pakemsau = they sit

1. weu = he want
2. shiaku = they went
 Characteristics of language which affect
translation
• Same meaning component
Second, it is characteristic of languages that the same meaning component
will occur in several surface structure lexical items (forms). In English, the
word sheep occurs. However, the words lamb, ram, and ewe also include the
meaning sheep. They include the additional meaning components of young
(in lamb), adult and male (in ram), and adult and female (in ewe).
 Characteristics of language which affect
translation
• One form has several meanings
Third, it is further characteristic of languages that one form will be used to
represent several alternative meanings. This again is obvious from looking
in any good dictionary. Meanings for the English word run. There will be a
primary meaning-the one which usually comes to mind when the word is
said in isolation and secondary meanings-the additional meanings which a
word has in context with other words.
Example :

ENGLISH SPANISH

The boy runs El niño corre (runs)

The motor runs El motor fuciona

(functions)
The clock runs
El reloj anda (walks)
His nose runs
Su naríz chorrea (drips)
• There is also the same grammatical pattern may
express several quite different meanings

Example :
My car (ownership)
My brother (kinship)
My foot (part-whole / part of my body)
My singing (actor-activity / I sing)
My village (residence / the village where I live)
My train (use / the train that I use)
• Whole sentences may also several functions, a question
form may be used for a nonquestion (Rhetorical question)

Example:

Mary, why don’t you wash the dishes ?

• That question has the form question, and may in some context be asking
for information, but it is often used with the meaning of command.
• The words that have secondary meanings, like
grammatical markers have their secondary functions.

Example:
• John found a book on the floor = John encontró un libro en (on) El suelo
• John found a book on mathematics = John encontró un libro sobrelde
(about) matemáticas
• John was stopped by (agent) the policeman
• John stopped by (location) the bookstand
• There is also one meaning that is expressed in various
forms

Example:
• The cat is black
may be expressed “the black cat” and “the cat, which is black”
• Is this place taken ?
May be expressed “is there anyone sitting here ?” and “may I
sitting here ?”
Thank you
For your attention