Teoria şi practica traducerii

Cursul 4

1.Theory of Equivalence Levels

2.Equivalence Levels
3.Types of Equivalents

Various trends in TR Studies

regarded equivalence
1. As a necessary condition for TR and a useful pedagogical tool
(Plato, E. Nida, G. Toury, A. Pym)
2. As an irrelevant concept because of its vagueness and ambiguity (M. Snell-Hornby)
3. As a damaging one
(E. Gentzler),
4. Even claimed its impossibility (J. Derrida).
More appropriate terms to refer to ST and TT relationship:
analogy, invariance, congruence, convergence (K. Malmkjaer)
adequacy (H. Vermeer and S. Komissarov)
appropriateness of the TT to the translation skopos (H. Vermeer)
optimal / relevant similarity
(A. Chesterman)
Werner Koller – 5 "frames of reference" that constitute word and text meaning and
account for various kinds of EQ, achieved at word level:
Denotational meaning has in view the object or concept referred to and equivalence
between lgs at this level.
Connotational meaning and EQ refer to SL and TL words triggering similar
associations in the mind of the native speakers of the 2 communities.
Text normative EQ when words are used in similar contexts in the S and T texts (legal
texts, instructions, etc.).
Pragmatic meaning and EQ are generated by readers' expectations and their similar
reactions to words.
Formal EQ is achieved between words with the same phonological and orthographic
features
E. A. Nida distinguishes between
formal and dynamic/functional EQ,
advocating for the latter type,
focuses on the readers' response.
FORMAL EQ
focuses on the message itself in both FORM and CONTENT
based on formal CORRESPONDENCES:
sentence-to-sentence
word-for-word
concept-to-concept
aims to allow the reader to understand as much of the SL context as possible
DYNAMIC EQ
based on the principle of EQUIVALENT EFFECT :
the relationship between the RECEIVER/MESSAGE should aim to be the SAME
as that between the ORIGINAL RECEIVER and the SL MESSAGE
- the communicative model of TR
A.Neubert
translation EQ must be considered a semiotic category, comprising a
syntactic,
semantic and
pragmatic component,
following Peirce’s categories.
TE = a semiotic category comprising:
A. Semantic - (primary)
B. syntactic - (secondary)
Pragmatic – conditions/modifies a) & b)
OVERALL EQ -the result of:
relationship between signs themselves
relationship between signs and what they stand for, and
relationship between those who use them.
Popovič (1976) : 4 types of Equivalence
linguistic
- if there is homogeneity on the linguistic level (word-for-word TR)
paradigmatic
- if there is equivalence on the paradigmatic axis (grammatical level)
stylistic
- if there is function EQ of elements in both SL and TR - aiming at an expressive identity
with the invariant of identical meaning
textual (syntagmatic)
if there is EQ of the syntagmatic structuring of a text,
i.e. EQ of both form and shape.

Mona Baker’s In other words:

investigates the idea of EQ at diverse stages concerning the process of TR
She categorises EQ in the following manners:
1. Word Level and above Word Level EQ-the translator should pay attention to a
number of factors when considering a single word, such as number, gender and tense
[Anthony, 1992: 11-12].
2.Grammatical Equivalence,
when indicating the variety of grammatical classes (number, tense and aspects, voice,
person, gender) across Lgs.
3. Textual Equivalence,
when indicating the equivalence between S.L text and T.L text concerning information
and consistency.
3 main factors will guide the translator’s decision, i.e.
‘the text type’,
‘the purpose of the TR’, and
‘the target audience’.

4. Pragmatic Equivalence,
when indicating implicatures and policies of evasion all through the TR procedure.
“Implicature signifies what is suggested in an utterance.” [Blackburn, 1996: 188-89].
The role of the translator is to re-establish the author’s purpose in another culture in
such a way that facilitates the ‘target culture (T.C) readers’ to comprehend it clearly.
Vinay and Darbelnet view
EQ-oriented TR as a process that “replicates the same situation as in the original, whilst
using completely different wording” [1995, p. 342].
EQ is the perfect technique when the translator is dealing with idioms, proverbs,
clichés, nominal or adjectival phrases and the onomatopoeia of animal sounds.
Vinay and Darbelnet assert
that the EQ expressions between Lg pairs can be granted only if we get them as a list in
a bilingual thesaurus as ‘full equivalents’.
They conclude by declaring that the need for creating EQ arises from the situation, and
it is in the situation of the S.L text that translators have to look for a solution.
The simplest reason why theory should continue to talk about EQ is
that clients and readers,
if not all translators,
believe that it is a measure of the specificity and value of the translated texts.
Equivalence in translation
as a measure of semantic similarity
according to В.Н.Комиссаров
А.Л. Коралова
Five –degree plan
1)The lowest degree of semantic similarity- the purpot (aim, intention) of communication
Maybe there is some chemistry between us that does not mix.
RO. Se întâmplă că unii nu găsesc limbă comună sau nu sunt compatibili.
RU. Бывает, что люди не сходятся характерами.
Ex. A rolling stone gathers no moss.
RO. Cine umblă mult nu prinde cheag. /Pierde vară.
RU.Кому дома не сидится, тот добра не наживет.

Key words –absolute dissimilarity

no common semes
absence of logical link
content is common
general intent of the message
much info is lost

2. The 2nd degree of semantic similarity- the 1st and the identification of the situation
Ex. He answered the phone.
RO. El a ridicat receptorul.
RU.Он снял трубку
EX. You see one bear, you see them all.
RO. Sunt toţi pe măsură.
RU. Все медведи похожи друг на друга
Key words –
no lexical parallelism
no structural parallelism
syntactic structures have no correspondence
they express the same idea but use different words,
i.e. an identical situation
3. The 3d degree – semantic paraphrase – the first 2 and the method of
describing the situation
Scrubbing makes be bad tempered.
RO. Spălatul podelelor mă indispune.
RU. Oт мытья полов у меня настроение портится.
You are not serious?
RO. Glumiţi?
RU. Вы шутите?
Key words –
semantic paraphrase preserving its basic semes
Free reshuffle (regrupare)
different pattern of identical semes
retention of the purpot of communication,
identification of the situation
The 4th degree of semantic similarity- retention in TR of the 4 meaningful
components of the original:
the purport of communication,
the identification of the situation,
the method of its description,
the invariant meaning of the syntactic structures.
Ex. He was standing with his arms crossed.
RO. Stătea cu mânile încrucişate.
RU. Он стоял, сложив руки на груди.
Key words –
both syntactic structures are preserved
the syntactic structure derived from the ST
linguistic meaning of substantial elements are retained
parralel structures are preserved
The 5th degree of semantic similarity- maximum possible semantic similarity
I saw him at the theatre.
RO. Eu l-am vazut la teatru.
RU. Я видел его в театре.
Key words –
equivalence of semes which make up the meaning of correlated words
parallelism of syntactic structures
similarity of notional category
identity of the situation
the TR is made at a certain level of equvalence.

Types of Equivalents
Some of the SL units have
permanent equivalents in TL
there is a one-to-one correspondence between such units and their equivalents.
"London" is always rendered into
Ru as Лондон,
Ro as Londra;
"a machine-gun" as пулемет and mitralieră
hydrogen as водород and hidrogen.
This type of correspondence is found with
words of specific character- terms,
proper or geographical names
whose meaning is more or less independent of the particulal contextual situation.
Other SL units may have several EQs each.
Such one-to-many correspondence between SL and TL units is characteristic of
most regular equivalents.
The existence of non-permanent (or variable) equivalents to a SL units implies
the necessity of selecting one -in each particular case.
Regular equivalents-
lexical,
phraseological
grammatical.
choice –depends on
importance of a particular semantic element in the act of communication.
En. word "ambitious" -praiseworthy or inordinate desires.
"the ambitious plans of the would-be world conquerors" –
“честолюбивые планы претендентов на роль завоевателей всего мира”,
"the ambitious goals set by the United Nations" –
“грандиозные цели, поставленные ООН”

Word substantial has 5 corresponding variants in Ro:

a substantial house – casă trainică
a substantial improvement – îmbunătăţire importantă
substantial agreement – accord esenţial/important
substantial man – om cu stare/avut
substantial contribution – contribuţie reală
The correct substitute cannot be chosen unless the situational context is brought into
play.
"an abolitionist"
the choice depends on the period described.
abolitionists -people who sought the
abolition of slavery,
prohibition laws or
death penalty.
Ru the person will be described as аболиционист,
Ro-aboliţionist
сторонник отмены сухого законa,
сторонник отмены смертной казни
Ro-aboliţionist
un susținător al abrogării prohibitiei de alcool,
un susținător al pedepsei cu moartea
Phraseological units
may also have permanent or variable equivalents.
"the game is not worth the candle"
"to pull chestnuts out of the fire for smb."
Russian
игра не стоит свеч
таскать каштаны из огня для кого-либо ,
These EQs reproduce all the aspects of the En. idioms semantics and can be used in
most contexts.
The phraseologicl units having a full EQ in Ro :
the same meaning and image i.e. full equivalent.
To lose one’s head---a-şi pierde capul
The lion’s share---partea leului
Poor as a church mouse---sărac ca un şoarece de biserică

Other permanent EQ,

though identical in their figurative meaning, are based on different images:
"to get up on the wrong side of the bed" —встать с левой ноги,
"make hay while the sun shines" —куй железо, пока горячо.
En-Ro:
every potter praises his own pot –
tot ţiganul îşi laudă ciocanul;
birds of a feather flock together –
cine se aseamănă se adună;
early bird catches the worm –
cine se scoală de dimineaţă, departe ajunge;
En. idiom -several Ru equivalents
translator has to make his choice in each particular case.
"Do in Rome as the Romans do"
С волками жить - по-волчьи выть,
-to adapt yourself to people you are with and to behave the way they do whether you
like it or not
В чужой монастырь со своим уставом не ходят.
an occasional EQ formed by a word-for-word reproduction of the original unit:
В Риме поступай так, как римляне.
Money makes friends enemies.
Cand ai bani , ai si duşmani.
Cumperi galceava cu bani.
an occasional EQ which can be formed by a word-for-word reproduction of the original
unit:
Banii fac prietenii dusmani.
The choice of grammatical units in TT largely depends
on the semantics and combinability of its lexical elements.
there are practically no permanent grammatical equivalents.
The variable equivalents in the field of grammar may be analogous forms in TL or
different forms with a similar meaning.

It is they who decided to attack the police.

Именно они решили напасть на полицию
Anume ei sunt acei care au decis

If anything, it will be in their interests..

Во всяком случае, в их интересах….
În orice caz, va fi în interesul lor
Semantic dissimilarity of analogous structures in SL and TL
result in SL structures having several EQ in TL.
attributive groups are common both in English and in Ru/Ro:
labour movement" (movement by the workers),
"labour raids" (raids against the workers),
"labour spies" (spies among the workers).
War prosperity may mean
1. prosperity during the war
2. prosperity in the post war period caused by the war

Many attributive groups are polysemantic and are translated differently in different
contexts
A small number of SL units have no regular equivalents in TL.
Equivalent-lacking words are often found among SL names of specific national
phenomena, such as the En words
"condominium, impeachment, baby-sitter"
Some grammar forms and categories may also be equivalent-lacking.
Ru: the absence of article/gerund,
The En article/gerund/participle have no counterparts in Ru.
addressing the gathering, the minister stressed..
обращаясь к собравшимся, министр подчеркнул..
En participle –Ro gerund
Adresîndu-se adunarii, ministrul a subliniat..
EQs are not mechanical substitutesfor Sl units, but they may come handy
as a starting point in search of an adequate TR.
The translator will profit a lot if
he knows many permanet Eqs,
is good at selecting among the variable Eqs
resourceful at creating occasional EQs, taking into account all contextual factors.