A PAPER ASSIGNMENT

PRESENTED TO FULFIL THE REQUIREMENT OF THE TASK OF INDONESIA –

ENGLISH TRANSLATION
The Lecturer :
Dimas Sukma Cahyadi, M.Pd.

Presented by group 1 :
1) Alfina Damayanti (1901051001)
2) Ayu Nurjanah (1901051012)
3) Hadiyono (1901052015)
4) Rosnalita (19010512028)
5) Wita Purnama Sari (1901051068)

Class : C

TARBIYAH DEPARTMENT
ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM
STATE INSTITUTE FOR ISLAMIC STUDIES OF METRO
2020/2021
 TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENT.................................................................................................................................................3

The Introduction of Translation...............................................................................................................3

A. Definition of Translation...................................................................................................................3

B. The Process of Translating.................................................................................................................6

C. Quality of Translation (Criteria of a Good Translation).....................................................................7

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................9
 CONTENT

The Introduction of Translation

A. Definition of Translation

There are some definitions of translation. Nida states that translation consist of

reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalence of the source

language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style. Newmark

in Rudi Hartono states that translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another

language in the way that the author intended the text.

Newmark (1981: 7) defines translation as “a craft consisting in the attempt to replace

a written message and/or statement in one language by the same message and/or

statement in another language”.1

From the definition above the translation has the same term “equivalence”. The

meaning, context, though, or message of both source of reproducing in the receptor

language, the closest natural are equivalent to the message of source language. The

first is meaning and secondly is style. The message of source language must

equivalent. The reader of translation who knows the target language only will be

confused if the target language is influenced by the source language.

Meanwhile the result of translation must be transferring the meaning of the source

language clearly. In order to make the clear meaning of source language, it is

expected that the meaning of target language can be understood by the readers. So, the

1
Newmark_ Peter. 1988. A Textbook of Translation
 result of translation must be readable. In target language, readability is needed,

because it makes the readers easier to catch the content of the translation text,

conversely when the translation text is not readable. It will make the readers difficult

to understand the content of the text well.

Based on many definitions above, the writer assumes that the translation is a process

of transferring thoughts and message from the source language to the target language,

in the form of written or spoken.

Translation is a activity change information from the source language into the target

language.

1. Simatupang (2000:2) says that translation is a shift of meaning contained in the source

language into the target language and make it happen again in the target language

with forms as natural as possible in accordance with the applicable rules.

2. Wills (1982:112) says that translation is a procedure that is performed to guide the

realization of the transfer of the source language text is written to the target language

text.

3. Bassnett (1991:2) says that what is generally understood as a process of translation

involves referral source language text (SL = Source Language) into the target

language.

4. Larson (1984:3) say that the translation includes translating the source language into

the language of the recipient, which begins the first language of form towards the

form of a second language using semantic language structure. In this case meaning are

transferred and must be adhered to. Only the shape is changed.

5. Newmark (1982:7) states that translation is a skill that consists of efforts to change the

message and or a written statement from one language to the message and or similar

statements in other languages.

6. Malinowski (1956:11-2) cited by (1999:1) says that translation should always be a re-

creation of the original source into something different in depth. In other words, the

translation is not an activity to replace or substitute word for word, but a translation of

the entire context. Malinowski (1956:11-2) cited by (1999:1) says that translation

should always be a re-creation of the original source into something different in depth.

In other words, the translation is not an activity to replace or substitute word for word,

but a translation of the entire context.

7. The New International Dictionary Webster's (2002:1428) gives a definition that

means preparing translate into another language; uncover in other terms; explain is by

using other words.

8. Catford (1965:20) says that can be is defined as follows: the replacement of textual

material in one language (source language) to another language textual material

(target language) equivalent.

9. Baker (1992:5-6) says that equivalensi adopted for the sake of convenience - because

most translators are familiar with it and not because it has the theoretical status.

Equivalensi used with the proviso, that although it is always obtained at a certain

level, it can be influenced by a variety of linguistic and cultural factors, and therefore

always relative.

10. Steiner (1994:103) says that translation can be seen as a (co) generation of text which

is pedestrianized special restrictions, the relative stability of situational factors,

registers and changes in the classical languages as well (context) culture.

11. Meanwhile, Beekman and Callow (1974: 19) says the translation is to communicate a

message from one language into a different language. From all the above definitions

we can conclude that the translation is the process of moving information from one

language as stated in the source language into another language known as the target

language, with no change in the authenticity of the information from the source

language.

12. In 1992, Mona Baker believed that it is necessary for translator to have knowledge

about semantics and lexical sets and the value of the words in source language. She

mentioned that a translator can develop strategies for dealing with non-equivalence

semantic field. These strategies are arranged hierarchically from general

(superordinate) to specific (hyponym).

B. The Process of Translating

My description of translating procedure is operational. It begins with choosing a

method of approach. Secondly, when we are translating, we translate with four levels

more or less consciously in mind: (1) the SL text level, the level of language, where

we begin and which we continually (but not continuously) go back to; (2) the

referential level, the level of objects and events, real or imaginary, which we

progressively have to visualise and build up, and which is an essential part, first of the

comprehension, then of the reproduction process; (3) the cohesive level, which is

more general, and grammatical, which traces the train of thought, the feeling tone

(positive or negative) and the various presuppositions of the SL text. This level

encompasses both comprehension and reproduction: it presents an overall picture, to

which we may have to adjust the language level; (4) the level of naturalness, of

common language appropriate to the writer or the speaker in a certain situation.

Again, this is a generalised level, which constitutes a band within which the translator
 works, unless he is translating an authoritative text, in which case he sees the level of

naturalness as a point of reference to determine the deviation - if any - between the

author's level he is pursuing and the natural level. This level of naturalness is

concerned only with reproduction. Finally, there is the revision procedure, which may

be concentrated or staggered according to the situation. This procedure constitutes at

least half of the complete process. 2

THE RELATION OF TRANSLATING TO TRANSLATION THEORY

The purpose of this theory of translating is to be of service to the translator. It is

designed to be a continuous link between translation theory and practice; it derives

from a translation theory framework which proposes that when the main purpose of

the text is to convey information and convince the reader, a method of translation

must be 'natural*; if, on the other hand, the text is an expression of the peculiar

innovative (or cliched) and authoritative style of an author (whether it be a lyric, a

prime minister's speech or a legal document), the translator's own version has to

reflect any deviation from a 'natural' style. The nature of naturalness is discussed in

detail in my exposition of the theory of translating below; 'naturalness' is both

grammatical and lexical, and is a touchstone at every level of a text, from paragraph

to word, from title to punctuation.

The level of naturalness binds translation theory to translating theory, and translating

theory to practice. The remainder of my translating theory is in essence psychological

- the relationship between language and 'reality* (though all we know of 'reality' is

mental images and mental verbalising or thinking) - but it has practical applications.

2
https://www.academia.edu/7577646/An_Inroduction_to_Translation_Studies_An_Overview
 If one accepts this theory of translating, there is no gap between translation theory and

practice. The theory of translating is based, via the level of naturalness, on a theory of

translation. Therefore one arrives at the scheme shown in Figure.

C. Quality of Translation (Criteria of a Good Translation)

It’s safe to say that all translation companies promise quality translations. Most

clients understand that at the most basic level, a translation must be accurate—it has

to say the same thing as the original.

But is an accurate translation necessarily a high quality one? And higher quality often

comes at a price–when is it worth it to pay more?

Two constructs of quality

In one sense, quality refers to whether the translation is acceptable. In general terms, a

translation of acceptable quality is:3

 accurate (reflects the meaning correctly)

 effective (has the intended effect on the reader)

 appropriate (meets project parameters)

In another sense, there are different quality levels that could be needed for a given

translation. A document that will serve as evidence in a trial or that will represent a

company to its clients requires a perfectly polished translation–sometimes known as

“publication quality.” Other translations may only be needed to get the gist of the

content for internal use–sometimes known as “informational quality.”

Understanding the translation process

3
https://www.precisolanguage.com./2015/09/what-is-a-quality-translation/
To conceptualize translation quality, it’s important to understand the process a translation

should go through before it goes to the client. For publication-quality translations,

most translators and translation companies have a process that looks more or less like

this:

1. Project Receipt: Receive the document and ask appropriate questions to understand

the client’s needs for the project.

2. Reading: Read the original document to get an understanding of

its content,  context, purpose, and intended audience.

3. Research: Note any areas that may be ambiguous or unfamiliar, then clarify these

sections by researching and liaising with the client or document author.

4. Drafting: Write a draft translation.

5. Revision: Perform additional research and clarification to tighten up the content of the

translation and ensure it matches the content of the original.

6. Standalone Editing: Look at the translation from the perspective of the reader, who

usually will not be comparing the translation to the original, and make adjustments to

ensure the translation will stand on its own—it makes sense, communicates the

message appropriately, and sounds natural.

7. Proofreading: Read through the translation to ensure there are no typographical

errors.

8. Third-party review: Double check the translation for any inadvertent omissions or

overlooked errors.
Each step has its nuances and requires many professional decisions to reach a correct

result.  But a breakdown in any of the above areas can compromise the final product.

What’s the difference between high quality and low quality in translation?

To demonstrate the distance between a more or less accurate translation and a high

quality one, let’s look at some quality issues from a translation a client recently sent

me for editing.* This translation was to be submitted as evidence, so it was extremely

important not to add or omit from the original message.

Before: “This situation at work just makes me feel so impotent.”

After: “This situation at work just makes me feel so helpless.”

Explanation: While impotent is technically a correct translation of the commonly used

Spanish word impotente, normally in English we would use a synonym such as

powerless or helpless. An average English speaker would likely scratch their head at

impotence issues arising from workplace drama.

Quality issue: Non-idiomatic usage

Before: “Robert when really commits into something that he is interested, he he does

it, specially with them.”

After: “When Robert really commits to something that interests him, he does it, especially

when it comes to them.”

Explanation: The first translation manages to get the point across, albeit inelegantly.

Apart from obvious typographical errors, however, this sentence mirrors the Spanish

syntax too closely and uses the wrong preposition with “commits.”
Quality issue: Word order, Non-idiomatic usage, Word choice, Typos

Before: “So you will have the ability to continue.”

After: “So [ambiguous: you (plural) or they] will have the ability to continue.”

Explanation: This may be the most sinister type of translation error—the one that is not

immediately apparent without comparison to the original text. Here, the original

document used the verb “tendrán” without a subject to indicate whether the writer

was referring to ustedes (you guys) or ellos (them). At any rate, it definitely does not

refer only to a singular “you,” the recipient of the letter. Sometimes there are

contextual clues that make it obvious enough that the translator can resolve the

ambiguity. But in this case it was not evident, and it was not appropriate to tie the

translation to one meaning (you/you guys) that excluded the other (they).

Quality issue: Ambiguity not preserved

What went wrong?

The biggest breakdown happened at step 0: choosing a translator. The translation appears

to be written by someone who is not a native English speaker or, at minimum, did not

achieve university-level composition skills in English. It’s easy to forget that just

because someone speaks a language doesn’t mean they are adept at analyzing a source

text, skilled in reliable research methods, or dexterous in writing for a given purpose

in that language. Ironically, the first translator is actually highly credentialed in a

Spanish-speaking country; he or she may create excellent translations when writing in

the native language, but clearly, for a translation into English, this translator was

simply the wrong choice for anything above informational quality.

When is it worth it to pay more for a higher quality translation?

This brings us to our second question–when should one invest in higher quality? Like

with any important writing, it depends on the purpose. An appellate brief deserves a

bigger investment of time and talent than an email for an upcoming picnic; only one of

these can be delegated to a non-expert with little oversight. Similarly, an informational

translation (when errors have little potential for harm) may be a good candidate for

Google Translate or a low-cost translation provider, while critical documents should be

entrusted to qualified professionals. In the translation we analyzed above, the client

identified the issue and brought me on board to shore up the quality. I was glad to do it,

but for important documents it is almost always more cost-effective to hire a trusted

professional from the outset than to pay a lower cost vendor and an expert to clean up the

translation. A good translation is one that carries all the ideas of the original as well as its

structural and cultural features. Massoud (1988) sets criteria for a good translation as

follows4:

A good translation is easily understood.

A good translation is fluent and smooth.

A good translation is idiomatic.

A good translation conveys, to some extent, the literary subtleties of the original.

A good translation distinguishes between the metaphorical and the literal.

A good translation reconstructs the cultural/historical context of the original.

A good translation makes explicit what is implicit in abbreviations, and in allusions to

sayings, songs, and nursery rhymes.

A good translation will convey, as much as possible, the meaning of the original text.

4
https://www.academia.edu/1040913/The_fourth_criterion_of_a_good_translation
 REFERENCES

Newmark_ Peter. 1988. A Textbook of Translation

https://www.academia.edu/7577646/An_Inroduction_to_Translation_Studies_An_Overvi

ew

https://www/scribd.com/document/410827064/MAKALAH-TRANSLATION-1-en-id-

docx

https://www.academia.edu/12248525/Source_Text_Quality_in_the_Translation_Process

https://www.academia.edu/1040913/The_fourth_criterion_of_a_good_translation

https://www.precisolanguage.com./2015/09/what-is-a-quality-translation/

https://youtu.be/9_ZwdlHUdQQ