Lecture Two

Three Steps for Novice Translators

1. Analysis
The first phase of the translation process consists of reading the text. The reading act,
first, falls under the competence of psychology, because it concerns our perception.
Simply reading a text is, in itself, an act of translation.
Novice translators as well as student translators are advised to master the basic reading
comprehension skills.
They should read
• for gist, for details and main ideas,
• To identify the meaning of new words and expressions
• They should identify the writer’s style: literary, scientific, technical,
informative, persuasive, argumentative, etc.
• They should also identify the language level used in the text: standard, slang,
etc.

2. Transfer of Meaning into the TL

Languages utilize their components in different manners to compose texts. The
situation is even made more difficult when cultural factors are involved in the transfer
process. It is noted earlier that cultural elements are more resistant to translation than
linguistic ones.
The translator has to sense the cultural elements embedded in the text a consider them
in the transfer.
3. Recomposition
The role of the translator at this level is to change the level of the text from the kernel
to a normal text in the TL.
S/he transforms the text from its underlying level (transfer stage) to text composition.
At this stage the translator uses his/her skill and theoretical knowledge

1
 ‫‪In order to be able to translate any text correctly, a good translator has to do the‬‬
‫‪following :‬‬
‫‪1. Transfer the meaning not the words literally or he /she will not be able to translate‬‬
‫‪poetry , fiction, proverbs ,idioms‬‬
‫‪2. Identify the tense of the SL‬‬
‫‪3. Transfer the style of the SL such as metaphors, aesthetic functions ..etc.‬‬
‫‪4. Pay attention to the meanings of words, phrases, expressions …etc.‬‬
‫‪5. Having good knowledge about SL and TL grammar and culture.‬‬
‫‪6. Finding appropriate translation equivalents that express writer’s intention‬‬
‫‪7. Read the text to be translated many times .‬‬
‫‪8. Translate easy words then translate difficult words.‬‬
‫‪9. Avoid literal translation.‬‬
‫‪10. Identify the elements of the sentence (SVOCA).‬‬

‫‪Translate the following into English‬‬

‫الكمبيوتر اهم اختراع في العصر الحديث‬ ‫•‬
‫كومبيوتر كرنكترين داهينانة د سة ر دة مي نويدا‬
‫لقد ساعد العلم االنسان على ان يحيا حياة مريحة‬ ‫•‬
‫زانست هاريكايا مروفي كريية داكو ذيانة كا خوش بة ريفة ببة‬
‫يزور مصركثير من السياح كل عام لمشاهدة اثارها القديمة‬ ‫•‬
‫كةلةل ك كة شتيار هة ر سال سة رة دانا مسري د ةك ن ذبة ر ديتنا شينوارين ئةي يين كة فن‬
‫العلم سالح ذو حدين‬ ‫•‬
‫زانست جةكةكي دة الية نة‬
‫نفخر ان التعليم هو المشروع االول في كوردستان‬ ‫•‬
‫ئة م شانازيي ب هندي دبيين كو خواندن بروذي ئيكيية ل كوردستان‬
‫قام بدور بارز و جهد مشكور‬ ‫•‬
‫ئة و يا ل رولة كي ديار رادبو و ذ هة ذي شانازيية‬
‫عار ثم عار ثم عار على االنسان ان يكون في شقاء بسب الحاجة الى الطعام‬ ‫•‬
‫شةرمزاري شةرمزاري شةرمزاري بو مروفيية كو دذيانة كا نة خوش بيت ذ ئة كة ريا بيدفيبونا خوارني‬

‫• شهدت تلك البالد اعمال سطو ونهب وعصيان وفوضى وموجة عارمة من العنف‬
‫ئةو وة الت كارين سة داكرتنة ودزي وتاالن و ئاذواة و بيلة كا مة زن ذ توند وتيشيي ديتبو‬

‫?‪• Shall a compare thee to a summer`s day‬‬

‫‪2‬‬