1-3- Theoretical frame work

Theories of translation.

Basing on wikitionnary definition, a theory is a rational type of abstract thinking

about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. Explicitly, theory is a body
of rules and principles founding a rational knowledge or an abstract thinking
after an observational study of the concerned subject. It is the opposite of
practice. In the case of translation, theory helps translator making a good, a
coherent, a precise and understandable translation. In their compiled monograph
‘’Basic theory of translation 2016‘’ the D r Muhizar Muchtar M.S, Farida R.W,
M. Hum. precised : ‘’theory is basic in translation‘’ because for them ‘’theory
basis that provides the rule and meaning in translation by which every
translation can be measured…. If the translation process is not based on
translation theory, the result of the translation will fail and can’t succeed as a
target translation‘’.

In 1945, conscious about the growing importance of translation in the

society, the modern "translatology" (traductologie in French), translation studies
has been inducted. Its goal were to study translation in general. Then translation
studies assist to the great confrontation among linguistic theories of the years 50
and the literary theories. According to the monograph of Zuzana Raková from
Masarykova University: "les théories de la traduction 2014‘’ others theories
dealing with translation have followed: interpretive theory, skopos theory,
polysystem theory and post-colonial theories.

1-3-1- Linguistics theories of 50-60

Represented by the emblematic or symbolic ‘’Stylistique comparée‘’of

Jean Darbelnet (1904-1990) and Jean-Paul Vinay (1910-1999) the linguistic
theory has been one of the first theory opting for systematization while
translating. It gave hope in the possibility to elaborate linguistics patterns and
rules in the process of translation. Inspired from Charles Bally and Albert
Malblanc work, ‘’la stylistique comparée‘’ of Jean Darbelnet and Jean-Paul
Vinay emphasize on the passage teaching of translation from art to
systematisation. Basing on the compiled monograph of Zuzana Raková ''Les
théories de la traduction'', Darbelnet and Vinay act out in their ‘’stylistique
comparée‘’ that the confrontation between the two stylistics (French and
English) will enable to distinguish the generals lines and in certain cases the
precise lines which appliance will lead to partial automatisation and
systematisation of translation. In that same book Darbelnet and Vinay described
the notion of ‘’unity of translation‘’ as a body of lexicological unities through
which lexical element expressing a single thought.

They underlined the fact that these unities can’t be translated separetely.
In the same way Dr Muhizar Muchtar, Farida L. , M. Hum in their ‘’ Les
théories de la traduction page 93 forbid the translation of the unities of one
language those of the second language as Jacobson 1963-1980 acted it out
previously. As contribution Nida approached by: the base of linguistic theories
is the comparison of the linguistic structures of source texts and target texts.

1-3-2- Literary theory

Contrarily to the linguists, the literaries actors like Edmond Cary thinks
that the translation work isn’t linguistic operation but literary one. Because
according to him ‘’ to translate a poem, you should be poet‘’. A poem in source
language had to be poem in target language. In the same path Etkinds (1918-
1999) a linguist and a literature theorist in his work about poetic translation
revelled Paul Valery’s opinion. It isn’t sufficient just focusing on the sense or
the meaning but we have to consider a form and also a prosody of the original
poem. As support Etkind enumerate six (06) typologies of poetic translation:
informative translation, interpretive translation, allusion translation,
approximative translation, recreational translation, and imitation translation.

 Hermeneutical approach
It is initiated by german authors and promoted by Friedrich Schleier macher.
This method of interpretation extolled the understanding of the text through
which the translation place himself on the author’s position in order to feel what
he has felt. The translator’s work has to produce the same effect the original text
has provoked on its reader.

1-3-3- Interpretive theory.

This theory has been brung to light by Danica Seleskovitch who has
reclined on her knowledge or qualities in conference interpretation. The priority
of this theory is the meaning which appealed the cognitive quality of the
translator (his knowledge about the world and the context of the original text,
the understanding of the original author’s basic idea). As Guidère defends in
2010 page 69-71, without the cognitive qualities the translator will be
confronted to the problem of ambiguity and multiplicity of interpretations.
Danica Seleskovitch and Marianne Lederer consider the language as just a canal.
For them, the most important is the translation of the meaning. Danica has
subdivided the process of translation in three stages: comprehension,
deverbalization and reformulation.

 The comprehension: It means to understand source text basing on the

cognitive qualities.
 The deverbalization: It is a kind of mental isolation of some ideas or
notion implicated in the text.
 The reformulation: It is the interpretation of the text using multiples
means of expression leaning on reasoning and associations of ideas.
 Jean Delisle, an author, translator, historian in translation added a
justificatory analyse which validates translator choices through
qualitative analyses of the equivalents.

1-3-4- Skopos theory

 The skopos theory is developed by german linguists : Hans Joseph
Vermeer and Katharina Reiss. There, translator priors the function of the target
text on its readers. In that way Saint Jerome expounded that some passages of
the Bible have to be translated through the meaning or adapted to the needs of
the readers (Nord, 2008: P16). Nida has stressed on the finality of the
translation.

The fundament of the theory

♠ The function of the target text

♠ The readers or receiver of the target text
♠ The moment and the place of the reception of the target text
♠ The support (mean of transmission) of the target text and the motivation
of its production or reception.

1-3-5- Polysystem theory

This theory is headed and developed by Itamar Even-Zohar (1939) and

used for the first time in 1970. The purpose was to overcome the obstacles faced
by the traditional esthetical approach vis-a-vis to non-artistic writing work. This
theory is based on the hypothesis that all the literaries or semi-litteraries texts
would constitute a body of a system. It adopts a systemical position for the
litteraries translations. Usually underestimated and considered as a peripheral
system, Even-Zohar intervain, enumerating three situations whose place
translation in the center of polysystem.

♠ In the case of raising literature

♠ In the case of peripheral or weak literature
♠ In the case of literature in crisis period

1-3-6- Post-colonial theory

Post-colonial theory considers translation as a tool of domination. The

theorist of that current of translation reread and reinterpret the classics texts,
opposing to occidental conceptual heritage. The goal of his theory is to valorize
the specificity and the plurality of a difference. It also wants to eradicate the
traditional hierarchy between pure languages and their dialects. For the theorist
of that modal, translation is a mean which serves to suppress frontier between
languages.