Scribd
Upload
763 views8 pages

Translation Methods Explained

The document describes several methods of translation including: word-for-word translation, literal translation, faithful translation, semantic translation, adaptation, free translation, and idiomatic translation. It also summarizes André Lefevere's seven methods of translation: phonemic translation, literal translation, metrical translation, verse-to-prose translation, rhymed translation, free verse translation, and interpretation. Finally, it outlines Eugene Nida's translating procedures which involve technical procedures like analysis of source and target languages, and organizational procedures like constant reevaluation and checking communicative effectiveness with target language readers.

Uploaded by

Timie_Mariz_Vi_3691
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
763 views8 pages

Translation Methods Explained

The document describes several methods of translation including: word-for-word translation, literal translation, faithful translation, semantic translation, adaptation, free translation, and idiomatic translation. It also summarizes André Lefevere's seven methods of translation: phonemic translation, literal translation, metrical translation, verse-to-prose translation, rhymed translation, free verse translation, and interpretation. Finally, it outlines Eugene Nida's translating procedures which involve technical procedures like analysis of source and target languages, and organizational procedures like constant reevaluation and checking communicative effectiveness with target language readers.

Uploaded by

Timie_Mariz_Vi_3691
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

METHODS

Of Translation
 Word-for-word translation: in which the SL word order is
preserved and the words translated singly by their most
common meanings, out of context.
 Literal translation: in which the SL grammatical constructions
are converted to their nearest TL equivalents, but the lexical
words are again translated singly, out of context.
 Faithful translation: it attempts to produce the precise
contextual meaning of the original within the constraints of the
TL grammatical structures.
 Semantic translation: which differs from 'faithful translation'
only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic
value of the SL text.
 Adaptation: which is the freest form of translation, and is used
mainly for plays (comedies) and poetry; the themes, characters,
plots are usually preserved, the SL culture is converted to the
TL culture and the text is rewritten.
 Free translation: it produces the TL text without the style,
form, or content of the original.
 Idiomatic translation: it reproduces the 'message' of the
original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring
colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the
original.
 Communicative translation: it attempts to render the exact
contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both
content and language are readily acceptable and
comprehensible to the readership.
ANDRE LAFEVERE NOTED SEVEN
METHODS:
 Phonemic translation attempts to recreate the sounds of
the source language (SL) in the target language (TL).
And at the same time the translator tries to transfer the
meaning. According to Lafevere, in general the result
sounds awkward and sometimes leaves some parts of
the original meaning behind.
 Literal translation means word-for-word translation. This
method will not be able to transfer the original meaning;
while the phrase and sentence structures tend to fall by
the wayside in the TL.
 The metrical translation emphasizes the reproduction of
the original meter into the TL. And because each language has
its own specific stressing and pronunciation system, this
method will result in the inappropriate translation in terms of
meaning and structure.
 Verse-to-prose translation has also some weaknesses. The
outstanding weakness is the loss of the beauty of
the original poem.
 The next method is rhymed translation which emphasizes the
transferring of the rhyme of the original poem into
the translation in TL. The result will be appropriate physically
but tend to be semantically inappropriate.
 The sixth method is free verse translation. With this method the
translator may be able to get the accurate equivalents in the TL
with a sound literary value of the result. On the other hand,
the rhyme and meter tend to be ignored. So, physically the
result is different from the original, but semantically it seems
the same.
The last method noted by Lafevere is interpretation. According to
him there are two types: version and imitation. A version of
a poem in the TL will semantically be exactly the same with
the original, but physically totally different. Further, an
imitation is exactly a different poem, but the title, topic, and
starting point are the same with the original poem.
THE TRANSLATING PROCEDURES, AS
DEPICTED BY NIDA (1964) ARE AS
FOLLOW:
 Technical procedures:
 analysis of the source and target languages;
 a through study of the source language text before making attempts
translate it;
 Making judgments of the semantic and syntactic approximations.
(pp. 241-45)
 
 Organizational procedures: 
constant reevaluation of the attempt made; contrasting it with
the existing available translations of the same text done by
other translators, and checking the text's communicative
effectiveness by asking the target language readers to evaluate
its accuracy and effectiveness and studying their reactions.

You might also like