Trans studies lecture 2

Translation Studies Lecture 2 21/2/15

• Linguistic approach to TS

• Literary approach to TS

Cicero /Horace key question

Sense to sense (literal)

Or

Word to word translation(free)

• New linguistic,literary, cultural and philosophical contexts (Munday p.162) emerged

• Meaning + equivalence+ shift (structural linguistics)Jakobson, Eugene Nida

• Way language is used in a cultural context-(Functional linguistics)= Mona Baker, Halliday , Julliane House

• ‘’ENTIRE PURPOSE OF TRANSLATION IS ACIEVING EQUIVALENCE’’…. ‘’THE target language must match the source text as fully as possible’’

• Jakobson 3 types of translation :1.Intralingual :rewording,paraphrasing,summaring.2. Interlingual : the traditional concept of translation from ST to TT (shifting meaning from one lang to another.3.Intersemiotic: the changing of a written text into a different form such as art or dance

For Jakobson : considers Sassure’sarbitrariness

• By rewording concepts may be transferedfrom one language to another (interlingualform)

Equivalence : Eugene Nida (Bible translations)

• Shifts emphasis to target audience (rejects free vs literal debate)

• Formal equivalence vs Dynamic eqviualence

( Content and form) ( aims at complete naturalness of expression)

Theory of equivalence subsided

1. The difference between Source language and target will always be a problem

2. Equivalence is not possible

3. Shift back to Source text/Language

Vinay and Darbelnet ( define strategies)

1. Literal or word for word

2. Calque: SL expression is transferred directly into TL

3. Borrowing : SL term transferred directly into TL

Free translation

1. Transposition: interchange of parts of speech

Noun phrase (apres son depart) to a verb phrase(after he left)

2. Modulation: reversal of point of view( it isn’t expensive/it’s cheap)

3. Equivalence: same meaning but different expression( proverbs and idioms)

4. Adaptation: cultural references to be altered

• Two other ideas emerged from Vinay/Darbelnet :

Idea of servitude : refers to compulsory changes from ST to TT

Idea of Option: refers to personal choices a translator makes

Structural to functional linguistics

• Communication as primary function( Katharina Reiss) ST again as centre

1. Informative: TT totally dependent on ST (avoid omissions /provide explanations)

2. Expressive: A higher level of text’’poetry’’ should aim for effect .

3. Operative: designed to induce a behaviouralresponse as advertisement

SKOPOS : aim and purpose of translation

Emphasis on TT (target culture and audience is important)

Centres on purpose of translation for target audience not ST

(ST may be translated in different ways depending on the purpose and guidelines)

Overt VS Covert translation

• Juliane House’s model of translation

• (Overt) (Covert)

Emile Zola Germinal translation by Leonard Tancok

Uses proper nouns of French text (readers know time and frame and context ) no adaptation

• Covert translation : TT percieved to be the original ST

Guide leaflets for visitors to a place in France ( Different for each national : French,English , German) original lost

• Linguistic approach to translation incorporates: meaning,equivalence,shift, text,purpose ( in contexts of structural, functional linguistics, semantics ,pragmatics…)

A rewriting of the original text ‘Lefevere’

• Approach employed is Functional linguistic approach

‘’a semantic account of the grammatical structures of the language’’

Ideology and Power are embedded within the translated texts

• Translation is adapting SL to TT -prformedunder constraints of iodeology of the receiving system

Excerpt of an article published in

THE JAPAN TIMES (AN eNGLISH NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN JAPAN)

Article about crown princess : unexpected news of a baby

Translation and image of original work

Lefevere thinks :

1. The translators ideology ;

2. Ideological constraints by power

3. Ideological constraints by Target audience makes the final product

Ideology ( form,convention,belief that orders our action)

• ST: no wonder the princess gets disturbed

• TT:KOTAISHININO SOUTSU JUTIRWA MURIMONAL

• TT: The crown princess’s depression is understandable

• Gets disturbed: princess is responsible (activeness implied)

• Target clause says princess not at all responsible …reflects translators ideology and sentiments about the princess

• Elevates image of crown princess and also recreates image of the text

Translator between the periphery

• Lies between the SL and TL domain

• Translation is a translation of some translation

• It is unique and original in its own sphere (Terry Eagleton)

• It is both servitude and freedom

• Jhumpa Lahiri pictures India ‘’distant, dreamy, hazy , unreal’’ …She admits that

• Knowledge of India is as limited as allltranslations are… (Lahiri)

Dymanic Equivalence ( free and literal, natural and artificial, (prose writers should have an idea about it) NIDA proponent :

Equivalent : in carrying the message

Natural: receptor language

Closest : binds the two orientations together

• Other school of thought rely more on the transformative process: Homi K Bhaba, Jaques Derrida

• ‘’ honey to flowers’’

• Problems in translation: (linguistic)

• Every language has its own dynamics

• Greek language has separate words for light blue and dark blue…

• Translators face particular cultural references, acronyms,proverbs ,idioms…

• Element of cultural difference causes irresolution or liminality of translation( cause of resistance)**

• Finding TL equivalents is the most problematic…

• Translating the word butter-burro (Italian) is easy but they represent different things

• Italian butter …brown ,unsalted… British is yellow, salted

• ‘Bread and butter’ idiom could have been margarine ( holds not an esteemed position)

• Confusion in terms of the word ‘Spirit’

• Use and translation both

• The spirit of the dead horse rose from the grave.

• The spirit of the house moved on.

• Semantic structure of the word spirit