THEORY OF TRANSLATION

PAULINA WONIAK

TRANSLATION OF SPANISH IDIOMS

STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES USED FOR TRANSLATING

S PANISH

IDIOMS

Translation is that which transforms everything so that nothing changes. Grass Gnter

INTRODUCTION
The aim of this paper is to present and analyse different strategies and techniques used for translating Spanish idioms. The translation of idioms is not an easy task for a translator, thus this paper will focus on the most common translating difficulties and different ways of dealing with them. In the first two parts, the definition of an idiom and its classification will be presented. Then, possible problems and difficulties in translation of idioms, accompanied by their causes and their cultural background, will be described. Finally, four strategies for translating idioms will be discussed, supported by examples from Spanish to English translations.

WHAT IS AN IDIOM?
An idiom is a non-flexible language pattern that allows no variation in forms under normal circumstances. They are frozen patterns of language which allow little or no variation in form and often carry meanings which cannot be deduced from their individual components (Baker, 1992, p. 63). Thus, if the author is not consciously trying to make a joke or attempts to play on words, they are not allowed to modify the sequence of the words in it, remove a word from it, insert a word to it, substitute a word with another or modify its grammatical structure. Thus idioms, tend to cause many problems in translation. Firstly, because they are typical for specific culture and society and very often their meaning is more metaphorical rather than literal which forecloses word by word translation. Even though English and Spanish have both lots of idiomatic expression, it does not make them easier to translate. One needs to have a profound knowledge about the exact meaning of the idiom in the source language in order to translate it correctly, as the literal meaning will not give a single clue. Then, one also needs a very good knowledge so as to find an idiom with similar meaning or paraphrase it correctly.

CLASSIFICATION OF IDIOMS
The awareness of the cultural differences of the source and target languages is crucial for translating idioms. The main problem that the majority of the translators might come across is how to recognize and distinguish idiomatic from non-idiomatic expressions. Thus, it is good to analyse different types of idioms and group them into categories. Below, is a brief definition of five categories of idioms: colloquialisms, proverbs, slang, allusions and phrasal verbs by Adelnia & Dastjerdi (Translation of Idioms: A Hard Task for the Translator, 2011). 1

THEORY OF TRANSLATION
COLLOQUIALISMS

PAULINA WONIAK

Colloquialism is a type of expression that cannot be used in formal speech or writing. Its distinctive feature is that it is only appropriate for certain informal, rather casual, ordinary and familiar conversations. It is hardly ever used in informal situations, neither in speech nor in writing. Colloquialisms tend to be used in daily conversations. So, the Spanish fixed phrase partirse de la risa can be translated into English as LOL(laugh out loud) or ROFL(rolling on the floor laughing)when both of these describe a situation in which a person laughs a lot. The use of some of the colloquialisms can be restricted to certain geographical areas. Espabila Favila que viene el oso (hurry up, Favila, the bear is coming) is a good example of such a fixed phrase used only in the region of Asturias used to hasten somebody. Even though this Spanish saying refers to the story of the second King of Asturias Favila1, and one may think that this fact is well known to all Spaniards, most of them, actually, have never heard it before.

PROVERBS
Proverb is a simple and concrete saying which is commonly known and repeated. Proverbs are usually used to describe an example of basic truth that can be transferred to common situations. They tend to be metaphorical and sometimes borrow concepts from other similar languages and cultures, such as the Bible and medieval Latin. Their main function is to make the speech more reliable and valid. Thus, very often, they add more weight and importance to the conversation. They might also have an aesthetic function, as they are also used to boost the speechs vocabulary richness and gain the audiences attraction. The most common proverbs in used in Spanish are a caballo regalado no se le mira el diente (don't look a gift horse in the mouth), a quien madruga Dios le ayuda (the early bird catches the worm) or de noche todos los gatos son pardos (everything looks the same in the dark).

SLANG
Slang can be defined as the use of extremely informal expressions and words that cannot be considered examples of the use of the standardised form of language. They tend to use taboo words and expressions classified as inappropriate. Slang can be used to add fun and humour to ones speech, thus one of its functions is to entertain the receiver of the speech or the text. In Spain, it is very popular to say estar alucinado which means that somebody is delighted. This phrase can easily be translated into English as to be chuffed. Another examples of Spanish slang are phrases such as tener mucha jeta (have got a flipping cheek) or Lo pasamos genial. (We had a wild time.).

ALLUSIONS
Allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference to a place, event, literary work, myth, or work of art, either directly or by implication (Adelnia & Dastjerdi, 2011, p. 880). A good example of such cultural allusions is the use of the phrases related to the bullfighting in Spanish. The idiom cambiar de tercio, is an example of such a phrase that makes clear reference to bullfighting and can be translated into English as a change of pace. A good knowledge of the cultural context is essential for such a translation.
Favila was the King of Asturias and the son of Pelagius. He is believed to have been killed by a bear on a hunt.
1

THEORY OF TRANSLATION
PHRASAL VERBS

PAULINA WONIAK

The combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb or a verb with both adverb and prepositions is widely known as a phrasal verb. The meaning of such a figure of speech may be absolutely different from the verbs original meaning. Phrasal verbs are commonly used in informal everyday speeches, for example llevar a cabo (to carry out) or tenerse por (to think, to be of the opinion).

DIFFICULTIES AND POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

One of the difficulties is that too often translators are not sufficiently sensitive to the possibilities of idiomatic expressions, and hence the end result is a weakening of the figurative force of the translation, since they do not compensate for the loss of certain idiom by the introduction of others. (Nida, 1964, p. 106)

Once the translator recognizes and interprets the idiom correctly, their next step is to decide how to translate it. The problems of proper recognition and proper translation of an idiom are not alike. It is no longer important whether the meaning of the idiom is clear enough to understand for the translator as sometimes the more difficult an idiom to understand, the easier the translation is. The are several problems that may occur while idiom translating (Eftekhari). These are: 1) The lack of an idiom with a similar meaning, either with similar or dissimilar form. It is hard to guess how some ideas and concepts are expressed in different languages. Sometimes, both, source and target language have similar idiom which expresses similar meaning. But, there are also situations when one idea can be represented by an individual word in the language A, by an idiom in the language B or by a fixed phrase in the language C. One can never expect to find an equivalent in the target text, as they, similarly to individual words, can be culture-bound. Nevertheless, the fact that a certain word or a term is culture-bound does not indicate that it is untranslatable. The core of the phrase and its meaning is more important than the sum of the words that form it together with the cultural background. It is rather the cultural context that can make the translation difficult or even impossible. A good example of such a culture-bound untranslatable word is Spanish sobremesa which is an after meal meeting at the table. If one does not know well Spanish culture, the translation may happen to be unfeasible. 2) Both, source and target languages have idioms with a similar form but their meanings and uses are different, or the idiom changes its meaning depending on different situational contexts. For example, Spanish idiom ganar el jubileo can mean both to gain the indulgence of the jubilee and fiftieth year (among the Jews), thus the meaning strictly depends on the context.

THEORY OF TRANSLATION

PAULINA WONIAK

3) The idiom used in the source text has both literal and figurative or idiomatic meaning. If there is no similar in meaning and form idiom in the target language, the play on words is almost impossible to translate and recreate in the target language. Hacer una empanada can be an example of such an idiom, as it literally means prepare a pie but its idiomatic meaning is to conceal in part or to speak with reservation. 4) The manner, the context, and the frequency with which the idioms are used in the source and target language are not concurrent. In Spanish language idioms are used in various situation, starting from very colloquial day to day conversation, and ending with very formal speeches and written texts, e.g. dar a luz is a formal idiomatic way of saying to give birth in Spanish (of course, there are different registers for both situations). Fernando&Flavell in their book On idiom: Critical views and perspectives (1981, p. 85) say that translation is an exacting art. Idiom more than any other feature of language demands that the translator be not only accurate but highly sensitive to the rhetorical nuances of the language.

TRANSLATION STRATEGIES FOR TRANSLATING SPANISH IDIOMS

In some translations, the original structure and different culture and language elements of the source text are so relevant that the translator must try to transfer them all into the target text. Hence, the translator must bring the reader to the text (Gottlieb, 1997, p. 317) as the purpose of such translation is not to adapt the original text to the target language style (Strakiene, 2009). On the other hand, in some situations when the originality of the source text is not crucial, the translator might decide to modify some parts of the text and bring the text to the reader (Gottlieb, 1997, p. 317). So, the translator can either focus on the meaning of the original text and recreate the verbal atmosphere of it or focus on the intended effect on the reader and adapt the original text to a new communicative situation (Gottlieb, 1997). Idioms do not always have to be translated by other idioms. Such a phenomenon is called idiomaticity in translation. On some occasions, looking for an idiom in the target language may end up in vain since an idiomatic concept in one language might not exist in the other language (Strakiene, 2009). Mona Baker, in her book In other words (1992) presents five strategies which can help overcome the difficulties faced while the translation of idiomatic expressions:

1. USING AN IDIOM OF SIMILAR MEANING AND FORM

This strategy, which seems the best, involves using an idiom in the target language which transmits the same meaning as that of the source-language idiom and, besides, consists of corresponding lexical items. For example, ms vale tarde que nunca in Spanish means better late than never in English, both of these idioms have similar meaning and form. Unfortunately, this type of match can only occasionally be achieved.

THEORY OF TRANSLATION

PAULINA WONIAK

2. USING AN IDIOM OF SIMILAR MEANING BUT DISSIMILAR FORM

It is likely to come across an idiom or fixed expression in the target language which has a meaning similar to that of the source idiom or expression, but whose lexical items are different. For example, the Spanish expression Dios los cra y ellos se juntan (God breeds them and they gather together) and the English expression birds of a feather flock together use different lexical items to express more or less the same idea.

3. TRANSLATION BY PARAPHRASE
This is one of the most popular strategies of dealing with translation of idioms. It is usually used when two matching idioms in the source and the target language cannot be found or when their uses are slightly different depending on the context, in a way that it could affect the style of the text. Paraphrases might be quite accurate when it is important for the translator to transfer the form and the meaning without omitting and eliminating any elements. One of such Spanish idioms, that have to paraphrased when translated, is arrimar el ascua a su sardina (to bring coals or embers to ones sardine) which really means to put ones own interests first, to work things to ones advantage.

4. TRANSLATION BY ELLIPSIS
In some situations, when a certain idiom has no close match in the target language or, for stylistic reasons, its meaning cannot be paraphrased easily, an idiom can be omitted. Just like with single words, sometimes the translator may have to find a different way of expressing a certain concept even when it requires the deletion of the idiom.

5. TRANSLATION BY COMPENSATION
This strategy is difficult to describe or illustrate. The strategy of compensation means that in some such situations the translator may omit the idiomaticity of a certain expression in the source text and introduce it elsewhere in the target text. This strategy is supposed to make up any loss of meaning and not to alter the emotional force or the stylistic effect of the source text. It positively affects the vocabulary richness of the target text. A good translation is a translation that uses all of the above strategies to deal with idioms. Using the typical phraseology, such as natural collocations, fixed phrases and semi-fixed expressions from the target language, may seem to be a big challenge for the translator but it actually enhances the quality and the readability of the translation. A good translation should not only sound less foreign but also feel as if it were original. A good translation may even pass for an original (Baker, 1992, p. 78).

CONCLUSION
Certainly, idioms are one of the most difficult, complex and problematic elements to translate. Their, quite often, ambiguous meaning may make them difficult to recognise, thus possible translators should have a very good and profound knowledge of source and target language reality including their culture. Once the translator has managed to recognise the idioms properly, they might deal with several difficulties such as the lack of similar idioms in the two languages or the difference in their use, meaning or frequency.

THEORY OF TRANSLATION

PAULINA WONIAK

The most common strategies in dealing with the translation of idioms include using an idiom of similar meaning and form, using an idiom of similar meaning but dissimilar form, translation by paraphrase, translation by ellipsis and translation by compensation. The key to success is that both the original text and the translation remain their primary meaning and function. At the same time, the translator should try to choose such a strategy which allows them to transfer both the form and the meaning without omitting and eliminating any elements.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Adelnia, A., & Dastjerdi, H. V. (2011). Translation of Idioms: A Hard Task for the Translator. Theory and Practice in Language Studies , 879-883. Baker, M. (1992). In other words. Routledge. Child, J. (1992). Introduction to Spanish translation. University Press of America. Eftekhari, N. (n.d.). Lingua.pl - Worldwide Translations. Retrieved from Krtki zarys problematyki tumaczenia idiomw: http://mlingua.pl/pol/czytelnia,,krotki_zarys_problematyki_tlumaczenia_idiomow_negar_eftekh ari_tlum_anna_biega_,a,713,p,6.html Fernando, C., & Flavell, R. (1981). Chapter 4 - Contrastive Ideology. In C. Fernando, & R. Flavell, On idiom: Critical views and perspectives. University of Exeter. Gottlieb, H. (1997). The Rendering of English Idioms in Danish Television Subtitles vs. Printed Translation. In A. Trosborg, Text Typology and Translation (pp. 309-338). Benjamins Translation Library. Haque, M. Z. (2012). Translating Literary Prose: Problems and Solutions. International Journal of English Linguistics , 97-111. Hervey, S. G., Higgins, I., & Haywood, L. M. (1995). Thinking Spanish Translation: A Course in Translation Method, Spanish to English. Routledge. Machali, R. (2004). Translating English Idioms and Collocations. TEFLIN Journal: A publication on the teaching and learning of English . Meryem, M. (2009-2010). Problems of Idioms in Translation. Constantine : www.umc.edu.dz theses anglais .pdf Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a Science of Translating. Leiden. E.J. Brill. Shojaei, A. (2012). Translation of Idioms and Fixed Expressions: Strategies and Difficulties. Theory and Practice in Language Studies , 1220-1229. Strakiene, . (2009). Analysis of Idiom Translation Strategies from nglish into Lithuanian. STUDIES ABOUT LANGUAGES , 13-19. etrieved from Universite