TRANSLATION

THEORY

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CHAPTER 1

WHAT
IS

TRANSLATION

Translation is rendering a written text into another

language in the way that the author intended the text.
Translation is a means of communication, instrumental
in transmitting culture, also the-truth, and a technique for
learning foreign languages.
The translation cannot simply reproduce, or be, the
original.

There are many tensions in translations, for example

between sound and sense, emphasis (word order) and
naturalness (grammar), the figurative and the literal, neatness
and comprehensiveness, concision and accuracy.
Translators are required to undertake assignments, which
range from simple items, such as birth certificates and driving
licenses, to more complex written material, such as articles in
specialized professional journals, business contracts and legal
documents.

2
WHY IS

TRANSLATION

Nowadays, we still do not know

exactly how many languages we have in
the world. According to few sources, there
are approximately 4000 languages
existing.
All language are equal of value and
importance and that everyone has a right
to speak and write his own language
whether it is a national or a minority
language is not generally recognized.

0One man
cannot lear
with each o
n those lan
ther. It is im
guages to
communica
possible.
te
So, transla
tion and int
problem.
erpreting w
ere born to
deal with th
is

3
HISTORY OF
TRANSLATION

The first trace of translation

was inscriptions in two
languages found in the area of
the First Cataract,
Elephantine, during the
Egyptian Old Kingdom, in
3000 B.C.

Translation was a significant factor in the West in 300

B.C.
In the 19th century translation played the role of a
one-way mean of communication between prominent
men of letters, philosophers, scientists, etc.
French was widely used in trade and diplomacy as it
is the language of the dominant nation.

The 20th century, age of translation

4
THE DYNAMICS OF

TRANSLATION

TE

XT

The
anddescribed
prejudices
The
expectations
of the
Whatviews
is being
of
translator,
which
putative
readership,
or the
reported,
ascertained
SL
may
be personal
and
bearing
in mind
their
or
verified,
where
The
individual
style
ora
typical
format
of
6,
7,conventional
8 As or
for
2,3be
and
W
subjective,
may
Content
items
referring
SL
RI
estimated
knowledge
ofof
possible
independently
grammatical
idiolect
of
the
and
SL
lexical
author.
text
in
a
book,
T
4
respectively,
but
NO
social
and
cultural.
ER
specifically
tothe
the
SL, or
topic
and
style
of
the
SL
text
and
the
SL
usage
When
should
for
this
it
type
be
(a)
of
periodical,
newspaper,
RM
related
to
the
TL.
Involving
the
third language
(i.e.
not
language
theytranslators
CU
expectations
ofuse,
the
S
text,
preserved,
depending
(b)
on
the
etc.,
as
influenced
by
SL
LT
group
loyalty
factor,of the
SL or TL)
cultures.
expressed
in terms
readership.
U
topic
normalised?
and
SE
tradition
atthe
thesituation.
time.
RE
which
may
reflect
the
largest
common
factor,
T
TL
TI
national,
ethnic,
NG
since onepolitical,
should not
RE
AN
religious,
social(or
class,
TL
AD
translate down
up) to
D
ER
NO
sex,
etc. assumptions of
TR
the readership.
SH
RM
TL
AD the translator.
IP
CU
S
IT
TL
LT
IO
N
U
SE
RE
TT
TH
IN
E
G
T
TR
RU
AN
AN
TH
D
SL
TR
AT
AD
OR
IT
IO
N

TRANSLATION
THEORY

In a narrow sense, translation theory is

concerned with the translation method
appropriately used for a certain type of text,
and it is therefore dependent on a
functional theory of language.
However, in a wider sense, translation
theory is the body of knowledge that we
have about translating, extending from
general principles to guidelines,
suggestions and hints.

What translation theory does is, first, to

identify and define a translation problem (no
problem - no translation theory!); second, to
indicate all the factors that have to be taken
into account in solving the problem; third, to
list all the possible translation procedures;
finally, to recommend the most suitable
translation procedure, plus the appropriate
translation.

E
L
B
O
R
P

S
M

6 NEW ELEMENTS IN
TRANSLATION

(1) The emphasis on:

o The readership
o The setting
o Naturalness
o Ease of understanding
o An appropriate register
(2) Expansion of topics beyond the religious, the
literary, and the scientific to technology, trade, current
events, publicity, propaganda, in fact to virtually every
topic of writing.

(3) Increase in variety of text formats

from books (including plays and poems)
to articles, papers, contracts, treaties,
laws, notices, instructions,
advertisement, recipes, letters, reports,
business forms, documents, etc.
(4) Standardisation of
terminology.
(5) The formation of
translator teams and the
recognition of the revisers
role.

(6) The impact of linguistics, sociolinguistics and

translation theory.
(7) Translation is now used as much to transmit
knowledge and to create understanding between groups and
nations, as to transmit culture.

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