scholarly journals Role of Translator as a Gap Filler in Communication with Reference to Françoise Balogun

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 9-21
Author(s):  
ZAKI Muhammad Zayyanu ◽  
SAJO Muhammad Aliyu ◽  
John Ogboji
Keyword(s):  
Communication Barriers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Gap Filling ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Communication Gap

Translation of messages between two languages has been very challenging among translators. Translations have led to the filling of gaps in communication barriers so that equivalence and accuracy are achieved in the process of transfer of messages from one language to another. This paper aims to examine the role of a translator in filling the communication gap between the Source Language (SL) and the Target Language (TL). These gaps are known as translation problems or difficulties as a means of solving them. We apply the interpretative and comparative approaches of translation. This is achieved through the extract of texts from the English and French versions of our corpus. The main objectives of the paper are i) to examine some concepts in translation ii) to identify some gaps in translation, and iii) to determine the approach that fits better in translating discourse messages with varied contexts. Among the findings of the study are instances of gap filling in communication as no two languages see a concept in the same way that includes i) set and series, ii) cultural words, and iii) neologism. The study concludes that equivalent is the key to achieving successful translation across cultures.

scholarly journals TRANSLATION PROBLEMS WITHIN THE EU CONTEXT

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Indra Grietēna
Keyword(s):  
Written Language ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Source Language ◽  
General Aspects ◽  
The University ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Interference Problems ◽  
State Language

The paper reviews publications by Latvian linguists looking at the main translation problems within the context of the EU between 2005 and 2010. The author analyses the publications from three aspects: general aspects of translation problems and practices within the EU context, particular translation problems, and methodological publications providing guidelines for translators working within the EU context. The author reveals discussions on the ways translation influences language in general, the role of the source language for the development of the target language, and the role and responsibility of a translator at the ‘historical crossroads’. The article discusses a number of EU-specific translation problems, including source language interference, problems of the translator’s visibility and a translation’s transparency, ‘false friends’, and linguistic and contextual untranslatability. The author briefly summarizes the contents of guidelines and manuals for translators working within the EU context, highlighting the main differences between English and Latvian written language practices, literal (word-for-word) translation and the translator’s relationship with the source text. The publications selected and analysed have been published either in conference proceedings or in academic journals from the leading Latvian institutions in the field of translation: Ventspils University College, the University of Latvia, the State Language Commission of Latvia and Translation and Terminology Centre of Latvia.

Language contact through translation

Target ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 420-455
Author(s):  
Shuangzi Pang ◽  
Kefei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Language Change ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Parallel Corpus ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Sample Points ◽  
Chinese Texts

Abstract This article investigates the role of translations from English in language change in Chinese. It employs a new corpus, the Chinese Diachronic Composite Corpus (CDCC), which incorporates a parallel corpus and comparable corpus in three sampling periods in the twentieth century, and a refe­rence corpus as a starting point in the timeframe. We examine whether explicitness in English–Chinese translations has exerted an impact on the target language, focusing on adversative conjunctions as a measure of explicitness. The results of the study demonstrate that: (1) translated Chinese texts have changed in step with original Chinese texts in the frequency of adversative conjunctions; (2) translated Chinese texts and original Chinese texts are interrelated throughout the three periods, but the correlation between them has changed perceptibly over the three sample points; and (3) source language interference found in translated Chinese texts increases over the three periods.

Study in cultural semantics of translation

Babel ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-188
Author(s):  
Khan Farhadiba ◽  
Mahameed Mohammed
Keyword(s):  
Nineteenth Century ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Complete Fusion ◽  
Indian Language ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Cultural Interface ◽  
Technical Rules

The aim of this paper is to consider the role of Cultural Semantics in Translation. This paper argues that it will never be a fair translation if something new has not been added to it. Therefore a degree of cultural interface between two language groups from (English to Indian language) is required for translating any text. Furthermore, this paper also gives an account of how in nineteenth century India the colonial agenda of translating indigenous texts was a part of a larger enterprise of Imperialism to the recent times where the attempt has been to rescue the work of translation from the restrictions imposed by the rhetoric of technical rules regarding transference from Source Language to Target Language. The result is one of complete fusion between the Source language and the Target Language.

scholarly journals Dialectic aspects between periphery and center: the translations of Aeschylus’ tragedies into French by Olivier Py

2021 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
Maria Baïraktari
Keyword(s):  
World Literature ◽  
First Century ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Cultural Variations ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Translation Strategy ◽  
Cultural Mediator ◽  
Award Winning ◽  
Spatio Temporal

“Periphery” and “centre” are two concepts which could be examined in terms of geographic, linguistic, or cultural variations and constants at different periods of human history. If world literature is a united system, with an unequal center and periphery, the interlinguistic translation of Aeschylusʼ tragedies into French by Olivier Py in the twenty-first century will serve as an example in order to highlight the various facets of this multidimensional relationship. Olivier Py, an award-winning prose and theatre writer, poet, director, actor, translator, director of the Avignon Festival since 2013, translated and directed all seven surviving Aeschylean tragedies between 2008 and 2017. He thus played the role of a cultural mediator who ensured the transition from the source language to the target language by creating texts designed to be presented on stage, and following the priorities of the codified theatrical discourse of tragedy. Based on this process, the author exam-ines the various spatio-temporal and cultural relationships between periphery and centre in order to present the main points of Olivier Py’s translation strategy.

scholarly journals Contrastive Study of the Conjunction ‘and’ in English and Armenian

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Anahit Hovhannisyan
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Functional Characteristics ◽  
Second Language Teaching ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Contrastive Study

In linguistics the structuring role of conjunctions is emphasized, whereas its pragmatic and contrastive study is often foregrounded. Conjunction may be prerequisite for contrastive study. The present research is mainly aimed at establishing semantic – functional characteristics of the conjunction “and”, as well as identifying its equivalents in Armenian translation. In other words only one translation direction is investigated, namely English to Armenian. The merit of this research lies in the fact that the study of conjunction from contrastive perspective reveals structural similarities and dissimilarities of the source language and the target language. Contrastive study can be used to get new insights into syntax and the findings of this analysis can prove to be useful in such fields as comparative grammar, pragmatics, second-language teaching, etc.

scholarly journals Developing a Model for Translating Euphemism in the Qur’an: An Intratextual- and Contextual-based Approach

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Sameer Naser Olimat
Keyword(s):  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Intended Meaning ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Linguistic Model ◽  
Single Text ◽  
Semantic Coherence

This paper aims to investigate the role of intratextuality and contextuality in the mechanisms of understanding euphemism in the Qur’an, which in some cases would provide evidence for the intended meaning or a way of interpreting and translating euphemisms. It hypothesises that the dependence only on dictionary, exegesis or single text may yield misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the euphemistic meaning. The paper develops a linguistic model for critical evaluation of the translation of Qur’anic euphemisms based on the textual level, which goes beyond word or sentence levels. Methodologically, certain euphemisms in different verses in the Qur’an which require intratextual or contextual references for their identification and interpretation are selected and then possible interpretations of their meanings are verified via checking semantic coherence with other Qur’anic verses. The size of the selected sample is representative to cover the most common taboos in any society; namely health, death, sex and sodomy. Six translations of these euphemistic expressions of the Qur’an are fully analysed. The paper gives evidence that translation decisions made by translators need to rely on information beyond traditional dictionaries or exegetic works and require the recognition of intratextual and contextual ties within the Qur’an. It also finds that most translators attempt to convey the intended meaning of euphemisms, while the euphemistic style is sacrificed. The study concludes that the translation of euphemism in the Qur’an should adhere to the syntactic patterns and lexical units of the source language (SL) structure, and make cultural and linguistic shifts in the target language (TL).

scholarly journals Learning Translation and Multi-culture to Reduce Social Conflict

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Aris Wuryantoro
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Social Conflict ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Grammatical Structure ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Language User ◽  
Structure Communication

<p>This study aims to describe the role of learning translation with enhancing multi-culture understanding to reduce social conflict in society. This study used descriptive qualitative method by using documentation technique in collecting data. The source of the data are documentations in the form of intralingual and interlingual translation. The result of the study reveals that translation has four aspects, there are meaning, grammatical structure, communication situation, and cultural context. Besides, translation is closely related to cultural context aspect because translation contains at least cultural aspect from source language and target language. The researchers conclude that learning translation can enhance multi-culture in order to reduce social conflicts. The language used by one society automatically shows its language user or its social identity. The researcher concludes that by mastering language and culture of one society as a part of learning translation, we can reduce social conflict which mainly caused by misunderstanding toward the used language and culture.  </p>

scholarly journals Problems in Translating Fictions

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Dr. Kumar Rishikesh
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Target Language ◽  
World Views ◽  
Cultural Conflicts ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Linguistic Challenges

The present paper tries to look into the socio-linguistic challenges and barriers concerned with translation of literary prose as prose constitutes ideologies, cultural values, as well as social, political, psychological and philosophical world views which always remain anthropocentric. Comparison of the original titles of the Hindi stories of Premchand and its translation as well as the interpretative role of the translator have been critically evaluated to establish the fact that a successful translator apart from mapping location, identities and cultural conflicts of the source language and the target language must be equally aware of the desire images of the writer to be translated

scholarly journals Cognitive Basis of Conceptual Borrowing

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 01120
Author(s):  
Larisa Gatsalova ◽  
Tatyana Novikova ◽  
Larisa Parsieva
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Metaphor ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Specific Task ◽  
Abstract Concepts ◽  
Gap Filling ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Translation Practice ◽  
Cultural Systems ◽  
Cultural Gaps

The conceptual discrepancy of various linguistic and cultural systems sets the problem of transferring concepts when translating. A translator should borrow concepts of the source language to fill conceptual and cultural gaps of the target language. Abstract concepts based on metaphor represent the specific task of conceptual and cultural gap filling. Conceptual borrowing is one of the most complicated processes of translation practice and complex theoretical problems. The problem of conceptual borrowing could be solved with the help of cognitive models. The cognitive model of conceptual metaphor is the most productive one. Conceptual metaphor presents an image providing conceptual borrowing and cultural gap filling in order to achieve an adequate translation.

scholarly journals Translating Magic: balancing art and science in the translation of Harry Potter

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathieu Destruel
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Translation Studies ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Book Series ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Thin Line ◽  
Scientific Approach

Literature is rightfully regarded as an art, but when translation enters the fray, it can require a somewhat scientific approach. Throw in a little bit of “Harry Potter” magic, and it can really become tricky. Translation is challenging, as it requires us to look not only at problems such as equivalence and the use of names, but also culture itself. Linguistic factors are also an issue, as a certain type of word might be abundant in the source language, but not very common in the target language. The role of the translator is therefore to distinguish what in a text is potentially translatable from what is fundamentally not. From there, one must walk the thin line between the art of translation – our personal hunches – and the science of translation – which is often too literal. In the case of J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series, another difficulty arises. She has revealed herself as a wordsmith, not only with her writing skills, but also through her ability to coin and construct original words. Whether using terms from ancient mythologies, extinct languages or everyday life, her writing is known for an abundance of puns, linguistic jokes and other allusions that are mixed to create a brand new lexicon. Some examples include Harry Potter’s school, Hogwarts, the magical sport, Quidditch, as well as an array of supernatural creatures such as Thestrals and Jobberknolls. This may be the reason why her books have caught the interest of the linguistics and translation studies communities; their richness and diversity make the possibilities nearly endless. Each name or word created comes with a baggage of undertones and veiled references that translators must track and recognize before they attempt to translate them. As an additional complication, the Harry Potter books were first thought to be children’s literature, and only later attracted an older audience more prone to read between the lines and detect the hidden meanings of words. As a result, the series is known for its ambivalence, since children and adults alike can enjoy it for different reasons. Keeping these facts in mind, this research aims at using today’s linguistic theories and looking at word creation in both English and French in order to establish patterns of translation, and suggest possible equivalents for some of J. K. Rowling’s inventions.

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