scholarly journals Skopos and (Un)certainty: How Functional Translators Deal with Doubt

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Nord
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Decision Point ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Binary Decision ◽  
Language Norms ◽  
Translation Type ◽  
Target Culture

There are no rules for translation. Translation is a decision-making process, and each decision point involves uncertainty. In the following article, I would like to show how, from a skopos-theoretical perspective, a top-down procedure can at least reduce uncertainty to some degree. The top level is that of the translation brief, which determines the choice of translation type and form. This is a binary decision. A documentary translation usually “documents” the pragmatics of the source text, whereas an instrumental translation gets a pragmatics of its own, for example with regard to deixis. At the next level, the translator has to deal with cultural norms and conventions. Here, the decision becomes more complex because the brief may require the reproduction of some source-culture behaviours and the adaptation of others to target-culture conventions, both in documentary and instrumental translations. The next level is that of language. We may safely assume that most translations are expected to conform to the norms of the target-language system, but there may be cases where source-language norms have to be reproduced, for example in an interlinear translation for linguistic purposes. At the last two levels, the remaining doubts have to be resolved first in line with contextual restrictions and, ultimately, the translator’s personal preferences, if necessary.

scholarly journals A critical analysis of domestication in Makhambeni’s translation of Chinua Achebe’s novel No longer at ease (1960)

Literator ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 105-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.R. Masubelele
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Translation Strategy ◽  
Igbo Culture ◽  
Language Norms ◽  
Descriptive Approach ◽  
Target Culture

Through translation the target reader is exposed to other cultures. Translators, therefore, have to use the target language to convey the source text message to the target reader. There are various choices at their disposal as to how they wish to convey the source text message. They may choose to adopt the norms and conventions of the source text message, and therefore those of the source language and culture, or choose those of the target language. Commonly, adherence to the target language norms and conventions leads to a strategy in which the foreignness of both linguistic and cultural conventions is reduced. According to Venuti (1995) this is domestication. Since translations are rarely equivalent to the original, this article seeks to examine how Makhambeni uses Venuti‟s domestication as a translation strategy, with the purpose of rewriting the original to conform to functions instituted by the receiving system. The descriptive approach to translation, which advances the notion that translations are facts of the target culture, will be used to support the arguments presented in this article. It will be shown that, although Achebe has used a lot of Igbo expressions and cultural practices in his novel, Makhambeni has not translated any of the Igbo expressions and cultural practices into Zulu. Instead Makhambeni used Zulu linguistic and cultural expressions such as similes, metaphors, idioms, proverbs and of cultural substitutions to bring the Igbo culture closer to her audience. It will be concluded that through the use Zulu linguistic and cultural conventions Makhambeni has effectively minimised foreign culture and narrowed the gap between the foreign and target cultures. She has successfully naturalised the Igbo culture to make it conform more to what the Zulu reader is used to.

Cultural Functions of Translation: Sustainable Development in the Context of Globalization

2011 ◽  
Vol 347-353 ◽  
pp. 426-430
Author(s):  
Da Lai Wang
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Mutual Understanding ◽  
Cultural Communication ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Cultural Information ◽  
Foreign Culture ◽  
Cultural Functions ◽  
Different Cultures ◽  
Target Culture

This paper aims to account for sustainable development of different cultures in the context of globalization from the perspective of cultural functions of translation, which wield enormous power in constructing representations of the foreign culture and have far reaching effects in the target culture. According to cultural communication of translation, the major task of translation is to turn the cultural information in one language into another. Therefore, in the process of translating, the translator should try his utmost to allow his target language reader to acquire cultural information of the source text in order to promote mutual understanding between Western people and Eastern people and make different cultures co-exist peacefully and achieve sustainable development.

scholarly journals English Conceptual Discourse Patterns into Azeri-Turkish: A Case Study of Animal Farm

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Esmail Faghih ◽  
Roya Moghiti
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Translation Strategies ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Discourse Patterns ◽  
Animal Farm

Discourse includes both structural and conceptual patterns.  Most of these patterns are different in various languages.  A conceptual pattern in source language can be realized in different ways in a target language.  Therefore, the translator should be aware of this kind of differences between SL and TL conceptual patterns, because rendering these patterns from the source text into the target one can be problematic and their inaccurate transfer may lead to a flawed translation.  This descriptive study aimed to investigate the conceptual discourse patterns and related ideologies in a novel entitled Animal Farm and as the same realizing the conceptual patterns in its translation into Azeri-Turkish.  Accordingly, the researchers selected and analyzed the samples based on Fairclough’s approach (2001) to CDA.  The findings indicated that the translators’ ideological and socio-cultural norms affect their translation strategies and lexical and grammatical choices and this in turn influences their success to recognize and transmit the ST implicit ideologies into TT. Keywords:  Conceptual Discourse Patterns, English, Azeri-Turkish  

scholarly journals Normalization Techniques For Translating Cultural - Specific Expressions

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Nuchanad Imjidee ◽  
Soh Bee Kwee
Keyword(s):  
Da Vinci ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Target Culture

For readability of audience in target culture (TC), cultural-specific expressions (CSEs) which have been embedded with specific characteristics, need specific techniques to transfer them into target language (TL). This study aims to identify normalization techniques (NTs) from domestication strategies to show that they are particularly necessary for CSE translation. Based on the previous studies of different scholars, the overlap between domestication and normalization is clarified, following by the clarification of the relation between normalization and the use of translator’s subjectivity, as well as the distinction between CSEs and universals for simple explanation on what normalization and CSE are. Last but not least, the overlapping NTs, classified from domestication strategies will be unified. Finally, illustration of normalization of CSEs, selected from Thai target text (TT) and its English source text (ST), The Da Vinci Code (DVC), a novel by Dan Brown, will give an overt explanation of how each NT is used to deal with CSEs in order to show relation between characteristics of CSEs and each NT. This will answer why NTs are necessary.

Creativity in collaborative poetry translating

Target ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-306
Author(s):  
Sergio Lobejón Santos ◽  
Francis Jones
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Work In Progress ◽  
Literal Translation ◽  
Original Poems ◽  
Creative Solutions ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Target Culture

Abstract This study examines how creative solutions to translation problems are negotiated and selected in ‘poettrios’ (teams consisting of a source poet, a target-language poet and a bilingual language mediator working from pre-prepared, literal translation drafts of poems), and compares creativity in this mode to that in solo poetry translating (Jones 2011). The interactions and outputs taken from real-time recordings, work-in-progress drafts and participant interviews from several poettrios translating original poems from English into Dutch and from Dutch into English in two workshops were coded and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results show that creativity in poetry translating is an eminently cognitive activity in which creative solutions typically emerge through the incremental contributions of the complementary expertises of the individual poettrio members, with occasional radical leaps. In this incremental scaffolding process, and similarly to solo translating, poettrios first consider non-creative options, then creative adjustments and, finally, creative transformations. Radical solutions are generally only accepted when a departure from the source-text surface meaning is deemed necessary to achieve the double aim of retaining the source poem’s message while producing an acceptable poem in the target culture (Holmes 1988).

From left to right and from right to left

Babel ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-98
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Kayyal
Keyword(s):  
Target Language ◽  
Arabic Literature ◽  
The Political ◽  
Hebrew Literature ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Modern Hebrew ◽  
Ethical Norms ◽  
Modern Arabic ◽  
Target Culture ◽  
Selection Of

The present paper discusses Anton Shammas’s translations of Modern Hebrew literature into Arabic and of Modern Arabic literature into Hebrew. The discussion focuses on the connection between hegemony and translation, particularly in light of the fact that these translations were carried out in the shadow of the political, social and economic hegemony of the Jewish majority over the Arab-Palestinian minority in Israel. Shammas began his translation activities with a series of translations from Hebrew into Arabic, but after establishing his status in Hebrew literature and journalism, he began to translate from Arabic into Hebrew as well. Evidently, this transition entailed a significant change in his translation paradigm and in his attitude toward the culture of the hegemonic majority.<p>His translations from Hebrew into Arabic aimed to preserve and reinforce that hegemony, not only through the direct or indirect involvement of bodies from the source culture and bodies identified with the establishment, but also in the multiple interferences of the Hebrew source language in the Arabic target language, and his disregard for the accepted linguistic, stylistic and ethical norms of the Arab target culture. By contrast, Shammas’s translations from Arabic into Hebrew aimed to challenge the discourse of the hegemonic culture through his meticulous selection of works that represent the oppressed narrative of the Palestinian people and adopting translation policies to enhance acceptability in the target culture, such as non-preservation of the integrity of the source text in the translation, elevation of linguistic and stylistic register in the translated text, and an inclination toward paraphrase.<p>

scholarly journals (Re)translation Revisited

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Desmidt
Keyword(s):  
Children's Literature ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Children’S Literature ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Classical Literature ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Original Source ◽  
Selma Lagerlof ◽  
Target Culture

Abstract Resulting from the wish to meet the (new, altered) requirements of the receiving culture, retranslations are exponents of the historical relativity of translation. According to the so-called retranslation hypothesis, retranslations tend to be more source culture oriented than first translations. First translations, the hypothesis runs, deviate from the original to a higher degree than subsequent, more recent translations, because first translations determine whether or not a text (and its author) is (are) going to be accepted in the target culture. One can come up with several factors that make the retranslation hypothesis, even broadened to re-rewriting hypothesis, plausible (e.g., translators take a critical stance to earlier translations, the target language has developed and target culture norms have become less rigid), but one can ask to what extent the hypothesis is supported by empirical evidence. In the following article some of the results of my study of 52 German and 18 Dutch versions of the children’s classic book Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige (Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Journey Through Sweden, Selma Lagerlöf, 1906-1907), published between 1907-1908 and 1999, are discussed with respect to the retranslation hypothesis. It is argued that, though some more recent versions showed consideration for the original, a clash of norms ultimately did not allow the hypothesis to hold good: not allegiance to the original, but literary, pedagogical and economical norms gained the upper hand.The hypothesis clearly does not have a general value. The hypothesis may be valid to some extent, but only if it is not formulated in absolute terms. Within peripheral forms of literature, like children’s literature, as well as within classical literature, less prototypical (re)rewriting has proven to be more than the exception and target norms continue to clash with fidelity to the original source text.

scholarly journals Translating Biblical Poetry as Poetry

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3(53)) ◽  
pp. 103-116
Author(s):  
Lénart J. De Regt
Keyword(s):  
Target Language ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Direct Communication ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Biblical Poetry ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Poetic Translation ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Psalm 23 ◽  
Target Culture

After an introduction into translating biblical poetry as a new communication event in the target culture (and not as a documentation of a source culture event), an analysis is made of a Dutch poetic translation of Psalms 23 and 121 and a Frisian poetic translation of Psalm 23. Of the poetic features and means of expression in these translations, Dutch and Frisian patterns ofmeter are the most important. When a poetic translation of biblical poetry follows genre conventions of the target language and culture (rather than attempting but failing to reproduce the poetic features of the source text), such a translation is able to generate a new, direct communication event that reduces the distance between the hearer/receiver of the target culture and the text of the source culture. Such a translation engages the hearer more effectively in responding to the text, because the poetic features of the target language facilitate the expressive, appellative and phatic functions of the communication. This should be an encouragement to translators to render different types of biblical poetry into different genres and poetic patterns of the target language that will actually fit the subject matter of the text into the context of the target culture.

scholarly journals Persian Renderings of English Conceptual Discourse Patterns: A Case Study of Animal Farm

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Esmail Faghih ◽  
Roya Moghiti
Keyword(s):  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Translation Strategies ◽  
Source Language ◽  
Discourse Patterns ◽  
Animal Farm

Discourse includes both structural and conceptual patterns.  Most of these patterns are different in various languages.  A conceptual pattern in source language can be realized in different ways in target language.  Therefore, the translator should be aware of differences between SL and TL conceptual patterns because rendering these patterns from the source text into the target one can be problematic.  The present descriptive study aimed to investigate the conceptual discourse patterns and related ideologies in George Orwell’s Animal Farm and its Persian translations.  Accordingly, the researchers selected and analyzed the samples based on Fairclough’s (2001) approach to CDA.  Based on the findings, Gheybi (2010) has been more successful in rendering the conceptual discourse patterns and ideologies, because her translation was much more similar to the source text in terms of conceptual discourse patterns as compared to the translation by Hoseyni and Nabizadeh (2003).  The findings indicated that the translators’ ideological and socio-cultural norms affect their translation strategies and lexical and grammatical choices and this in turn influences their success to recognize and transmit the ST implicit ideologies into TT. 

The Analysis of Translation of Live Metaphors in Japanese Novel Haru No Yuki

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Melati Desa
Keyword(s):  
Creative Writing ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Source Text ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
Full Load ◽  
Abstract Language ◽  
The Way

ABSTRACT   : Language and culture influences each other and its effect is reflected in not only the way humans think, but could also be seen in a full load of figurative elements in creative writing, such as metaphors. Thus, the report examines the aspects of the transfer of meaning in the live metaphors in Haru No Yuki, literary Japanese texts written by Yukio Mishima (1925 – 1970) translated to Malay by Muhammad Haji Salleh (1993) as Salju Musim Bunga published by Penataran Ilmu. This report studies on the equivalence of the meaning of translated live metaphors from the source text to the target text. From the study of the equivalence of meaning can be evaluated that, if there is any type of losses of meaning in form of under translation, over translation or wrong translation. The retention of live metaphors in the target text produced an ideal translation. Universal live metaphors maintained by the translator, this approach produced an ideal translation in form of meaning and accepted by the culture and speakers of the target language. The conclusion of this report shows that, one of the factors in producing quality translations is to understand the elements of the original cultural metaphors contained in the source text. Keywords: live metaphor, personification, ideal translation, equivalence of meaning ABSTRAK         : Bahasa dan budaya saling mempengaruhi dan kesannya dapat dilihat bukan sahaja dalam cara manusia berpikir malah dalam penulisan kreatif yang memuatkan unsur figuratif, metafora misalnya. Justeru, kajian ini meneliti aspek pemindahan makna dalam terjemahan metafora hidup dan personifikasi yang terdapat dalam teks kesusasteraan Jepun, Haru No Yuki hasil penulisan Yukio Mishima (1925 – 1970) diterjemahkan oleh Muhammad Haji Salleh (1993) menjadi Salju Musim Bunga (SMB) terbitan Penataran Ilmu. Kertas kerja ini mengkaji keselarasan makna terjemahan metafora hidup dan personifikasi daripada teks sumber kepada teks sasaran. Daripada kajian keselarasan makna dapat dinilai sama ada berlaku peleburan makna metafora apabila terhasilnya terjemahan kurang, terjemahan lebih atau terjemahan salah. Kaedah pengekalan metafora hidup dalam teks sasaran didapati menghasilkan terjemahan ideal. Metafora hidup yang bersifat universal dikekalkan oleh penterjemah, pendekatan ini menghasilkan terjemahan ideal dari sudut makna dan diterima oleh budaya dan penutur bahasa sasaran. Sebagai kesimpulan, kajian ini menunjukkan bahawa, salah satu faktor dalam usaha untuk menghasilkan terjemahan bermutu adalah dengan memahami unsur metafora budaya asal teks sumber.   Kata kunci : metafora hidup, personifikasi, terjemahan ideal, persamaan makna

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