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Introduction to Translation

  • Course: TRS200 Introduction to Translation

  • Instructor: Dr. Mohammed Al-Bataineh

  • Contact: M_batineh@uaeu.ac.ae

Understanding Translation

Importance of Translation

  • Translation is a significant practice across languages and cultures since ancient times (House 2016: 5).

  • To comprehend translation as a form of communication, one must explore the concepts of communication, language, and culture.

Communication

  • Definition: Communication is the process of transmitting and receiving information (messages) between a sender and a receiver through a signaling system.

    • Types of Communication:

      • Verbal Communication: Linguistic forms (oral or written).

      • Non-verbal Communication: Uses body language, symbols, etc. (Huang 2012: 54).

  • Message: The information conveyed by the sender through a specific medium, received and interpreted by the receiver within a particular context (including place and time).

Language

  • Definition: A structured arrangement of sounds or written representation into larger units (morphemes, words, sentences, etc.) (Richards & Schmidt 1985: 311).

  • Role of Language: Humans utilize language to communicate ideas, feelings, and emotions, shaped by their cultural backgrounds.

Culture

  • Definition: The way of life and its manifestations (beliefs, values, traditions, etc.) unique to a community using a specific language (Newmark 1988: 94).

  • Connection Between Language and Culture:

    • Language and culture are inseparably linked; cultural aspects are expressed through language (idioms, proverbs, food names, etc.)

  • Translation in this context involves interlingual (between languages) and intercultural communication.

Translation Problems

  • Definition: Any difficulties faced while translating lexical, grammatical, cultural, stylistic, or textual elements of a source text.

  • Problems may arise due to:

    • Structural differences between source language (SL) and target language (TL).

    • Cultural discrepancies between SL and TL.

Translation Techniques

  • Definition: Approaches used by translators to convey meaning from source texts (e.g., word or sentence) with a focus on achieving equivalence.

  • Common translation methods include:

    • Free translation

    • Literal translation

    • Borrowing

    • Functional translation

    • Calque (Gaber, 2005: 59).

Translation Equivalence and Loss

  • Translation Equivalence: The degree of similarity in message and effect between the source text and its translation.

  • Translation Loss: The information lost in translation due to structural or cultural differences.

Types of Translation

Classification

  1. By Agent:

    • Human Translation (HT): Done by humans.

    • Machine Translation (MT): Performed by computers, may involve human intervention (pre-editing and post-editing).

  2. By Language Medium:

    • Oral Translation: Referred to as interpreting.

    • Written Translation: Refers to standard translation.

  3. By Subject Matter:

    • General texts, specialized texts (literary, scientific, medical, etc.).

  4. By Method:

    • Various macro translation strategies accommodating different text types.

The Role of the Translator

Responsibilities

  • A translator converts meaning from one language to another, requiring fluency in at least one non-native language.

  • Must possess knowledge of both SL and TL cultures and be skilled in translating texts across various types.

Knowledge and Skills Required

  1. Proficiency in SL and SL culture.

  2. Proficiency in TL and TL culture.

  3. Subject matter expertise.

  4. Strong writing skills.

  5. Translation-specific skills.

  6. Revision and editing proficiency.

  7. Communication abilities.

  8. Presentation skills.

  9. Interpersonal skills.

Employment of Translators

  • Translation work is vital across sectors, including education, government, legal, media, and business.

  • Translators can work as part of an organization or as self-employed freelancers.