Week 3_1

Introduction

  • Course: TRS200 Introduction to Translation

  • Instructor: Dr. Mohammed Al-Bataineh

  • Email: M_batineh@uaeu.ac.ae

Translation as a Practice

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

  • Importance: Understanding translation involves comprehending communication, language, and culture.

Communication

  • Definition: The process of transmitting and receiving information between sender and receiver through a signaling system.

  • Types of Communication:

    • Verbal Communication: Linguistic communication in oral or written forms.

    • Non-Verbal Communication: Non-linguistic means such as body language and symbols (Huang 2012: 54).

  • Components:

    • Message: Content conveyed by the sender, interpreted by the receiver.

    • Context: The situation encompassing time and place during communication.

Language and Culture

  • Definition of Language: A structured arrangement of sounds or written forms to communicate (Richards and Schmidt 1985: 311).

  • Role of Language: Used habitually for expressing ideas, feelings, and emotions influenced by cultural backgrounds.

Culture

  • Definition: The lifestyle manifestations of a community that uses a specific language, including beliefs, values, traditions, and behaviors (Newmark 1988: 94, Huang 2012: 78).

  • Interrelation of Language and Culture: Languages are deeply connected to their respective cultures; aspects of culture manifest in language through idioms, proverbs, and culturally-specific terms (Katan 1999: 16-18, Ghazala 2015: 1-8).

  • Role of the Translator: Acts as a cultural mediator, facilitating understanding among different cultural groups by interpreting expressions and perceptions (Taft as quoted in Katan 2009: 88).

Translation Problems

  • Definition: Challenges faced during translation related to lexical, grammatical, textual, stylistic, or cultural elements of the source text.

  • Causes of Problems:

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

    • Cultural discrepancies between SL culture and TL culture.

    • Textual characteristics of the source text.

Translation Techniques

  • Definition: Methods by which translators express meanings from source text units.

  • Common Methods:

    • 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 source and translated texts.

  • Translation Loss: Information or textual elements lost during translation due to structural or cultural differences.

Types of Translation

  • Classification Criteria:

    • (a) Agent performing the translation

    • (b) Language medium

    • (c) Subject matter

    • (d) Method of translation.

Types According to Agent

  • Human Translation (HT): Conducted by a human translator.

  • Machine Translation (MT): Automatic translation by computers, may involve human intervention in pre-editing and post-editing (Palumbo 2009: 73).

Types According to Language Medium

  • Oral Translation: Referred to as interpreting.

  • Written Translation: Simply referred to as translation.

Types According to Subject Matter

  • Text Types:

    • General texts

    • Specialized texts (e.g., scientific, medical, legal)

    • Audiovisual and advertising texts.

  • Challenges: Each type presents unique challenges and requires different translation strategies.

Types According to Translation Method

  • Translation Strategies:

    • Macro translation approaches like:

      • Literal translation

      • Free translation

      • Domestication

      • Adaptation

      • Localization.

The Role of the Translator

  • Definition: A professional who translates texts aiming to convey the original message across languages.

  • Qualifications Required:

    • Bilingual proficiency with native-like fluency in at least one non-native language.

    • Knowledge of both SL and TL cultures.

  • Specialized Training: Required for translating various text types effectively.

Additional Knowledge Areas

  • Awareness of the translation field, e.g., biology for science texts.

  • Essential Skills:

    • Knowledge of SL & TL languages and cultures

    • Writing, translation, revision, communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

Employment Context

  • Work Environments:

    • Higher education, government, legal organizations, media, embassies, non-profits, businesses.

    • Some employ full-time translators, others hire on a temporary or freelance basis.