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Understand the essence of translation, its processes, and complexities as explained by Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq. Learn about denotative and connotative meanings, rendering texts accurately, and the interplay between source and target languages in this insightful overview.
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Introduction to translation prepared by Dr Adel Abdulkhaliq Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Introduction Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq The Latin "translation" derives from "translatum," of "transferre" ("to transfer" — from "trans," "across" + "ferre," "to carry" or "to bring") Additionally, the Greek term for "translation," "METAPHRASIS" ("a speaking across"), has supplied English with "metaphrase" — a "literal translation," or "word-for-word" translation — as contrasted with "paraphrase" ("a saying in other words," from the Greek "PARAPHRASIS")
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (SL) by equivalent textual material in another language (TL). (Catford, 1965) Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text. (Newmark, 1988: 5)
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Translation generally refers to all processes and methods used to render and/or transfer the meaning of the source language text into the target language as closely, completely and accurately as possible using: 1. word/phrases which already have a direct equivalent in Arabic language.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq 2. New words or terms for which no ready- made equivalent s are available 3. foreign words or terms written in Arabic letteres as pronounced in their native origin 4. foreign words or terms made to fit Arabic pronunciation spelling and grammar
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Translation consists of changing from one form – of language in this regard - to another. Talking about form, reference is made to the actual words, phrases, sentences, clauses, paragraphs etc which are spoken or written. They (i.e. the forms) are the surface structure of a language.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Technically, the form from which the translation is made will be called the source language and the form into which it is to be changed will be called the receptor language/ target language.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Translation, then, consists of studying the lexis, grammatical structure, communication situation, and cultural context of the source language text; all these are analyzed in order to determine its meaning. This same meaning is then reconstructed using the lexicon and grammatical structure which are appropriate in the receptor language and its cultural context.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq For example, if we use Arabic as a source language and English as the receptor, Ana Muslim becomes the text whose lexicon, grammatical structure, communication situation and cultural context are analyzed in order to determine its meaning.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq The meaning is then reconstructed using the lexicon and grammatical structure which are appropriate in the receptor language. To that extent, Ana Muslimis restructured thus: ‘I am a Muslim’.
What is translation? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Ray (1973) defines translation as the rendering of a source language text into a target language with a view to preserving as much as possible the message and style of the source language. You will observe that receptor language has been given another name by Ray which is target language.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq We translate neither grammar, words, style nor sounds. What do we translate then? We always translate meaning. What is meaning? It is a big question that difficult to answer easily, directly, exnhustively and decisively.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq However, a general satisfactory and simple answer can b given here. Meaning is a complicated network of language components comprised of grammar, vocabulary, style and phonology.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq All source elements must be produced in the target version as far as possible. Denotative meaning Connotative meaning Contextual meaning
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Denotation A word's denotation is the strict dictionary definition of that word and refers to the actual thing or idea it represents. In other words, a denotation is the actual meaning of the word without reference to the emotional associations it can arouse in a reader.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Connotation refers to the emotional or psychological associations a word carries with it. The connotation of a word goes beyond its strict meaning to express the feelings, thoughts, and images the word suggests or evokes.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Denotation is the dictionary meaning of a word. Connotation is the emotional overtones or a subtle difference in meaning that the word is understood to have, but which does not necessarily show up in the dictionary.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Another example is the difference in connotation between the words "house" and "home." They can both mean the same thing, but "home" has a much warmer connotation than house.
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq Contextual meaning Context refers to the parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning: skilled readers use context to construct meaning from words as they are read
What do we translate? Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq . Words and sentences that occur before or after a word or sentence and imbue it with a particular meaning. Circumstances under which a document was created, including its function, purpose, use, time, the creator, and the recipient.
Literal translation method is understood and applied in three different ways. We will highlight two types of literal translationIdentical literal translation one to one translation, and Word for word translation textbook in translation Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Literal translation: • The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents but the lexical items are translated out of context. The denotative meaning of words is taken as if straight from the dictionary BUT the target grammar is respected. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Word For Word translation: • The SL word order is preserved and the words translated by their most common meanings. Cultural words are translated literally. The main use of this method is either to understand the mechanics of the source language or to construe a difficult text as pre-translation process. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Word For Word translation • Each word is translated into an equivalent word in Arabic which is kept the same as, and in line with that of English, e.g.: • That child is intelligent. • ذاكالطفليكونذكيا • Mary wanted to take tea. • ماري أرادت انتأخدشاي Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Word For Word translation • This method regards translation to be a translation of individual words. All we have to do is find the equivalent word in Arabic for the English word, regardless of differences in grammar, word order, context, or special use. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
One to one translation • Identical literal translation or one to one translation IS “a broader form of translation, each SL word has a corresponding TL word”. • It respects collocations meanings in their powerful context. • This method of translation means to translate each SL word or phrase into identical word or phrase in the TL, with the same number, grammatical class, and type of language. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
One to one translation • Examples: • My neighbors are good. • جيراني يكونون طيبين • Lets shake hands • دعنا نتصافح بالايدي Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
One to one translation • This method of literal translation is similar to the first one in two respects: • 1. it retains the SL word order in the TL. • 2. It insists in having the same type and number of words. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
One to one translation • Yet, it is different in two respects too: • 1. it takes context into consideration. • 2. it translate collocations meanings, special and metaphorical SL words and phrases into their TL equivalents, if and when available. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Free translation: • It reproduces the matter without the manner, or the content without the form of the original. Usually it is a paraphrase much longer than the original. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Discussion Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Accuracy • True reproduction of “exact” meaning from source language form to equivalent receptor language form. • Completeness • The translation must reflect a complete description and meaning of the original language. It may be necessary to omit words and make grammatical changes in order to ensure an accurate, complete translation. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Style • Style is the writer’s unique mode of expressing thought. • The translator should integrate and reproduce the style of the source language writer into the receptor language translation. • The translator should suppress his/her own stylistic effects upon the receptor translation. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Second Lecture Translation versus Interpretation Prepared by Dr Adel Abdulkhaliq Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Translation versus Interpretation • People often confuse translation with interpretation. While both services involve adapting from one language to another, there are a number of important differences. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
FIVE KEY DIFFERENCES 1. Spoken versus written: • Interpretation is the transference of meaning between spoken languages, while translation is the transference of meaning between written languages. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
2. Real time versus delayed: Interpreting occurs in real time. It happens in person, on the phone, or through a television/ video service. Because translation involves the written word, it typically takes place long after a text is created, which gives the translator time to access resources. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
3. Level of accuracy: • Interpretation and translation demand different levels of accuracy. While interpreters aim to be completely accurate, it’s difficult to achieve in a live conversation. They may omit some details of the original speech as they interpret into the target language. • Conversely, translators have time to evaluate and revise each word and sentence before delivering their product, so they can achieve a greater level of accuracy and greater fidelity to the original. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
4. Direction and fluency: • An interpreter must be fluent enough in both the original language and the target language to be able to translate in both directions, on the spot, without any reference material. Interpreters are highly qualified people, and the work is quite demanding! It’s so demanding that interpreters work in pairs and must switch off every 20 minutes or so to prevent mental fatigue. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Intangibles5 • Both translators and interpreters arefaced with the challenge of making metaphors,analogies, and idioms understandable to theaudience in the target language. However,interpreters must also capture tone, inflection,voice quality, and the other intangible elementsof the spoken word and and convey thosemeaningfully to the audience Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Despite the differences in the skills of translators andinterpreters, both are bilingual professionals whoshare a passion for conveying meaning to peoplewho would otherwise be unable to understand theinformation at hand. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW • Translators and interpreters are not interchangeable. • The skills and tasks required are different for thetwo jobs. • Interpretation is used at live, in-person events,such as in courtrooms, police stations, hospitals,and government forums. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
TYPES OF INTERPRETATION • 1. Simultaneous interpretation • The interpreter sits in a booth, , listens to the spoken content through headphones, and speaks the translated words into a microphone. As soon as theinterpreter understands the general meaning of the sentence, he or she begins the interpretation. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
TYPES OF INTERPRETATION • 2. Consecutive interpretation: • The speaker stops frequently, typically every one to five minutes, to allow the interpreter to render what was said into the target language. The speaker’s pauses come at the end of a paragraph or topic. While waiting, the interpreter sits or stands beside the speaker, listening and taking notes as the speaker progresses through the message Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
TYPES OF INTERPRETATION 3. Sight Translation • when an interpreter is given a written document in one language and asked to read it aloud in another language, the interpreter is being asked to do sight translation. Because this is a combination of text and speech, it has elements of both translating and interpreting. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Sight translation: • Sight translation: Sight translation is the oral rendition of text written in one language into another language and is usually done in the moment. Central to sight translation are the following skills: the ability to comprehend written text in one language (reading skills) and the ability to produce an oral or rendition in another language (speaking). Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Prerequisites and Qualification of Translators • Competence in both SL & TL • fluent in at least two languages (one of which is always their native tongue). But the word fluent isn’t quite strong enough – you must really, really know your languages. You can’t rely on native comfort – you have to treat your native tongue almost as rigorously as your second language and know all the ins and outs and nuts and bolts of it. Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Subject Matter • Understanding the content and intention of the text’s author. • you must have a good working knowledge of whatever field you’re going to be concentrating in. - See more at: Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Abroad understanding of both SL & TL the cultures • Reasonable background of all major subjects • Good reading and writing skills • Training • Being updated about the latest terminologies • Ability to access online resources Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq
Characteristics of a good translation • A. faithfulness to SL meaning • Accurate rendition of the SL • Understandability in TL • Clarity • Being natural like the SL text as far as possible Dr. Adel Abdulkhaliq