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Chapter 3-Translation Methods
Chapter 3-Translation Methods
OBJECTIVES
1 2 3
1. INTRODUCTION
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Theories of Translation-Interpretation - Chapter 3: Translation Methods UNETI
The central problem a translating has always been whether to translate literally
or freely. The argument has been going on since at least the first century. Up to the
beginning of the nineteenth century, many writers favored some kind of “free”
translation: the spirit, not the letter, the sense not the words, the message rather than
the form: the matter not the manner. This was the often revolutionary slogan of writers
who wanted the truth to be read and understood – Tyndale and Dolet were burned at
the stake, Wycliff”s works were banned. Then at the turn of the nineteenth century,
when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were
insuperable and the language was entirely the product of culture, the view that
translation was impossible gained some currency, and with it that, if attempted at all, it
must be as literal as possible. This view culminated in the statements of the extreme
literalists’ Walter Benjamin and Vladimir Nabokov.
The argument was theoretical: the purpose of the translation, the nature of the
readership, the type of text, was not discussed. Too often, writer, translator and reader
were implicitly identified with each other. Now the context has changed, but the basic
problem remains, Newmark put it in the form of a flattened V diagram:
2. THE METHODS
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SL TL
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Theories of Translation-Interpretation - Chapter 3: Translation Methods UNETI
2.5 Adaptation
This is the “freest” form of translations. It is used mainly for plays (comedies)
and poetry; the themes, characters, plots are usually preserved, the SL culture
converted to the TL culture and the text rewritten. The deplorable practice of having a
play or poem literally translated and then rewritten by an established dramatist or poet
has produced many poor adaptations, but other adaptations have “rescued” period
plays.
o ST: Romeo:
But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun.
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick and green (vestal: pure; livery: servant’s
uniform)
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady, O, it is my love
Juliet: Ay me!
Romeo: She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel!
o TL: Rô-mê-ô:
Ấy, khe khẽ chứ! Ánh sáng nào vừa lóe trên cửa sổ kia?
Đấy là phương đông và nàng Giu-li-ét là mặt trời.
Vừng dương đẹp tươi ơi, hãy hiện lên đi, và giết chết ả Hằng Nga đố kị,
héo hon và nhợt nhạt vì đau buồn
khi thấy cô hầu của ả lại đẹp hơn ả rất nhiều.
Ả ghen với em thế thì em theo ả làm gì?
Bộ cánh đồng cốt của ả xanh xao nhợt nhạt,
chỉ hợp với những đồ ngu xuẩn, em hãy vứt nó đi.
Đấy là người ta yêu quý. Ôi! Đấy là người ta yêu.
Giu-li-ét:Ôi chao!
Rô-mê-ô:Nàng lên tiếng!
Hỡi nàng tiên lỗng lẫy, hãy nói nữa đi!
(Via Đặng Thế Bính (1995)
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Commenting onthese methods, Newmark first said that only semantic and
communicative translation fulfil the two main aims of translation, which are first,
accuracy, and second, economy. (A semantic translation is more likely to be
economical that a communicative translation, unless, for the latter, the text is poorly
written. In general, a semantic translation is written at the author’s linguistic level, a
communicative at the readerships. Semantic translation is used for “expressive” texts,
communicative for “informative” and “vocative” texts.
Semantic and communicative translation treat the following items similarly:
stock and dead metaphors, normal collocations, technical terms, slag, colloquialisms,
standard notices, phaticisms, ordinary language. The expressive components of
“expressive” texts (unusual syntactic structures collocations, metaphors, works
peculiarly used, neologisms) are rendered closely, if not literally, but where they
appear in informative and vocative texts, they are normalized or toned down (except in
striking advertisements. Cultural components tend to be transferred intact in
expressive texts; replaced by cultural equivalents in vocative texts. Badly and/or
inaccurately written passages must comment on any mistakes of factual or moral truth,
if appropriate. Badly inaccurately written passages should be “corrected” in
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4. QUESTIONS
1. What are the types of translation methods? Please give examples for each type.
2. What are the differences between semantic and communicative translation?
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SUGGESTED ANSWERS
1. Newmark put translation methods in the form of a flattened V diagram:
P/S: The e-lectures are in the process of development. We hope to have a better series for our dear
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