Theories of Translation-Interpretation - Chapter 3: Translation Methods UNETI

CHAPTER 3 TRANSLATION METHODS

OBJECTIVES

After this part, students will be able to:

• understand translation methods as the overall strategy that a translator applies to
a text as a whole
• learn eight translation methods proposed by Newmark

OVERVIEW - NỘI DUNG

1 2 3

The Methods Comments on

Introduction
These Methods

1. INTRODUCTION

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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:

Figure 3.1: Newmark’s flattened V diagram

2. THE METHODS

2.1 Word-for-word translation dịch phần 2 này

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This is often demonstrated as interlinear translation, with the TL immediately

below the SL word. The SL word-order is preserved and the words translated singly by
their most common meanings, out of context. Cultural words are translated literally.
The main use of word – for – word translation is either to understand the mechanics of
the source language or to construe a difficult text as a pre-translation process.

SL TL

o facebook o mặt sách

o Hôm qua tôi đi chợ. o Yesterday I go market.
o He is a small boy. o Anh ấy là một nhỏ cậu bé.

2.2 Literal translation.

The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents
but the lexical words are again translated singly, out context. As a pre-translation
process, this indicates the problems to be solved.
SL:He looked up at the Milky Way.
TL: Anh ấy nhìn lên vào con đường màu sữa.
2.3 Faithful translation
A faithful translation attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of
the original within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures. It “transfers”
cultural words and preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical “abnormality”
(deviation from SL norms) in the translation. It attempts to be completely faithful to
the intentions and the text - realisation of the writer.
ST: IF
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools.
TL: Nếu con vẫn bình tâm…
Nếu con có thể mơ nhưng không để mộng mơ làm chủ con;
Nếu con có thể suy tư song không lấy tư duy làm mục đích,

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Nếu con có thể gặp Khải Hoàn và Thảm Bại

Mà vẫn đối xử hai kẻ giả dối này như nhau;
Nếu con chịu đựng nghe sự thật con vừa nói ra
Bị kẻ tiểu nhân bóp méo giăng bẩy lừa kẻ dại,
Hoặc nhìn công trình đời con, đổ vỡ,
Và cúi xuống xây dựng lên với dụng cụ đã mòn.
2.4 Semantic translation
Semantic translation differs from “Faithful translation” only in as far as it must
take more account of the aesthetic value (that is, the beautiful natural sounds of the SL
text, compromising on “meaning” where appropriate so that no assonance, word-play
or repetition jars in the finished version. Further, in may translate less important
cultural words by culturally neutral third or functional terms but not by cultural
equivalents – une nonne repassant un corporal may become” a nun ironing a corporal”
– and it may make other small concessions to the readership. The distinction between
“faithful” and “semantic” translation is that the first is uncompromising and dogmatic,
while the second is more flexible. Admits the creative exception to 100% fidelity and
allows for the translatior’s intuitive empathy with the original.
o ST:“I'm not jealous of you,' replied the mistress; 'I'm jealous for you. Clear
your face: you shan't scowl at me! If you like Isabella, you shall marry her.
But do you like her? Tell the truth, Heathcliff! There, you won't answer. I'm
certain you don't.”
TL:“Tôi không ghen anh, tôi ghen hộ anh. Thôi, anh vui lên một tí nào, tôi
không muốn anh có một vẻ mặt cau có như thế. Nếu anh thích Sa thì anh lấy
Sa. Nhưng anh có thích Sa không? Anh nói rõ sự thực cho tôi biết, anh Hy. à,
anh không muốn trả lời. Tôi chắc là anh không thích gì Sa.”
(Dịch giả: Nhất Linh và Nguyễn Tường Thiết (trc 1975))
o ST: “I'm not jealous of you,' replied the mistress; 'I'm jealous for you. Clear
your face: you shan't scowl at me! If you like Isabella, you shall marry her.
But do you like her? Tell the truth, Heathcliff! There, you won't answer. I'm
certain you don't.”
TL:“Tôi không ghen với anh, mợ chủ đáp, tôi ghen cho anh thôi. Tươi tỉnh lên
nào, đừng có cau mặt với em! Nếu anh thích Isabella thì anh sẽ lấy cô ta…
Nhưng anh có thích cô ấy không? Nói thật đi, Heathcliff! Đấy, anh không
muốn trả lời. Em chắc chắn là anh không thích!”
(Dịch giả Dương Tường, “Đồi gió hú” NXB Nhã Nam, chương 11,
tr167- 169, bản gốc NXB Văn học 1985)

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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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2.6 Free translation

Free translation 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, a so-called “intralingual translation” often prolix and pretentious, and not
translation at all.
ST: The song Hello Vietnam
Tell me all about this name that is difficult to say.
It was given me the day I was born.
Want to know about the stories of the empire of old.
My eyes say more of me than what you dare to say

TL: (Retrieved https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO6n__dA-SE)

Bạn hãy nói cho tôi biết chăng, về họ tên mà tôi đã mang,
Về miền quê mà tôi ngày đêm luôn nhớ mong.
Lòng tôi mong biết đất nước tôi, đất nước đã có bao đời,
Được nhìn bằng đôi mắt của mình được trở về cội nguồn của tôi
Bạn hãy nói cho tôi biết chăng, về họ tên mà tôi đã mang,
2.7 Idiomatic translation
Idiomatic translation reproduces the “massage” of the original but tends to
distort nuances of meaning by preferring colloquialisms and idioms where do not exist
in the original. (Authorities as diverse as Seleskovitch and Stuart Gilbert tend to this
form of lively, “natural” translation).
o ST: Every Jack has his Jill.
TL: Nồi nào úp vung nấy.
o ST: Anh ấy khoẻ như trâu.
TL: He is as strong as horse.
2.8 Communicative translation
Communicative translation attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of
the original in such a way that both content and language are readily acceptable and
comprehensible to the readership.
ST:IF
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

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And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools.
TL: NẾU
Nếu con mơ ước mà không để ước mơ làm chủ đời con;
Nếu con có thể suy tư mà không lấy nó làm mục đích,
Nếu cả Thành công, Thất bại trên đường đời con gặp
Mà vẫn như nhau - đối xử một tấm lòng;
Nếu con biết nghe sự thật những lời của con
Bị kẻ bất lương làm bẫy lừa kẻ dại,
Hoặc nhìn đời con đổ vỡ, đành làm lại,
Và con cúi xuống dựng nên với công cụ đã mòn.

3. COMMENTS ON THESE METHODS

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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communicative translation, if refer to “expressive” as “sacred texts”; “informative”

and “vocative” following Jean Delisle, as “anonymous” since the status of their
authors is not important. (There are grey or fuzzy areas in this distinction, as in every
aspect of translation.)
So much for the detail, but semantic and communicative translation must also
be seen as wholes. Semantic translation is personal and individual, follows the thought
processes of the author, tends to over-translate, pursues nuances of meaning, yet aims
at concision order to reproduce pragmatic impact. Communicative translation is social,
concentrates, on the message and the main force of the text, tends to under – translate,
to be simple, clear and brief, and is always written in a natural and resourceful style. A
semantic translation is normally interior in its original, as there is both cognitive and
pragmatic loss (Baudelaire’s translation of Poe is said to be an exception); a
communicative translation is often better than its original. At a pinch, a semantic
translation has to interpret, a communicative translation to explain.
Theoretically, communicative translation allows he translator no more freedom
than semantic translation. In fact, it does, since the translator is serving a putative large
and not well-defined readership, whilst in semantic translation, he is following a single
well-defined authority, i.e. the author of the SL text.

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:

Figure 1: Newmark’s flattened V diagram

2.The differences between semantic and communicative translation:

SEMANTIC TRANSLATION COMMUNICATIVE TRANSLATION

 Written at author’s linguistic level  Written at readership’s linguistic level

 Used for expressive texts  Used for informative texts

 Expressive components rendered  Normalized or toned down, neutral

closely/literally terms
 Personal and individual  Social

 Tends to over-translate  Tends to under-translate

 Pursues nuances of meaning  Pursues message

 Inferior to its original  Better than its original

 Has to interpret  Has to explain

 Less freedom  More freedom

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