Preliminaries to translation as a process

1. Preliminaries to translation as a process Translation Unit 1

2. 1.1 Basic Definitions • To realize what the translator does in the process of translation, we must clarify a number of terms that will be used throughout the course: • Text: Any stretch of speech or writing assumed to make a coherent whole. - How long should a text be? • Source Text (ST): The text requiring translation. • Target Text (TT): The text which a translation of the (ST).

3. Cont., • Source Language (SL). • Target Language (TL) • Strategy: A set of strategic decisions taken after an initial reading of the ST, but before starting detailed translation. • Strategic Decisions: The first set of reasoned decisions taken by the translator before starting the translation in detail following a number of questions: - What are those questions?

4. Cont., • Decisions of detail: Reasoned decisions concerning the specific problems of grammar, lexis, etc. encountered in translating particular expressions in their particular context.

5. cont., • Bearing these terms in mind, the process of translation can be broken down into two types of activity: • Understanding the ST ( Comprehension) • Formulating a TT (Interpretation)

6. 1.1 Inter-semiotic Translation • First, let us define what a semiotic system is: A semiotic system is a system for communication. • Semiotic translation: Translation between two semiotic systems. - e.g. The green light means go • In the previous example, translation occurred from a non-linguistic communication system into a linguistic communication system.

7. 1.3 Intralingual Translation • Intralingual translation refers to linguistic response to linguistic stimuli which are worthy of translation even though they are in the same language.

8. Cont., • Consider the following example of intralingual translation: • Police man: There has been an accident ahead, Madam--- I’m afraid you will have to turn left at St. Mary’s lane here, the road is blocked. • Jill: Oh, OK. Thanks. • Jack: What did he say. • Jill: We’ve got to turn left • Jill separates the gist of the policeman’s message from all the circumstantial details and tonal subtleties, and reports it in her own words. • Therefore, this type of intralingual translation is known as ‘gist translation’.

9. cont., • Gist translation shares two features with translation proper: • There is more than one possible gist translation • The situation in which a message is conveyed is crucially affects both how it is expressed and how it is received. - What do we mean by context?

10. cont., • Another type of intralingual translation is what we call ‘exegetic translation’. • This occurs when a translation gives more explanation and elaboration than what the ST shows. • Jill: We’ve got to go down St Mary’s Lane – some fool jackknifed and blocked the High Street. • Exegetic translation can be shorter that the ST, but it is usually longer.

11. Interlingual Translation • Interlingual translation is the translation that takes place between two different languages. • It is also known as translation proper. • Interlingual translation also shows use of ‘gist translation’ or ‘exegetic translation’.

12. cont., • Gist translation occurs frequently from Arabic to English where ST has a high degree of repition of meaning( Semantic repition) - Refer to the example pg.. 10. - compare (literal translation) to (idiomatic translation).

13. cont., • Exegetic translation can be seen in Arabic-English translation in a number of translations of Quran’s meanings. • Consider the example from سورة الإخلاص pg.. 11. - Compare the three translations. - Which is literal and which is exegetic?

14. exercises • Practical 1.2 Gist translation Model/review • Gist translation, Task II HW • Exegetic translation: Surah 92 Model/review