COURSE NOTES 2nd.

YEAR

TRANSLATION THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS

Dr. lector Maria ALEXE

Introduction
1.1 General frame
In a globalised world characterized by unprecedented development of technology and consequently of the means of communication, social and economical contacts and exchanges information has become the key word of the third millennium world. At the same time in global society mankind is confronted with solving together many problems and establishes an interactive relation with various countries, some being recently created states. One of the consequences of this new development is the flourishing of a lot schools, bureaus and agencies of translations and interpreting all over the world as well as the development of a new academic subject translation studies. As an exercise of imagination it is useful to compare the figures quoted by Eugene Nida, one of the founders of modern disciplines of translation studies, in a lecture on The Changing Scene in World Languages April 23, 1996. At that time the European Community used more than 3000 professional translators, dealing with more than one million pages of documents. Later many other countries joined the community translators number and work increased. Recently EU started EU Language Industry web Platform, which aims to disseminate figures and facts about language products and services. It welcomes contributions from any language industry professional translators, language teachers, people working for companies or public-sector bodies that provide language services, association members. The main purposes of the platform are designed according to its initiators will to offer a practical instrument to anybody who works in the language domain. To meet the industry's needs identified by our study, the interactive knowledge base will:
 

collect more comparable data from EU countries inform language professionals about research on and by the language industry which is set to grow by 10% a year over the coming years.

1.2. A short history

Translation Studies is a relatively young discipline but translators have existed since the Ancient Times. Translators had a special position along centuries. In ancient Rome they were generally Greek slaves, used as teachers as well. A long the Middle Age many translators were monks, people with a good knowledge of Greek and Latin. In the Byzantine Empire, the official Turks used the conquered Greek as translators, because the Turks were forbidden to learn foreign languages by their religion. Due to this talent the Greeks managed to hold a major position in the Ottoman Empire for many centuries. At the end f the Middle Age the emerging bourgeoisie need to replace the sacred languages by national ones. The first translations required were those of religious texts especially The Holly Bible. Those translations were a very difficult task and are considered to be the beginning of the national literature. One of the most famous translations is that done by Martin Luther (1530) who translated the Bible from Latin into German. In Romania the translation of the Bible ended in 1699 and is a collaborative

work. Because it was supervised and coordinated by Serban Cantacuzino it is known as Biblia lui Serban Cantacuzinoi.The Romanians used a quite modern procedure as they translated using and comparing Slavic and Greek sources. The age of great geographical discoveries underlined the role of translators not only as a political and cultural factor but also as a promoter of economical exchanges. Today most of the translations are technical texts. That re-launch the debate Is translation an art or a science. A book published in 1988 The science of linguistics in the art of translation seems to contribute to maintain the dispute.

1.3 What is Translation?

As many old things which changed their profile along centuries translation has many definitions more or less scientific. The complexity of translation operation and the various aspects involved have made it difficult to create a unitary theory and clear description. Here are some of them 1. Translation is the expression in another language (TARGET LANGUAGE) of what has been expressed in another (SOURCE LANGUAGE) preserving semantic and stylistic equivalence. 2. Translation is a process of processing information as well as one of interlingual and transcultural changes between two partners. 3. The process of finding equivalents for something in one language (Source language LS in another language (target language LT) 4. Translation means to reproduce in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent in the source language message, first in terms of meaning secondly in terms of style. 5. The traditional Italian formula Traduttore tradittore which defines in an aphoristic way the process of translation, underlines the idea that a perfect equivalence is not possible. Roman Jakobsonii commented on this statement voicing some of the most frequent concerns of a translator in an attempt of designing his portrait:If we were to translate into English the traditional formula Traduttore tradittore as the translator is a betrayer we would deprive the Italian rhyming epigram of all its value. Hence a cognitive attitude would compel us to change this aphorism into a more explicit statement and to answer the questions: translator of what message? Betrayer of what value? (Roman Jakobson) As for the academic discipline dealing with translation some name it Translation Theory when others are in favor of Translation Studies. Personally I agree with the last one because is more complex and suggest theory and practical aspects as well. The term Translation Studies was coined by James Holmes, a scholar in a paper presented in 1972 at the 3rd International Conference of applied Linguistics in Copenhagen. The Key word in defining translation is - EQUIVALENCE Generally speaking, a good translation means changing the grammar, lexical and phonological features

of a text from SL to TL, taking into consideration the register of the translated text and the cultural aspects.

1.4 Different types of translations

Translations are classified according to A. The content of SL y Literary translations - translation is done for a literary text poetry, drama or prose) y Legal translation - an equivalence of legal terminology and transfer from one legal system to another is required y Film translation adapting the text to suit in a certain number of characters B. The translator attitude If the translation takes into consideration the equivalence of each word linguistic equivalence ad litteram translation C. The way in which translation is done y y y Written translation Face to face translation A persons speech, who uses LS is translated by another person in LT, one fragment after another Simultaneous Translation - a persons speech, who uses SL, is translated simultaneous by another person in LT, using modern technology.

Some type of translations may influence communication convincing, manipulating

2. TECHNICAL TRANSLATIONS
In technical translation the semantic equivalence is important. A technical translation has to be accurate. but the style is not as important as in other type of translations. Its role to describe a product  to define a process/activity/  express a rule  inform Why does a specialist mainly a future computer specialist have to learn translations? The answers given by a large number of IT students are synthesized below and can be read as a good motivation for this course and for a better language knowledge.

y y y y

To get a formal qualification To be able to get more information To communicate with a larger number of specialists To get involved in international programs.

The difference between understanding and translating a text is part of academic education. Translations are done by translators. To be a good translator one needs:
y y y y y

Good knowledge of both languages in order to express clearly the ideas of the text. Cultural knowledge which helps them to find equivalences/ explain the parts that cannot be translated A large professional profile and technical culture Be aware of the context Good dictionaries bilingual and monolingual

Is a translator a writer? Oh, definitely YES. If we accept to consider translation as the attempt to move the soul of a text into a different body (more difficult than a brain transplant!) we can see how much of a writer a translator really is. No one without the writer's touch will be able to handle this delicate and subtle operation, and the subsequent creation owes its life to the translator as well as the original author. Like a writer, a translator has to take account of the knowledge of the addressee and of the expectation they are likely to have about structure of discourse, conventions of particular text type, the structure of social relationship, certain linguistic and non-linguistic behaviour. Stronger in literary translations such aspects have to be taken into consideration in technical translations as well.

2.1 The fidelity of translation

The problem lies in the degree of elaboration, word for word or meaning for meaning, in other words in the fidelity either to the spirit or to the letter. As it was often mentioned in related literature a word for word translation may sound awkward or artificial. Nevertheless in technical translation the translator has less possibility to translate the meaning or to interpret the text. Even in technical translation the translator has to add, occasionally some additional cultural information (explaining the difference between SL and TL) Translating text about computers or other digital devices the translator has to deal with the fact that some terms are internationally used therefore they do not need a translation,.
TASK 1 Translate the following text: The appearance of management science software is one of the most important events in decision making process. OR/MS software systems are used to construct examples, to understand the existing concepts, and to discover useful managerial concepts. On the other hand, new developments in decision making process often

motivate developments of new solution algorithms and revision of the existing software systems. OR/MS software systems rely on a cooperation of OR/MS practitioners, designers of algorithms, and software developers.

Then comment on the following statement: When the linguistic and cultural distances between source and receptor codes are least, one should expect to encounter the least number of serious problems, but as a matter of fact if languages are too closely related one is likely to be badly deceived by superficial similarities, with the result translation done under these circumstances are often quite poor.

Here are some examples of so called FALSE FRIENDS actually, magazine, provide,

3. GLOBALIZATION, TECHNOLOGY, TECHNICAL CULTURE

3.1 Globalization
Key words global village, McDonaldization, transnational When Marchall McLuthan coined the term The global village it was in a spirit of hope and expectation, in the belief that technology could and would change even the great globe itself. Village was chosen because it suggested community a term that was going to bring us together. It was the beginning of a new era characterized not by the Beatles message on the Christmas satellite 1968 Its easy. All you need is love but by sharing technology and information. Globalization means transnational worldwide companies clear communication. The term McDonaldization turns the fast-food chain into the symbol of global society, routine and systematic use of global patterns. Sometimes is associated with Coca- Cola. Lately things have changed, McDonald tries to adapt to each country- variety instead of standardization. Respect for each country culture instead of a global language. Revitalize forgotten languages Irish Gaelic, Scottish, Welsh Rhaeto- Romance , Sardinian Breton (listed by Word program) attitude which relaunched the concept of translation. Sociologists warn against the dangers of McDonaldization society, but there are some benefits too. Can you list some of them? Here are some suggestions: 1. Same word for same item poster, digital, burger, hacker 2. better communication due to the use of certain patterns 3. diminished the cultural shock 4. OTHERS? William (English sociologist) Only dead cultures have scales that are reliable? A possible explanation of this statement may be the fact that in living culture things are changing from today to tomorrow and a scale is difficult to be set.

3.2 Technology as culture

Key words: technical, popular culture, national identity In contemporary society technology shapes culture. The role of digital technology in developing postmodern culture is obvious. In postmodernism culture has become more accessible popular culture. At the beginning of the XX century the technological society and the traditional one coexisted in uneasy tension , the technological was stronger but the traditional was still functional. Technology eliminates alternatives and increases productivity. TECHNOLOGY IS A STATE OF CULTURE culture finds in authorization in technology. Do you agree? Give arguments for your statement There is a language spoken by people of technological world a language using international words. Geekish The dictionary of Young Entrepreneurial Technocrats

Due to technology a new way of writing has been developed writing messages or massager or facebook way of writing. No matter which the translation technique is the text has to be considered the primary object of translation studies. The text type perspective and the particular genre of the text should be transferred from SL to TL. Translation deals with the following main genres, classified on the basis of systematic non-linguist criteria y y y y Literary poems, short stories, novels film scripts Business business letters, advertisements, brochures, annual reports, meetings Legal contracts, wills, statutes Technical product description, instructions, technical reports, instructions

TASK 2 Translate the following text:

Safety instructions 1. Do not operate this appliance if it is damaged or shows signs of damage or it is not functioning correctly. Pull the mains plug from the socket immediately. 2. Do not place the appliance in a position that is accessible by children. 3. Do not use the appliance: a. Close to heat sources, e.g. a heater or a heating device, tumble dryer, etc. b. In places that can be sprayed with oil or water c. In places where it is exposed to direct sunlight d. Close to bathtubs, showers or swimming pools e. Close to easily inflammable gases or materials f. Outdoors Can you guess to what kind of device they refer to?

TASK 3

Translate the following business texts 1. Following the 2000-01 stock market crash, the US economy staged a miraculous recovery. That miracle is now ending. The US has become a push-me, pull-you economy: companies may be higher energy prices, tighter monetary policy, an end to tax cuts and, more recently, a housing market that appears to be in free-fall threatens to poison the upswing. Economic growth in the early years of this decade appears to have been built on the most fragile of foundations. 2. The rise in commodity prices in recent years is directly related to the strength of activity in the fast-growing emerging giants. China is at the forefront of this change, but is not the only country involved: many other emerging economies have performed well in recent years. Unlike the 1990s, their strength appears to be based on solid fundamentals. The majority of emerging economies now run current account surpluses. Theres greater currency flexibility than in the 1990s.

4. TRANSLATION STEPS
Key words: image, equivalence, meaning A translation have to consider: D linguistic equivalence a word from the source language (LS) is equal in meaning with the word of the target language LT D cultural correspondents a word or a sentence is translated according to the cultural context of each language. D Phonological aspects in certain patterns the expressive value of the word or sentence is due to some phonological aspects and this aspect has to be taken into consideration. Technical translation, generally deal with linguistic translation

Film translation has to follow the image and to fit in a certain number of characters. This means
that the translator has to adapt the text keeping in mind the transfer of the general meaning. Sometimes the phonological aspect of the message has to be transferred as well.

Newspaper titles
Students learning a foreign language as well as any non native speaker may be shocked by some English newspapers title. In order to attack their readers they use a strange topic Here are some examples ARE MOBILE PHONES BAD FOR THE BRAIN? UK study shows brain cancer risk not increased CAR CLUB PULLS OUT ALL STOPS FOR CHARITY NEW SEASON NEW STYLE

TASK 4 Read the following text and then translate it

The Computer History Museum is the world's leading institution exploring the history of computing and its ongoing impact on society. It is home to the largest international collection of computing artifacts in the world, encompassing computer hardware, software, documentation, ephemera, photographs and moving images. The Museum brings computer history to life through an acclaimed speaker series, dynamic website, on-site tours, as well as physical and online exhibitions. One of the permanent exhibition is called The First 2000 Years of Computing is a rich, multimedia exhibition that traces the history of modern computing, everything from the abacus to the smart phone. Revolution is fun, informative and thought-provoking. It has something for everyone, from technical experts and geeks to curious non-techies who wonder how sophisticated computing technology ended up in, among other places, their microwave ovens. The exhibition spins the stories of computing history in an orientation theater, 19 galleries and five mini-theaters showing high-definition videos produced by the Museum. Each gallery is a themed mini-exhibition that covers a particular aspect of the evolution of computing. 1. Find out how many words are international ones they do not need a translation. 2. Use the word GALLERY with other meaning . Select from the following translations-sala de expozitie, galerie comercial, balcon, coridor, galerie miniera

5. THINGS TO REMEMBER
y y y y y

In English politeness is expressed by modal verbs Less articles are used than in Romanian Impersonal aspects are expressed by Passive Voice Sometimes Romanian Future Tense is translated by Present There is no continuous aspect of verbs in Romanian therefore translators have to find equivalences

Idiomatic expression as drop your other shoes or from the bottom of my heart are not translated word by word.

NOTES
Since then other three main translations were accomplished, but this one is still considered as a masterpiece. R. Jakobson is a pioneer of the structural analysis of language, which became the dominant trend of twentiethcentury linguistics, Jakobson was among the most influential linguists of the century initiating the communication theory and used elements from cybernetics in his analysis.
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