TRANSLATION

TECHNIQUES

InaStnic
Lecturer,MoldovaStateUniversity
 TRANSLATION METHODS VS.
TRANSLATION PROCEDURES
global translation strategy (translation
method): the overall strategy you apply to a
text as a whole the primary choice you have
to make here is how close to the ST you want
your TT to be.
local translation strategy (translation
procedure): strategies you apply in the
translation of individual expressions in the
ST, such as words, grammatical
constructions, idioms etc.)
Translation strategies are
procedures for solving translation
problems;
Translation methods relate to
whole texts;
Translation procedures are used
for sentences and the smaller units of
language;
Translation techniques refers to
the micro-unit of the translated text.
A DYNAMIC AND FUNCTIONAL APPROACH
TO TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
they affect micro-units of texts
they are by nature discursive and
contextual
they are functional.
allow us to examine how the target
text (TT) functions in relation to the
source text (ST).
they affect the result of the translation
 TRANSLATION METHOD

Translation method refers to the global

option that affects the whole text.
Depending on the aim of the translation:
1. interpretative-communicative
(translation of the sense),
2. literal (linguistic transcodification),
3. free (modification of semiotic and
communicative categories) and
4. philological (academic or critical
translation) - Hurtado Albir.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES

Thetranslation method affects the way

micro-units of the text are translated: the
translation techniques.

Thus, we should distinguish between the

method chosen by the translator, e.g.,
literal or adaptation, that affects the whole
text, and the translation techniques, e.g.,
literal translation or adaptation, that affect
micro-units of the text.
 TRANSLATION METHOD AND
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES

Method and technique should function

harmoniously in the text.

Forexample, if the aim of a translation

method is to produce a foreignising
version, then borrowing will be one of the
most frequently used translation
techniques.
 TRANSLATION STRATEGY AND
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
Strategies are the procedures
(conscious or unconscious, verbal or
nonverbal) used by the translator to
solve problems that emerge when
carrying out the translation process with
a particular objective in mind (Hurtado
Albir.
 TRANSLATION STRATEGY AND
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES
Translators use strategies

for comprehension (e.g., distinguish main and

secondary ideas, establish conceptual
relationships, search for information)
and for reformulation (e.g., paraphrase,
retranslate, say out loud, avoid words that are
close to the original).
Strategies and techniques occupy different places
in problem solving: strategies are part of the
process, techniques affect the result.
 TRANSLATIONTECHNIQUES:
Addition (completare, ) the
translator adds up a word or a word-
combination in order to specify the meaning.

E.g. The policeman waved me on.

Poliistul rutier mi-a fcut semn s merg mai
departe. -
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Antonymic translation (traducere
antonimic, )
involves translating a phrase or clause that does
not contain a negation or vice versa.

E.g.
I do not think you are right. Cred c
greii. , .
You cannot be serious. Cu siguran glumii.
.
 TRANSLATIONTECHNIQUES:
Attachments (extinderea, )
happen when ideas expressed in English by a
single word need word combinations or complex
structures with a similar meaning in the TL.

industries ramuri de producie,

;
costs cheltuieli de producie,
;
 TRANSLATIONTECHNIQUES:
Change of the grammatical form
(schimbarea/transformarea formei gramaticale/
).

English Passive Voice Ro/Ru Active Voice.

E.g. Prime Minister Tony Blair was hit by a
tomato. /Cineva a aruncat o roie n Prim
Ministrul Tony Blair. / -
.
 TRANSLATIONTECHNIQUES:
Compensation (compensare, )
used when the TL standards do not permit
the translator to place a word in the same
position or use it in the same function as in the
original text.

E.g. No avenues in this matter were left

unexplored. Totul a fost fcut pentru a
soluiona problema n cauz.
.
Compensationisusedwheresomething
cannotbetranslatedfromSTtoTT,andthe
meaningthatislostintheimmediate
translationisexpressedsomewhereelsein
theTT.

Fawcettdefinesitas:"...makinggoodin
onepartofthetextsomethingthat
couldnotbetranslatedinanother".
 COMPENSATION
e.g. translating nuances of formality from
languages which use forms such as
tu/dvs., tu/vous, du/Sie, /, etc. into
English which only has 'you', and expresses
degrees of formality in different ways.

E.g. We would be happy to see you at the

conference. Am fi bucuroi s v avem n
calitate de participant la conferin.


 TRANSLATIONTECHNIQUES:
Compression (reducere, ) an
idea formulated by a complex structure or
idiom is paraphrased by a simpler form or a
single word with a similar meaning.

E.g. The new mechanism provides appropriate

incentives for efficient resource use. Noul
mecanism stimuleaz folosirea eficient a
resurselor.
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Commentary (comentariu, ) -
a commentary explains the meaning of a text.
Translators often use commentaries to help
the target reader understand the meaning of
various parts of the original.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Commentary

E.g. But the viva was the judgement day. (R.

Gordon Doctor in the House) .
Examenul oral de specialitate era ziua decisiv.

.

The viva voce examination a spoken

exam.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Concordance (concordana, )
translating a word of the original by the
same word in the TL wherever it occurs.
Sometimes concordance reduces accuracy in
translation, because it does not take into
account the differing senses of meaning that a
word has in varying contexts.
E.g. He had a poetic nature.
El era o fire poetic (melancolic).
()
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Cultural substitute (substitutul cultural,
) the use of
a different translation term for an item from the
SLT which is unknown to the TL hearers.
A CS should have the same function in context as
the original item, be as similar in form as
possible, and be compatible with the culture of
the original text.
E.g. Preschool students are invited. Sunt
invitai copiii de vrst precolar.
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Generalization (generalizare,
) - something in the TL is
usually expressed using concepts with
broader meanings or when preserving the
original concepts with narrower meanings
would result in an awkward translation.

E.g.
She ordered a daiquiri. Ea a
comandat un cocktail. -
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Omission some important detail may be
skipped in favour of a rather important fact.

E.g.
Summer rains in Florida may be violent
while they last. Vara n Florida cad ploi
toreniale. .
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:

Sentence fragmentation (segmentarea

propoziiei, )
splitting up one complex or compound
sentence into two or more simple sentences.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Sentence fragmentation
E.g. People everywhere are confronted with the
need to make decisions in the face of ignorance
and this dilemma is growing.
Din cauza nesiguranei i a ignoranei, oamenii
din toat lumea se confrunt cu necesitatea de a
lua decizii. /1 Acesta devine un lucru tot mai
necesar./2


./1
./2
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Sentence integration (contopirea/unirea
propoziiilor, , )
involves merging two or several sentences into
one.

E.g. Your presence is not required. It is not

desirable either.
Prezena dumnevoastr nu este nici necesar,
nici dorit.
,
.
 TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES:
Specification (concretizare, ) is
used when something in the TL is usually
expressed using concepts with narrower
meaning or when preserving the original
concepts with broader meaning would result in
an awkward translation.
 VINAY AND DARBELNETS
CLASSIFICATION
Direct translation techniques :
1. Borrowing
2. Calque

3. Literal Translation

Oblique translation techniques:

4. Transposition

5. Modulation
6. Equivalence

7. Adaptation