Hoang_lecture 8-translation Equivalence

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Equivalence is the central issue in translation

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The definition, relevance, and applicability of equivalence has caused heated controversy. It has been analyzed, evaluated and extensively discussed from different points of view and has been approached from many different perspectives -> many different theories of the concept of equivalence

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It is the relationship between a source text (ST) and a target text (TT) that allows the TT to be considered as a translation of the ST.

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Any relation characterizing translation under a specified set of circumstances.

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Equivalence was a relationship between two texts in two languages, rather than between the languages themselves

Jakobson (1959) Nida and Taber (1982) Baker (1992)

Jakobson (1959): equivalence is always possible (regardless of the cultural or grammatical differences between ST and TT) since there are several methods that the translator can choose loan-translations, neologisms and semantic shifts, and circumlocutions

Nida and Taber (1982) : Formal equivalence and dynamic equivalence  Dynamic equivalence/ functional equivalence focuses on the message itself -> emphasizing readability. (e.g.. in translating novels)  Formal equivalence attempts to translate the text word-for-word (literally). (e.g. in translating Bible, international diplomacy)

Baker (1992)  Equivalence at word level (chapter 2)  Equivalence above word level (chapter 3)  Grammatical equivalence (chapter 4)  Textual equivalence (chapter 5, 6)  Pragmatic equivalence (chapter 7)

Form-based equivalence: (see Baker) Equivalence at word, sentence, or text level  Meaning-based equivalence: (see Koller) Denotative, connotative, pragmatic, formal equivalence  Function-based equivalence: (see Nida) Dynamic equivalence, formal equivalence  Quantitative equivalence One-to-one equiv., one-to-many equiv., Oneto-part-of-one equivalence, Nil equivalence 

One-to-one equivalence  A single expression in TL is equivalent to a single expression in SL Information Technology = Công nghệ Thông tin One-to-many equivalence  More than one TL expressions are equivalent to a single SL expression.

Nuôi

To breed

Tre

To feed

Nứa

To raise

Bamboo

Trúc

To keep

Mai

So support

Vầu

One-to-part-of-one equivalence A TL expression covers part of a concept designated by a single SL expression. Rồng dragon Bush Thảo nguyên Nil equivalence no TL expression is equivalent to a single SL expression Eg: Internet = “Mạng Internet” B¸nh Ch­ng = Ch­ng cake/Banhchung ¸o dµi = aodai

Koller’s 5 types of equivalence:  Denotative

equivalence

 Connotative

equivalence

 Text-normative  Pragmatic  Formal

equivalence

/ Dynamic equivalence

equivalence

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Denotative equivalence is one in which the SL and TL words refer to the same thing in the real world. This is the referential identity between SL and TL units.

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This is equivalence of the extra linguistic content of a text, otherwise called ‘content invariance’

a rabbit

→

con thỏ

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esides denotative value, SL and TL words should produce the same communicative values in the mind of native speakers of the two languages

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r the equivalence transmitted by specific choices between synonymous expressions with respect to level of style (register), the social and geographical dimension, frequency, etc.

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g: - ăn nhanh kẻo nguội

        

Connotation of speech level: elevated, poetic, normal, colloquial, slang, vulgar Connotation of socially determined usage: student language, military language, aristocratic language… Connotation of geographical relation or origin: American English, Australian English… Connotation of medium: spoken language, written language… Connotation of stylistic effect: pompous, artificial, euphemistic… Connotation of frequency: common, uncommon Connotation of register: normal usage, technical, medical… Connotation of evaluation: positively evaluative, ironic, pejorative... Connotation of emotion: using emotive language to describe a given topic

As fair art thou, my bonnie las, So deep in luve am I, And I’ll luve thee stil, my dear, Till a’ seas gang dry.

Em đẹp lắm, ơi cô gái nhỏ Anh đắm say em tự bao giờ Anh sẽ mãi còn yêu em đó Yêu đến ngày biển cạn sông khô (A red, red rose. Robert Burns. Translated by:N.X.Thơm)

Your majesty  Sir 

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Muôn tâu bệ hạ

 Th­a

ngµi

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As fast as a kangaroo

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Nhanh như kangaroo

The poor  HIV patients 

Underprivileged  People living with AIDS 

Surgeon: A. Swan  Assistant: Mr. Dickson  GA: Dr. Wood  Incisions: median sternotomy and right thigh and leg 

Bác sĩ phẫu thuật: A. Swan  Phụ tá: Ông Dickson  Gây mê tổng quát: Bác sĩ Wood  Đường phẫu: rạch giữa xương ức, đùi và chân phải 

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Her face is all her fortune

 MÆt

c« ta lµ tÊt c¶ vèn liÕng cña c«

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Con ấy chỉ được mỗi cái xinh

The SL and TL words using the same or similar text types in their respective languages. Examples: ◦in correspondence

Faithfully yours

Trung thành của bạn Kính thư

Art.2. the organization and its members, in pursuit of the purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following principles: 1) the organization is based on the principle for the sovereign equality of all its members…

Điều 2. để đạt được những mục đích nêu ở điều 1, liên hợp quốc và các thành viên liên hợp quốc hành động phù hợp với những nguyên tắc sau đây: 1) Liên hợp quốc được xây dựng trên nguyên tắc bình đẳng chủ quyền của tất cả các nước thành viên… 

The SL and TL words have the same effect on the reader Or mainly aiming at the receiver, to whom the translation is directed Also called “communicative equivalence Examples: anh (§¾c Lª) Y (D­¬ng T­êng) HE g· (Lª Ba K«ng)

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It’s cold in here. ◦ Trong này lạnh quá. ◦ Làm ơn đóng hộ cửa sổ / bật điều hoà.

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Chào nhé, đi đâu đấy? ◦ Hi, where are you going? ◦ Hi, how are you?

 Possibilities

of formal equivalence with respect to categories such as rhyme, verse form, rhythm, special stylistic forms of expression in syntax and lexis, word play, metaphor and so on.  Formal equivalence is particularly used in translation of poems, songs, etc.  Also called ‘expressive equivalence

“The war’ly race may riches chase And riches still may fly them, O! And tho’ at last they catch them fast Their hearts can never enjoy them. O!” (Green Grow the Rashes by Robert Burns) “Bọn người đời hám giàu sang theo đuổi Tưởng giàu sang bốc họ lên giời Dẫu cuối cùng giàu sang đạt tới Nhưng cõi lòng đâu đã thảnh thơi.” ( Cây Bấc Xanh” translated by Nguyên Xuân Thơm)

Where do I be gin? C©u chuyÖn t×nh n¨m x­a To tell a s tory of how great a love can be? Tõ thêi xa x­a nay ®· trë vÒ trong t«i Where do I start?

According to Baker (1992) when the translator starts analyzing the ST s/he looks at the words as single units in order to find a direct 'equivalent' term in the TL.

Some strategies to deal with non-equivalence at word level 2. culture-specific concepts: concepts from the source culture which are unknown in Vietnamese E.g. vegemite, Speaker (of the House of Common), hen party Suggested solution: Translation using cultural substitution or using loan word plus explanation

2. The target language lacks a specific term E.g. Comb, brush hair Wash, clean, shampoo hair Curl, perm hair sheer, great, active, fertile, fevered imagination Solution: translate with more general words

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The SL lacks specific terms ◦ Mũ: hat, cap, helmet ◦ Xanh: blue, green

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Mismatch in meaning components ◦ brother vs anh, em trai (for componential analysis, read Newmark)

3. The source and target make different distinctions in meaning E.g. bring: carrying things to a place where the speaker is or is to be take: conveying things to a place where the speaker is not. Vietnamese does not make this distinction. E.g. see, look, watch Solution: Translation by adding meaning to equivalents

For more problems with equivalence at word level and strategies to deal with them, refer to the book In other words: A book on translation.

Translating idioms  Translating collocations 

. What is an idiom?

“a fixed group of words with a special meaning that cannot be guessed from the combination of the actual words used” (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 1981). E.g. turn over a new leaf not turn over new leaves

Problems in translating idioms a. Some idioms are misleading E..g take someone for a ride, Have a bun in the oven b. English idioms with no equivalent in Vietnamese E.g. to be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth or at the eleventh hour, burning the candle at both ends, or a skeleton in the closet. c. Some English idioms are particularly culture-specific to carry coals to Newcastle

2. Techniques for translating idioms a. Exact equivalence to fight like cats and dogs b. Reduction He kicked the bucket last Sunday. He's head over heels in love with her. c. Paraphrase She's putting a very brave face on things. d. Omission or compensation

See the book In other word

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- grammatical rules vary across languages -> cause remarkable changes in the way the information or message is carried across. (number, tense and aspects, voice, person and gender) -> the translator either to add or to omit information in the TT (Vietnamese) because of the lack of particular grammatical devices in the TL itself (Vietnamese) .

- textual equivalence = the equivalence between a SL text and a TL text in terms of information and cohesion - three main factors = the target audience, the purpose of the translation and the text type.

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- the translator needs to work out implied meanings in translation in order to get the ST message across. -> to recreate the author's intention in another culture in such a way that enables the TC reader to understand it clearly.

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Baker, Mona (1992) In Other Words: a Coursebook on Translation, London: Routledge.

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Jakobson, Roman (1959) 'On Linguistic Aspects of Translation', in R. A. Brower (ed.) On Translation, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, pp. 232-39.

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Nida, Eugene A. and C.R.Taber (1969 / 1982) The Theory and Practice of Translation, Leiden: E. J. Brill.