Translation terms

Question 1

Calqued Translation (1)

Answer 1

A type of literal translation where the translator transfers the elements of the source text to the target text in such a way to reproduce their semantic, etymological and temporal aspects.

The wording remains very faithful to the phraseology of the original in comparison to more familiar modern translations.

Calqued translation is strongly source-oriented and represents an extreme case of literal translation.

When improperly applied, it can tend toward non-translation.

Any product of this translation strategy.

Question 2

Constraints (1)

Answer 2

A rule limiting linguistics choice in a situation involving a given text (énoncé) or utterance (speech act).

Note. Grammar rules, writing conventions and collocations are contraints.

Question 3

Constraints (2)

Answer 3

A factor influencing the reading of the source text and the production of the target text, which the translator consciously or unconsciously takes into account.

Question 4

Identify 5 major constraints (André Lefebvre)

Answer 4

Patronage: the Church, patrons, the publishing world, large organizations)

Text conventions: literary genres

The universe discourse: shared knowledge of the world

Target and source language

The text to be translated.

Question 5

What is another constraint imposed on translators?

Answer 5

The obligation to conform to the in-house terminology of an organization or entreprise.

Question 6

Equivalence (1)

Answer 6

The relation of identity established by a translator between two translation units whose discourse function is identical or almost identical in their respective languages.

Question 7

What does equivalence always resolve around?

Answer 7

From an interpretation with the goal of extracting the sense of the specific source text in the context of the specific purpose that has been defined for that text.

They are established using a combination of language knowledge and world knowledge with reference to the source text, taking all communication parameters into account.

Question 8

Equivalence (2)

Answer 8

The result of a translation procedure consisting of rendering a set phrase from the source language with a set phrase from the target language that expresses the same idea, although in a different way.

Ex: Elle a vendu la mèche
She let the cat out of the bag

Question 9

Idiomatic translation

Answer 9

A translation strategy that consists of producing a target text that conforms to the conventions established in the target language and to the spontaneous form of expression commonly used by native speakers.

Question 10

When does a translator decide to adopt a non-idiomatic, source-oriented point of view?

Answer 10

In literary or biblical texts.

Question 11

Literal translation

Answer 11

A translation strategy where a translator produces a target text while retaining the formal features of the source text, but conforming generally to the grammar of the target language.

Applies to both the meaning and the form of the text.

Ex: In a translation of a French novel, the translator adopting this strategy would render lycée as ‘‘lycée”

Question 12

Source oriented

Answer 12

Related to the manner of rendering a source text in a form that reproduces the original structure and form of the text as closely as possible and that imports into the translated work a number of variable linguistic and cultural elements that were native to the source text.

Many translators tend to reproduce the constraints of the source language in the target text.

Primarily used for literary and biblical texts.

Question 13

What is considered as foreignized translation? What is considered as naturalized translation?

Answer 13

Foreignized: Source-oriented translation

Naturalized: Target-oriented translation

Question 14

Target oriented

Answer 14

Relate to the manner of rendering a source text in the form that is as natural as possible for the reader of the target text and that conforms to conventional usage in the target language and the culture.

Translators of pragmatic texts are generally target-oriented.

Tries to reproduce an idiomatic target text that does not sound foreign in any way.

Question 15

Translation principle

Answer 15

a) Translation equivalence is established at the discourse and not at the langue level.
b) Translators do not translate words; they translate their sense in a given context.

c) Insofar as possible,
the target text should transmit the same denotative and connotative information as the source text.

Question 16

What does translation procedures include?

Answer 16

Adaptation
Borrowing 
Calque
Compensation
Ad hoc formulation
Appropriate paraphrase
Periphrasis 
Recategorization.

Question 17

Translation Strategy

Answer 17

Coherent plan of action adopted by translators based on their intention with respect to a given text.

Applies to any given text

Question 18

Universe discourse

Answer 18

The sum total of the discourse elements that pertain to the beliefs, conventions, and knowledge shared by the speakers of a given sociolinguistic community and which translators use either consciously or unconsciously when they reexpress discourse content in the target language.

Question 19

Word-for-word translation

Answer 19

A literal translation that consists of transferring the elements of the source text into the target text without changing the word order..

Can distort the sense and intelligbility of the source text.

Useful for revealing internal organization of the grammatical and lexical aspects of little known ancient languages or even of modern languages when viewed for pedagogical purposes.

Question 20

Adaptation

Answer 20

A translation procedure where the translator replaces a socio-cultural reality from the source language with a reality specific to the culture of the target language in order to accommodate the expectations of the target audience.

Question 21

What often requires adaptation?

Answer 21

Poetic works
Theatrical works
Advertising texts

For example: you can change the setting of a play

Question 22

Amplification

Answer 22

A translation procedure where the translator uses more words in the target text than were present in the source text in order to re-express an idea or to reinforce the sense of a word from the source text whose correspondence in the target language cannot be expressed as concisely.

Example: Il pilotait lui-même des coucous rafistolés. He even piloted the old patched-together
crates.

Question 23

Borrowing

Answer 23

A translation procedure where the translator carries over a word or an expression from the source text into the target text, either because the target language does not have a lexicalized correspondence, or for stylistic or rhetorical reasons.

Ex. N’oublions pas le smoking, noblesse oblige! => Of course, no one should be without a dinner jacket—noblesse oblige!

Question 24

Calque

Answer 24

A translation procedure where a translator transfers a source language word or an expression encountered in the source text into the target text using a literal translation of its component elements.

Ex. mariage de convenance => marriage of convenience

Question 25

Compensation

Answer 25

A translation procedure where translators encounter an element in the source text that cannot occur in the same place and cannot use the same form as in the target text, but where they can preserve the general tone of the text by replacing this element with another element used in another place.

Ex. The French use of the pronoun tu to express familiarity between two people (as opposed to the formal vous), could correspond in English to the use of a first name or nickname, or be marked by familiar syntactic phrases (ex.: I’m, you’re).

Question 26

Concentration

Answer 26

A decrease in the number of elements used in the target language to express the same semantic content as compared to the parallel segment in the source text.

Ex. 1. (in soccer / football) tir de réparation => penalty. 2. dans le sens des aiguilles d’une montre=>clockwise.

Note. Generally speaking, non-English texts contract when translated into English.

Question 27

Concision

Answer 27

A stylistic effect resulting from the reexpression of an idea in the target text in fewer words than are used in the source text, thus producing a more economical text in the target language.

Concision usually results from the elimination of unnecessary repetition and superfluous words in the source text.

Ex. Privés de port en eaux profondes, les grands navires mouillent au large. => Ships anchor offshore since the port is too shallow.

Question 28

Dilution

Answer 28

The result of an expansion in the target language related to the existence of a correspondence having a larger number of elements than in the source language.

Examples:

as they advanced => au fur et à mesure de leur progression.

passengers to and from Paris => les voyageurs en provenance et à destination de Paris.

fire orders => consignes en cas d’incendie. (…)

Question 29

What is the antonym of dilution?

Answer 29

Concentration

Question 30

What is the antonym of concision?

Answer 30

Paraphrase

Question 31

Economy

Answer 31

The result of a translation procedure consisting of the reformulation of an utterance or text segment in the target language using fewer words than were used or required in the source text.

Question 32

What is the antonym of economy?

Answer 32

Amplification

Question 33

Explicitation

Answer 33

A translation procedure where the translator introduces precise semantic details into the target text for clarification or due to constraints imposed by the target language that were not expressed in the source text, but which are available from contextual knowledge or the situation described in the source text.

Ex.
Il était humainement impossible de survivre dans la neige et le froid de la cordillère. => It was said that no human being could survive the cold and snow of the Andes cordillera.

confiscation révolutionnaire => seized during the French Revolution

Question 34

What is the antonym of explicitation?

Answer 34

Implicitation

Question 35

Implicitation

Answer 35

A translation procedure intended to increase the economy of the target text and achieved by not explicitly rendering elements of information from the source text in the target text when they are evident from the context or the described situation and can be readily inferred by the speakers of the target language.

Failing to use implicitation can lead to an over-translation

Ex.

Be sure the iron is unplugged from the electrical outlet before filling with water. => Toujours débrancher le fer avant de remplir le réservoir.

Question 36

What can lead to an over-translation?

Answer 36

Failing to use implicitation.

Question 37

Interchange

Answer 37

A translation procedure where the translator swaps two lexical items with respect to form and function so that they switch their respective parts of speech.

Ex.

Il sortit de la maison en courant. => He ran out of the house.

Les cambrioleurs se sont introduits dans l’immeuble par effraction. => The burglars forced their way into the building.

Question 38

Modulation

Answer 38

A translation procedure where the translator recasts a segment in the target text by introducing a change in point of view or a clarification with respect to the original formulation.

On vous demande au téléphone. => You’re wanted on the telephone.

Question 39

What are typical examples of modulation?

Answer 39

Citing abstracts for the concrete

Or replacing passive voice and vice versa.

Question 40

Paraphrase

Answer 40

The result of amplifying a target text by replacing a word from the source text with a group of words or a phrasal expression that has the equivalent sense in the target language.

Type of amplification

Question 41

Recategorization

Answer 41

A translation procedure where equivalence in meaning or sense is established by changing the word class or part of speech of a word or phrase.

Ex.
Garder au réfrigirateur => Keep refrigerated.