2. Figure: The dynamics of translation.
9 The truth (the facts of the matter)
TEXT
1 SL writer
2 SL norms
3 SL culture
4 SL setting and
tradition
10 Translator
5 TL readership
6 TL norms
7 TL culture
8 TL setting and tradition
3. 1. Reading a text
2. The intention of the text
3. The intention of the translator
4. Text style
5. The readership
6. Stylistic scales
7. Attitude
8. Setting
9. The quality of the writing
10. Connotations and denotations
4. To understand what the text about
To analyse the text from the translator’s
point of view
To determine its intention and the way it is
written for the purpose of selecting the
suitable translation method and identifying
particular and recurrent problems.
Note: you may have to read encyclopedias, textbooks, or
specialist paper to understand the subjects and the concepts.
5. Two texts may describe a battle or a debate,
stating the same facts and figures, but the
type of language used and even the
grammatical structures may be evidence of
different points of view.
The intention of the text represents the SL
writer’s attitude to the subject matter.
6. Usually the translator’s intention is identical
with that of the author of the SL text, but he
may be translating an advertisement, a
notice, or a set of instructions to show his
client how such matters are formulated and
written in the source language rather than
how to adapt them.
7. We distinguish four types of (literary or non-
literary) text:
(1) Narrative: a dynamic sequence of events, where
the emphasis is on the verbs or, for English,
‘dummy’ or ‘empty’ plus verbs plus verb-nouns
or phrasal verbs (He made a sudden
appearance’,’He burst in’)
(2) Description, which is static, with emphasis on
linking verbs, adjectives, adjectival nouns.
(3) Discussion, a treatment of ideas, with emphasis
on abstract nouns (concepts)
(4) Dialogue, with emphasis on colloquialisms and
practicisms.
8. It’s important to assess the level of education,
the class, age, and sex of the readership
The average text for translation tends to be for
an educated, middle-class readership in an
informal, not colloquial style.
Common error in register among student
translators:
*more and more : increasingly
*above all: particularly
*job: work
*get well: recovered
9. Register is a variety of language that a
language user considers appropriate to a
specific situation. Register variation arises
from variations in the followings:
Field (bidang/pokok masalah) of discourse:
Tenor (pencerminan dalam kalimat) of
discourse :
Mode (cara penyampaian)of discourse :
10. The style of formality has been variously
expressed, notably by Martin Joos and Stevens:
Officialese: ‘the consumption of any nutriments
whatsoever is categorically prohibited in
this establishment.’
Official : ‘the consumption of nutriments is
prohibited.’
Formal : ‘you are requested not to consume food
in this establishment.’
Neutral : ‘eating is not allowed here.’
Informal : ‘please don’t eat here.’
Colloquial : ‘you can’t feed your face here’
Slang : ‘lay of the nosh.’
Taboo : ‘lay of the fucking nosh.’
11. We can make evaluations and recomendations to
asses the standard of the writer whether he writes
‘good’, ‘fair’, ‘average’, ‘competent’, ‘adequate’,
satisfactory, ‘middling’, poor, or ‘excellent’.
Similarly, approximately the same referent may
often be expressed positively, neutrally or
negatively in many languages
Examples:
1. Regime (‘government’) is neutral in French but
negative in English.
2. slim/slender/thin
3. plump/fat
12. Translator needs to decide on the likely setting:
1. Where would the text be published in the TL?
2. What is the TL equivalent of the SL periodical,
newspaper, textbook, journal, etc?
3. Who is the client you are translating for and what
are his requirement?
Translator has to make several assumptions about
SL readership from the setting of the SL text or
the text itself.
1. Whether the readership is likely to be motivated
(keen to read the text)
2. Whether the readership is familiar with the topic
and the culture in the variety of language used.
13. The quality of the writing has to be judged in
relation to the author’s intention and/or the
requirements of the subject-matter.
A good writing:
1. If a text is well written, the syntax will
reflect the writer’s personality
2. the text is perfectly structured
A bad writing :
1. cluttered with stereotyped phrases
2. recently fashionable general words
3. probably poorly structured.
14. Text 1
Mula-mula kulit ubi kayu dihilangkan. Kemudian
dijemur sampai kering. Namanya gaplek. Gaplek
ditumbuk menjadi tepung. Sesudah dicampur air
sedikit kemudian dikukus.
Text 2
Pertama-tama ubi kayu kita kupas kulitnya.
Kemudian ubi itu kita jemur sampai kering, yang
biasanya disebut gaplek. Selanjutnya gaplek
tersebut kita tumbuk menjadi tepung. Terakhir,
tepung gaplek itu diberi air secukupnya dan
kemudian dikukus.
15. To understand the content of the text easily
To understand the shape of the text (from the
mode (cara penyampaian) and from the tenor
(pencerminan dalam kalimat)
To understand the text with some
connotations perfectly
Exp: “Ia mendapatkan kursi yang empuk
dalam perusahaan tersebut
16. Remember that all texts have connotations
“an aura of ideas and feelings suggested by
lexical words
Exp: 1. ‘run’ may suggest ‘haste’
2. ‘sofa’ may suggest ‘comfort’
