2. A words is a “bundle” of meaning components
The translator needs to be able to analyse the lexical
items (words) of the source text in order to translate
them.
This means being able to “unpack” words in order to
show the meaning that is represented by the lexical
form.
Since languages combine meaning differently, there
will be many words which will not have an exact one-
word equivalent in the receptor language.
3. Concepts
Used in this text to refer not to the form (word) but only to the
meaning content.
A recognizable unit of meaning in any given language
May be broken down into a number of meaning components
Identified in a given language on the principle of contrast and
comparison within the system of that language.
Associated with a particular area of meaning which is distinct from
that of other concepts in the language
Its function is to refer to some specific area of meaning
4. MEANING COMPONENTS AND CONCEPTS ARE CLASSIFIED
SEMANTICALLY AS:
THINGS – Defined as all animate beings and all inanimate
entities
EVENTS – Include all actions, processes and experiences
ATTRIBUTES – All attributes of quality and quantity
RELATIONS – Those relations posited between any two
semantic units
5. Translating concepts
There will be words which have some of the meaning components
combined in them matching a word which has these components with
some additional ones.
In order to analyse the meaning of a word in preparation for translation,
one must first think of what the central concept is and in what way this is
limited
Example in Aguaruna:
wilderness- aents atsamaunum
people where-they-are-not-place
( a place where there are no people)
6. Skewing of Classifications
o BLUE SKY – Blue is used as an adjective to describe the sky
o SKY BLUE – Sky is used as an adjective to describe the blue
In the first, there is no skewing because blue is an ATTRIBUTE used as an
adjective and sky is a THING used as a noun.
In the second, sky is a THING and used as an adjective to modify blue
which is an ATTRIBUTE used as a noun.
When there is skewing, there is likely to have to be some kind of
adjustment in translation
The skewing between the grammar and the semantic categories must be
taken into consideration in finding the underlying meaning.
Translator must be aware of skewing in the source language
7. Skewing between semantic classes and parts of speech occurs frequently
There is skewing between the grammar and the semantic structure
Skewing by nominalization, verbalization and adjectivization adds dynamics and “life” to
the text
Notice the skewing:
1. Pronoun Verb Noun
our beloved ruler
THING EVENT THING-EVENT
2. Noun Prep Noun
the death of the dancer
EVENT RELATION THING-EVENT
3. Noun Prep Noun
a carpenter from Abidjan
THING-EVENT EVENT-RELATION THING
8. Restatement
A translator who is having difficulty analysing the source text which he wants
to translate may be benefited by rewriting the material in semantic structure
before beginning to translate it in the receptor language.
A restatement helps the translator identify the meaning and matches the
grammatical categories with the semantic categories, eliminating most of the
skewing and making it easier to translate into a more verbal language.
Restating in this way through a restatement draws to the attention of the
translator all of the meanings of the source language
When a word is restated to indicate its full meaning, it is important to be aware
of which concept in the restatement is the central component
