Ambiguity in Translation Theory
The Philosophy of Education
Meaning, Ambiguity,
Neologism
The translation theorist is concerned
from start to finish with meaning. He is
, however , not concerned with the
theoretical problems and solutions of
semantics, linguistics, logic and
philosophy , but only with their
applications in as far as they can
help the translator solve his
problems.
First , the translator must assess
whether the whole or a part of the
text is ‘straight’ (means what it says ) ,
ironical ( slightly or entirely opposite
in meaning ) , or nonsensical.
Secondly , the theorist has to decide
which of the countless varieties of
general meaning he has to take
account of . In my opinion , these are
the linguistic, the referential , the
subjective , the ‘force’ or ‘ intention’
of the utterance , the ‘performative’,
the inferential , the cultural , the code
meaning, the connotative , the
pragmatic and the semiotic.
In English grammar, syntactic
ambiguity (also called structural
ambiguity or grammatical
ambiguity) is the presence of two or
more possible meanings within a
single sentence or sequence of
words, as opposed to lexical
ambiguity, which is the presence of
two or more possible meanings within
a single word
The chicken is ready to eat
I saw the man with glasses
Flying planes can be dangerous.
وجه الطفل الجميل
قفل الباب المكسور
Lexical ambiguity is the subtype
of semantic ambiguity which
occurs at the level of words or
morphemes. When a lexical
ambiguity results from a single
word having two senses, it is
called polysemy
I went to the
bank
.
Financial bank/river bank
However , instances of cultural and
pragmatic ambiguity may be the most
difficult of all , in cases of fluctuating
customs and attitudes respectively , since
the text itself may give little due to the
meaning , I take ‘cultural meaning to refer
to a SL community’s customs, and here
the
‘meaning of a meal, a kiss, a gesture ,
a drink , etc. , may be ambiguous unless
the translator has a deep knowledge of
the community’s social habits, including
those relating to class, sex , occupation ,
region , etc .
Pragmatic Ambiguity can be defined as the
words which have multiple interpretations.
Pragmatic Ambiguity arises when the meaning
of words of a sentence is not specific; it
concludes different meanings. There are various
sentences in which the proper sense is not
understood due to the grammar formation of
the sentence; this multi interpretation of the
sentence gives rise to ambiguity.
"do you want a cup of coffee", the given the word is
either an
informative question
or a
formal offer
to make
a cup coffee.
Pragmatic Ambiguity
Grammatical meaning is more significant
( the ‘tone or ‘ flavour ’ of the text , its
primary aspect, is perhaps dictated by its
syntax), less precise , more general and
sometimes more elusive than lexical
meaning. It can sometimes be identified
at text level ( a comedy , a dialectical
argument , a farce , a dialogue , a sonnet
, a ballad , a formal agenda , the minutes
of a meeting , etc . , viz. the accepted
term for a formal utterance) or at
paragraph level ( a declaration as thesis ,
antithesis or synthesis, followed by two or
three supporting statements).
Transcription
(‘loan words’, adoption ,
transfer)
One-to-one translation ,
Through -translation
(‘loan- translation ’ )
Lexical synonymy,
translation by a close TL
equivalent
Componential analysis
Transposition ,
the replacement of one
grammatical unit by another
Modulation
Compensation
,
Cultural equivalence
,
Translation Procedures
Translation label
, i.e. an approximate equivalent
Definition
,
Paraphrase ,
an amplification or free rendering
of the meaning of translator’s last resort,
Expansion -
grammatical expansion
Contraction— grammatical
reduction
Recasting sentences .
French complex sentences
are sometimes recast as English co-ordinate
sentences.
Rearrangement, improvements
( jargon ,
mistakes, misprints , idiolect , clumsy writing, etc.)
Translation
couplet ,
literal translation
Translation Procedures
Formal
—completely new words.
Google/
Oversharers
Derived—formed with productive prefixes ( i .e ,
‘de- \ ‘ mis-’, ‘non-’, ‘ pre- \ ' pro-) and suffixes
(e.g , ‘-ism’, -ize1, ‘-ization1), e . g . misdefine ,
non-event , encyclopaedism , taxon,
paraclinique
, etc. If such neologisms are
transparently comprehensible , the translator
can cautiously ‘naturalize1 them , assuming that
Latin and Greek roots acceptable in the TL—
particularly in technological texts.
Treatments of Neologisms
Treatments of Neologisms
New collocations , e.g. ‘urban guerrilla1, ‘unsocial hours’
. Normally it is unwise to attempt a loan or ‘through
translation’ unless the translator is officially authorized to
do so , otherwise he has to ‘normalize’.
Meeting
in
camera
Phrasal
( nouns or verbs )—‘trade-off’ , ‘zero –in’ , etc .
The translator has to normalize these in the TL usually by
translating into two or three words.
Acronyms (UN,EU)
Blends
(‘ “ portmanteau ” words’)
-----Smoke + fog = smog
-----Breakfast + lunch = brunch
-----Spoon + fork = spork
Treatments of Neologisms
New collocations , e.g. ‘urban guerrilla1,
‘unsocial hours’ . Normally it is unwise to attempt
a loan or ‘through translation’ unless the
translator is officially authorized to do so ,
otherwise he has to ‘normalize’.
Phrasal
( nouns or verbs )—‘trade-off’ , ‘zero –in’ ,
etc . The translator has to normalize these in the
TL usually by translating into two or three words.
Acronyms
Blends
(‘ “ portmanteau ” words’)
-----Smoke + fog = smog
-----Breakfast + lunch = brunch
-----Spoon + fork = spork
Treatments of Neologisms
Semantic , old words with new meanings, e.g.
‘
umbrella
’ , ‘
gay
’. These should be ‘normalized’ (
i. e. translated by a ‘ normal ‘ word ).
Abbreviations
(shortened form of word). These
are commoner in French and German than
English; e. g.
Uni , Philo
, ‘Beeb’, ‘vibes’,
bac ,
Huma\
they are normalized (i.e . translated
unabbreviated) , unless there is a recognized
equivalent.
Treatments of Neologisms
It cannot make a bad translator into a
good one.
It cannot make a student intelligent or
sensitive—two qualities of a good
translator .
Translation is an art as well as a skill and a
science , and translation theory cannot
teach anyone to write well , although it
can expose bad writing as effectively as
translation itself .
what translation theory cannot do
show the student all that is or may be
involved in the translation process (and
certainly that is far more than what he is
usually aware of ) and to offer principles
and guidelines (some of which , like those
relating to the translation of institutional
terms, are contradictory) , after
considering which , he makes his choices
and decisions.
what translation theory can do
translation theory can stop him making
howlers like translating the title of a
periodical or mistakes of usage like
translating a layman’s term by a technical
term . Mainly , the translation theorist is
concerned to see that no linguistic or
cultural factor is ignored when one is
translating.
what translation theory can do
Since translation theory is applied to a
variety of texts , and is not basically
concerned with comparing language
systems, its theorizing function consists of
identifying a general or particular problem ,
enumerating the various options, relating
them to the TL text and reader , proposing a
solution and then discussing the generality of
the problem for future use.
Translation theory and translation
methodology
Certain theoretical problems , such as what
constitutes translation equivalence ,
variance or invariance , the ideal unit of
translation , or even the process of
translation accompanied by diagrams and
logical symbols , appear to me now to be
not very profitable unless they are related to
one language function informing a group of
text-types.
Translation theory and translation
methodology
Translation theory precipitates a
methodology concerned with
making the translator pause and
think, with producing a natural text
deviation from a natural text or a
closest natural equivalent.
Translation theory and translation
methodology
Any talk of a single translation theory ,
or of one semantic theory for that
matter, is a waste of time. Translation
theory is eclectic; it draws its material
from many sources. Like meaning or
translation , it embraces a whole
network of relations.
Translation theory and translation
methodology
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Exploring the complexities of ambiguity in translation theory, this content delves into the nuances of meaning, neologisms, and the challenges faced by translators in deciphering text. It discusses the various types of ambiguity, such as lexical and semantic, highlighting their impact on language interpretation. Through examples and analysis, it emphasizes the crucial role of translators in navigating the diverse layers of meaning within texts.
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Presentation Transcript
The Philosophy of Education Meaning, Ambiguity, Neologism
The translation theorist is concerned from start to finish with meaning. He is , however , not concerned with the theoretical problems and solutions of semantics, linguistics, philosophy , but applications in as far as they can help the translator problems. logic with and their only solve his
First whether the whole or a part of the text is straight (means what it says ) , ironical ( slightly or entirely opposite in meaning ) , or nonsensical. , the translator must assess
Secondly , the theorist has to decide which of the countless varieties of general meaning he has to take account of . In my opinion , these are the linguistic, the referential , the subjective , the force or intention of the utterance , the performative , the inferential , the cultural , the code meaning, the connotative pragmatic and the semiotic. , the
In ambiguity ambiguity ambiguity) is the presence of two or more possible meanings within a single sentence words, as opposed ambiguity, which is the presence of two or more possible meanings within a single word English grammar, (also or syntactic structural grammatical called or sequence to of lexical
The chicken is ready to eat I saw the man with glasses Flying planes can be dangerous.
Lexical ambiguity is the subtype of semantic ambiguity occurs at the level of words or morphemes. When ambiguity results from a single word having two senses, it is called polysemy which a lexical
I went to the bank. Financial bank/river bank
However pragmatic ambiguity may be the most difficult of all , in cases of fluctuating customs and attitudes respectively , since the text itself may give little due to the meaning , I take cultural meaning to refer to a SL community s customs, and here the meaning of a meal, a kiss, a gesture , a drink , etc. , may be ambiguous unless the translator has a deep knowledge of the community s social habits, including those relating to class, sex , occupation , region , etc . , instances of cultural and
Pragmatic Ambiguity Pragmatic Ambiguity can be defined as the words which have multiple Pragmatic Ambiguity arises when the meaning of words of a sentence is not specific; it concludes different meanings. There are various sentences in which the proper sense is not understood due to the grammar formation of the sentence; this multi interpretation of the sentence gives rise to ambiguity. interpretations. "do you want a cup of coffee", the given the word is either an informative question or a formal offer to make a cup coffee.
Grammatical meaning is more significant ( the tone or flavour of the text , its primary aspect, is perhaps dictated by its syntax), less precise , more general and sometimes more elusive meaning. It can sometimes be identified at text level ( a comedy , a dialectical argument , a farce , a dialogue , a sonnet , a ballad , a formal agenda , the minutes of a meeting , etc . , viz. the accepted term for a formal paragraph level ( a declaration as thesis , antithesis or synthesis, followed by two or three supporting statements). than lexical utterance) or at
Translation Procedures Transcription transfer) One-to-one translation , Through -translation ( loan- translation ) Lexical synonymy, translation by a close TL equivalent Componential analysis Transposition , the grammatical unit by another Modulation Compensation, Cultural equivalence, ( loan words , adoption , replacement of one
Translation Procedures Translation label, i.e. an approximate equivalent Definition, Paraphrase , an amplification or free rendering of the meaning of translator s last resort, Expansion -grammatical expansion Contraction grammatical reduction Recasting sentences . French complex sentences are sometimes recast as English co-ordinate sentences. Rearrangement, improvements ( jargon , mistakes, misprints , idiolect , clumsy writing, etc.) Translation couplet ,literal translation
Treatments of Neologisms Formal completely Oversharers Derived formed with productive prefixes ( i .e , de- \ mis- , non- , pre- \ ' pro-) and suffixes (e.g , -ism , -ize1, -ization1), e . g . misdefine , non-event , encyclopaedism , taxon, paraclinique , etc. If such neologisms are transparently comprehensible , the translator can cautiously naturalize1 them , assuming that Latin and Greek roots acceptable in the TL particularly in technological texts. new words. Google/
Treatments of Neologisms New collocations , e.g. urban guerrilla1, unsocial hours . Normally it is unwise to attempt a loan or through translation unless the translator is officially authorized to do so , otherwise he has to normalize . Meeting in camera Phrasal ( nouns or verbs ) trade-off , zero in , etc . The translator has to normalize these in the TL usually by translating into two or three words. Acronyms (UN,EU) Blends ( portmanteau words ) -----Smoke + fog = smog -----Breakfast + lunch = brunch -----Spoon + fork = spork
Treatments of Neologisms New unsocial hours . Normally it is unwise to attempt a loan or through translator is officially authorized to do so , otherwise he has to normalize . Phrasal ( nouns or verbs ) trade-off , zero in , etc . The translator has to normalize these in the TL usually by translating into two or three words. Acronyms Blends ( portmanteau words ) -----Smoke + fog = smog -----Breakfast + lunch = brunch collocations , e.g. urban guerrilla1, translation unless the
Treatments of Neologisms Semantic , old words with new meanings, e.g. umbrella , gay . These should be normalized ( i. e. translated by a normal word ). Abbreviations (shortened form of word). These are commoner in French and German than English; e. g. Uni , Philo, Beeb , vibes , bac , Huma\ they are normalized (i.e . translated unabbreviated) , unless there is a recognized equivalent.
what translation theory cannot do It cannot make a bad translator into a good one. It cannot make a student intelligent or sensitive two qualities translator . Translation is an art as well as a skill and a science , and translation theory cannot teach anyone to write well , although it can expose bad writing as effectively as translation itself . of a good
what translation theory can do show the student all that is or may be involved in the translation process (and certainly that is far more than what he is usually aware of ) and to offer principles and guidelines (some of which , like those relating to the translation of institutional terms, are contradictory) considering which , he makes his choices and decisions. , after
what translation theory can do translation theory can stop him making howlers like translating periodical or mistakes translating a layman s term by a technical term . Mainly , the translation theorist is concerned to see that no linguistic or cultural factor is ignored when one is translating. the of title usage of a like
Translation theory and translation methodology Since translation theory is applied to a variety of texts , and concerned with comparing systems, its theorizing function consists of identifying a general or particular problem , enumerating the various options, relating them to the TL text and reader , proposing a solution and then discussing the generality of the problem for future use. is not basically language
Translation theory and translation methodology Certain theoretical problems , such as what constitutes translation variance or invariance , the ideal unit of translation , or even translation accompanied by diagrams and logical symbols , appear to me now to be not very profitable unless they are related to one language function informing a group of text-types. equivalence , the process of
Translation theory and translation methodology Translation methodology making the translator pause and think, with producing a natural text deviation from a natural text or a closest natural equivalent. theory precipitates concerned a with
Translation theory and translation methodology Any talk of a single translation theory , or of one semantic theory for that matter, is a waste of time. Translation theory is eclectic; it draws its material from many sources. Like meaning or translation , it embraces network of relations. a whole
