The issue of translation techniques

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Associate Professor at the Department General Linguistics and Foreign Languages Department

National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”

The issue of translation techniques

Yuliia Fedorenko, Associate Professor,

Alla Sereda, Senior Lecturer of General Linguistics and Foreign Languages Department

Poltava, Ukraine

Abstract

The ability to choose the correct translation technique is an indispensable skill; therefore it is essential for translation students to be aware ofwhy a particular technique is used. This research focuses on the teaching of translation techniques in a translation classroom from the cooperative learning perspective. The 'Cooperative Work Procedure 'promotes positive team work from students and it consists of workshop activities that help translation students to acquire appropriate translation techniques when translating a variety type of texts. Translation is closely interwoven with sociolinguistics, contrastive linguistics, with concepts of thinking and cognitive aspects. It is an interlinguistic communication, which presupposes both language and culture encoding and decoding. Communicative intention is realized due to the actualization of major linguistic functions - denotative or referential, expressive or emotional and poetic. Semantic equivalence makes translation work: for contents are prior to the forms, meaning comes to the forefront. One cannot be an interpreter without philology and translation competence.

The article is focused on translation techniques, objectives, exercises and assignments, translation analysis. The choice of the items is motivated by the dominant functions of translatology (nominative and communicative). The latter succeed in identification of adequate, congruent, equivalent translation. The article discusses the problems of professional validity, theoretical insertions, textocentric analysis. Gains, achievements, goals and perspective vistas are the highlights herein. The ways of translation adaptation have been outlined, among them are conceptualization, de-focusing, redundancy (language economy). The 'Cooperative Work Procedure 'originally stemmed from the well known cooperative learning approach. It is an interlinguistic communication, which presupposes both language and culture encoding and decoding. Communicative intention is realized due to the actualization of major linguistic functions - denotative or referential, expressive or emotional and poetic. The rendering of the original texts into target ones brings the diversity ofthe exercises and assignments what is the focus centre of the paper. The paper gives an opportunity to make translation analyses of the original and target texts. Semantic isotopy, textual non-linearity, self-organization, rhisomatic way of arranging textual cohesion and coherence, ramified architectonics and interpretation plurality remain actual, urgent, still unsolved problems in translating. The major principles are manifested in conceptualization, de-focusing, expanse, redundancy (language economy) specific arrangement.

Key words: adaptation, communication, cooperative learning, method, approach, translation skills, translation techniques.

Анотація

Алла СЕРЕДА, старший викладач кафедри загального мовознавства та іноземних мов Національного університету «Полтавська політехніка імені Юрія Кондратюка» (Полтава, Україна)

Юлія ФЕДОРЕНКО, доцент, доцент кафедри загального мовознавства та іноземних мов Національного університету «Полтавська політехніка імені Юрія Кондратюка» (Полтава, Україна)

ОСНОВНІ ПИТАННЯ ТЕХНІКИ ПЕРЕКЛАДУ

Уміння вибрати правильну техніку перекладу - незамінна навичка; тому студентам-перекладачам важливо знати, чому використовується певна техніка. Це дослідження зосереджено на викладанні техніки перекладу в

класі перекладу з точки зору кооперативного навчання. «Процедура спільної роботи» сприяє позитивній командній роботі студентів і складається з практичних занять, які допомагають студентам-перекладачам оволодіти відповідними техніками перекладу під час перекладу різноманітних типів текстів. Переклад тісно переплітається з соціолінгвістикою, контрастивною лінгвістикою, з поняттями мислення та когнітивними аспектами. Це міжмовна комунікація, яка передбачає як мовне, так і культурне кодування та декодування. Комунікативна інтенція реалізується завдяки актуалізації основних мовних функцій - денотативної чи референтної, експресивної чи емоційно-поетичної. Завдяки семантичній еквівалентності переклад працює: оскільки зміст передує формам, значення виходить на перший план. Неможливо бути перекладачем без філологічної та перекладацької компетенції.

У статті розглядаються техніка перекладу, цілі, вправи та завдання, аналіз перекладу. Вибір предметів зумовлений домінуючими функціями перекладу (номінативною та комунікативною). Останнім вдається визначити адекватний, конгруентний, еквівалентний переклад. У статті розглядаються проблеми професійної валід- ності, теоретичних вставок, текстоцентричного аналізу. Здобутки, досягнення, цілі та перспективи - основні моменти тут. Окреслено шляхи адаптації перекладу, серед яких концептуалізація, дефокусування, надмірність (мовна економія). «Процедура спільної роботи» спочатку виникла з добре відомого підходу до кооперативного навчання. Це міжмовна комунікація, яка передбачає як мовне, так і культурне кодування та декодування. Комунікативна інтенція реалізується завдяки актуалізації основних мовних функцій - денотативної чи референтної, експресивної чи емоційно-поетичної. Перетворення оригінальних текстів у цільові привносить різноманітність вправ і завдань, на що зосереджено увагу в роботі. Стаття дає можливість зробити аналіз перекладу оригінального та цільового текстів. Семантична ізотопія, текстова нелінійність, самоорганізація, ризоматичний спосіб організації текстової когезії та когерентності, розгалужена архітектоніка та інтерпретаційна множинність залишаються актуальними, актуальними, досі невирішеними проблемами перекладу. Основні принципи проявляються в концептуалізації, розфокусованості, розширеності, надлишковості (мовна економія), специфічному розташуванні.

Ключові слова: адаптація, комунікація, кооперативне навчання, метод, підхід, навички перекладу, техніки перекладу.

Introduction. Translation is an activity of mediating meaning from a source language into a target language. The ability to choose the correct translation technique is an indispensable skill to translators; therefore it is essential for a translation student to be aware of why a particular technique is used. Past literatures in translation studies have shown that although much has been written about the translation process and product, there is very little about the class dynamics in a translation classroom (Davis, 2004). This research focuses on the teaching of translation techniques in a translation classroom from the cooperative learning perspective. The 'Cooperative Work Procedure' promotes positive team work from students and it consists of workshop activities that help translation students to acquire appropriate translation techniques when translating a variety type of texts. The 'Cooperative Work Procedure' originally stemmed from the well known cooperative learning approach that will be discussed briefly below. Translation is closely interwoven with sociolinguistics, contrastive linguistics, with concepts of thinking and cognitive aspects. It is an interlinguistic communication, which presupposes both language and culture encoding and decoding. Communicative intention is realized due to the actualization of major linguistic functions - denotative or referential, expressive or emotional and poetic. Semantic equivalence makes translation work: for contents are prior to the forms, meaning comes to the forefront. One cannot be an interpreter without philology and translation competence. What matters greatly is the preparatory work in the process of would be specialists training. Translators are to develop a wide spectrum of skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, recalling, fluency, grasping intentions, comprehending situations. New forms in the training process are needed to reach the high quality of translation.

The major strategy of the translators is to comprehend what has been said (including informative and pragmatic values), and render it in another language. This article focuses on working out the teaching criteria style that would complement students' natural inclination towards an adequate learning style and pulling down the barriers to the successful academic performance.

Translation works with Nominative and Communicative units. The investigation is aimed at analyzing the peculiarities of interpreting training endozones, as they are. The problem is to cope with various approaches, practical recommendations, to choose appropriate, efficient patterns. But the criteria of complex approach are still weakly defined which makes our topic actual. Thus, the aim of this paper is to investigate the translators' training, consider the peculiarities of interpreting modus of translating. Nowadays translation is one of the key topics not only for professionals in the fields of linguistics and education, but also for social, political and economic zones. One of the reasons for the growing importance of philology lies in the fact that the realization of the perlocutionary act demands much effort on the part of an interpreter. The diverse vectors of speech activities, the problems of translation, etiquette, social niceties confront an interpreter. Intentions of a medium are interwoven to serve promotion and maintenance of harmony between people speaking different languages. The crucial task on the part of an interpreter is to meet the requirements of the listeners; to identify the message delivered first in a foreign language (original) and then in a target language. To bring the information to listeners an interpreter is to keep close intentions tactics and strategies. translation skill cooperative learning

Sources analysis. The problem of training a translator was touched in the middle of the 20th century. Since then the problem has gradually become actual. In the 20th century, the issue was investigated in the works of V. I. Karaban, R. Arrojo, Ph. Benson, Li. Chamberlain, D. Robinson, An. Pym, M. Shuttleworth, M. Cowie. Nowadays scientists work at researching applied linguistics (Ph. Benson), theory and practice of translation (D. Robinson), investigation of vocabulary (M. Shuttleworth, M. Cowie). At present preference is given to the communicative units - their semantic and pragmatic congruence.

Main part. Translation as a related science is adherent to Common Linguistics, Implication Theory, Discourse Analysis and Pragmatics. The empiric material has been extracted from the English discourse. Methods applied are complex (componential, discursive and definitive). Translation process works by the principle of Tertium Comparationis. It goes without saying that an interpreter's attention is to be focused upon the original text (the situation and social minds involved into that). Readjustment of an interpreter swings from stages of the decoding to encoding translation. Components of speech model are speaker, interpreter, listener, situation, code, strategies and tactics. To the forefront of the interpreter's career come certain qualities. The obvious things with an interpreter are knowledge of languages and social thesaurus. An interpreter is supposed to have a university education, extensive knowledge of terms, a broad range of objects ranging from atomic energy, legal issues, demographic problems, and the rights of man to the tonnage measurement. An interpreter is to obtain a quick mental grasp what is being said to render it quickly into another language (Shvachko, 2015:7). Bashfulness of stage fright will not do either. Students should do their work with discretion, great presence of mind and psychological grounding. To communicate properly for an interpreter means to transmit a message in a way that will be received and understood by the audience. One should always think of the ways what and how to say it. “As the practice of learner training became more widespread in the 1980s and 1990s it increasingly drew upon insights from research on learning strategies, which aimed to identify the behaviours and strategies used by successful learners and train less successful learners in their use”(Benson, 2013:12). There are some profitips, which surely make an interpreter's job go easier. An interpreter is advised to use illustrations, figures, stories, humour in a good taste. One should make the audience comfortable with short words and sentences. Figures and proper names should accurately be pronounced. Advisable for the would-be professionals are some relevant exercises to be done: make informal two-way interpreting of the dialogue; identify adjustments that have been made in a translation; translate the Latin mottos into English and Ukrainian; retell the text in the source language; make a spontaneous translation of a text; categorize the stylistic differences of original and target texts; complete proverbs with suitable units; make a discourse analysis of a translation unit; make translations of particular groups of words, (say, translation metasigns).

Advisable for the would-be professionals are some relevant questions to be answered:

What is the background of implication?

To what academic discipline does translation belong?

What do you understand by the dominant principle of translation?

Exercises and assignments make the training process as the main stream go. They widen an interpreter's thesaurus; promote the background knowledge of grammatical, sociolinguistic and strategic categories. They facilitate an interpreter's cognition of valid procedures concerning text encoding and decoding on both sides. The involved process makes the stable cycle: Text speaker1 > Text interpreter1 > Text listener1 > Text speaker2 > Text listener2 > Interpreted - to let communication go.

Translation text analysis is highly beneficial for the future specialists; it reveals to the trainees how the factors work (social, linguistic, and cultural), how the text is verbalized in its explicit and implicit ways. Some items are suggested by the following list of metalanguage terms: the text under analysis belongs to certain style (newspaper, belles-letter, official, scientific, colloquial); the dominant words; they refer to; they make the topic go; the pragmatic aspect is verbalized by special means; the precision words (proper names, numerals) are available.

We can trace some terminological units. While translating one should think of the language system, they belong to. The author's intentions should not be neglected either. Attention is being focused on the structure of a text, the stylistic means of source language and target language. An interpreter communicates comfortably with people of the other culture provided he is quite at ease with the item.

The effectiveness of translation analysis depends much on an interpreter. Language is the bearer of the liaison with culture means and the certain cast of mind, attitudes, understanding of values. Interpreting is not only an attempt to render the meaning of the words but also to convey the values and the concepts that lie behind what is being said by whichever side.

According to Pym, “If translation and linguistics were married, they would have “issues” (2014:417). “No one doubts that different languages have different ways of saying things: I like you is Me gusts (“to me are like able you”) in Spanish, and if you do not use the transformation well you might finish up declaring love (tequiero) or getting into even deeper trouble” (Pym, 2014:420). While compаring the different translations of the same text a reduction of the number of units can easily be revealed. This should be done, however, without violations of the communication tasks. Pym found that “in terms of research, there are some areas in which translation researchers might turn to linguistics in search of models and guidance” (Pym, 2014:427).

There exist some particular methods of compression:

Extracting the segments of the text, which are compensated by extra-linguistic situation.

Extracting the text segments which duplicate some pieces of information.

Extracting the segments, which are regarded as polite patterns, deviations, some epithets, etc. (Rarely numerical data can be avoided otherwise communication will be destroyed).

The traditional approach to teaching translation in a class is very much oriented towards the 'read and translate' approach as highlighted by Davies (2004). Davies argues that there should be an alternative approach to the traditional 'read and translate' because translation itself is a complex linguistic process. It is important to train students to acquire necessary linguistic skills and maintain a 'delicate balance' when dealing with language and culture. Translation training is about preparing students to become a mediator of language and culture, a computer expert, as well as the ability to market and promote one's language services. Davis points out that translation training is closely related to language learning and it is logical to select, integrate and adapt approaches and ideas from the language learning to be adapted in a translation classroom. Stewart, Orbain and Kornelius (2010) state that the traditional perspective of translation training in Germany mainly focuses on training a translator to become a lone figure who is surrounded with dictionaries and references at a work station. In their paper 'Cooperative translation in the paradigm of problem based learning', they recommended a departure from the solitary environment of working towards a more interactive, and cooperative setting. They proposed the cooperative learning approach to be adapted in a translator training and coined the term as 'cooperative translation'.

A cooperative approach was suggested earlier in a translation class, for example a methodology called 'Cooperative Work Procedure' proposed by Gerding-Salas (2000). Gerding-Salas carried out this methodology in her translation class. 'Cooperative Work Procedure' includes a step by step procedure workshop that was proven quite successful in her translation class in terms of students' motivation, productivity and higher quality of work. The procedure includes the steps below:

The teacher makes a selection of material to be translated according to the class objectives, taking into account the degree of difficulty of the texts.

Students read the text and are able to identify important aspects of translation for example the text type, readership and others.

Students should read the text at least twice.

The second reading is 'deep' reading.

The teacher divides the text into as many segments as students in the group.

The students do a preliminary translation if the topic is familiar to them.

If the topic is unknown, students should consult complementary literature or other means.

Once the first version is accomplished, the students edit their translation.

Students read out their translation.

The students check their translation against the source text.

Students check the cohesion and coherence of the translation text.

Students discuss on their translation.

As a metacognitive activity, the students, assisted by the teacher, analyze the translation strategies and procedures used.

The students hand in the final version of their revised translated texts, typed, double spaced and paged according to the original.

The teacher makes a final revision and evaluate students' work by giving constructive comments.

Gerding-Salas recommended the steps involved in a cooperative learning. However, she did not carry out research to ascertain students' response towards the effectiveness of cooperative learning in her translation class. In a translation class, it is crucial for the translation trainer to play his or her role as a facilitator and be aware of the translation process involved. The teaching classroom design is important and it is equally vital to assess students' responses and feedback of the activities implemented in class. Assessing and understanding students' experience and involvement in learning translation skills and techniques is essential and this has not been explored in any research situated in a cooperative learning environment. The finding is crucial to inform trainers whether the method is suitable for the students' learning experience.

Discussion. Speech compression is a result of current limitations and parallel substitutes. The extent of compression is determined by the need to retain moderate speech of an interpreter. The methods of speech compression are the adjustment devices of translation activities in the particular circumstances. Speech compression is possible due to the excess of information in the source-text and it does not distort the tasks of communication. It results in some semantical transformations: the lexical-semantical structure is reduced, and the semantical-syntactical structure is simplified.

Interpreters are constantly trained. Special syllabuses, methodological approaches facilitate interpreters' training. Assignments are aimed at further development of interpreting skills, enhancing erudition through exercises, texts for translation, and talks on relevant topics, comments on intercultural communication, practical tips and the like. According to Popova (2014), “The verbalization of intention in pre-election discourse and in any other discourse and syntagmatic construction demand from addressee the knowledge of paradigmatic peculiarities of the given language system” (Popova, 2014:52).

A translator should train craftsmanship through developing skills of text comprehension, of overcoming linguistic shock, attention span. Robinson (2004) claimed, “The translator too must be reliable. A sensitive and versatile translator will recognize when a given task requires something besides straight “accuracy” - various forms of summary or commentary or adaptation, various kinds of imaginative re-creation” (Robinson, 2004:11). Dealing with texts as the highest communicative units, translators should keep in mind the major categories of text (specific features of a particular text) and intertextuality (typological features of any text). Prerogatives are text assignments of the type (II): read the text and answer the questions; dramatize the episodes; title major situations of the article; do a formal two-way translation of a talk; read the text, and try to sum it up (in one sentence if possible) the two or three main points; explain in one sentence what happens to people who participate in the episode, in encounter groups; sum up and translate what the writer has said by a cluster of 100 words; put down the text in universal translator's notation; estimate the translation software / webpages and report them back to the group.

Conclusions

Translating is a great work. An interpretor have to know all specific details about different terms and their meanings. And he is able to broaden the horizons of people, to draw the picture of linguacognitive vision of the world, to bring together people of different nations. An interpreter is able to communicate with people of another culture if he is aware of both language and culture. The problems of translating have been long discussed, yet they are far from being solved. The ideas touched upon in this paper are open to further discussions.

A complex approach to the translatology offers further prospects and discussions. Adequate strategies and tactics are needed to meet the growing requirements of the scientific worldview.

The 'Cooperative Work Procedure' promotes positive team work from students and it consists of workshop activities that help translation students to acquire appropriate translation techniques when translating a variety type of texts. The 'Cooperative Work Procedure' originally stemmed from the well known cooperative learning approach.

The wide range of know-how questions determines translatology relevance to the modern linguistics. Translators have to make their own decisions what strategy and tactics to resort to. The professional competence of translators is being constantly developed. The following dimension model works with translatology strategy, tactics, methods and ways of rendering. It is claimed that a translator should study and analyze the cultural concepts of the source text, explore the ways they are presented at the pre-translation stage and then determine the set of strategies and tactics for adequate reproduction of the concepts.

Bibliography

1. Benson. Ph. Teaching and Researching: Autonomy in Language Learning Applied linguistics in Action. London and New York : Routledge, 2013.

2. Davies. M. G. Multiple voices in the translation classroom: Activities, task and projects. Amsterdam : John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2004.

3. Gerding-Salas C. Teaching Translation: Problems and solutions. Translation Journal. № 4(3). 2000.

4. Карабан В.І. Переклад англійської наукової і технічної літератури. Граматичні труднощі, лексико-терміноло- гічні та жанрово-стилістичні проблеми. Вінниця : Нова книга, 2004. 576 с.

5. Niedzielski H.Z. & Chernovaty L. M. Linguistic and Technical Preparation in the Training of Technical Translators and Interpreters. In S. E. Wright & L. D. Wright Jr. Scientific (Eds.) Technical Translation [American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series VI]. Amsterdam, the Netherlands : John Benjamins PC, 1993. Р 123-149.

6. Popova Y.V., Yemelyanova Y.V., Prikhodko N.A. Grammatical and Lexical Constituents of Pre-Election Discourse. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research. 2014. № 19 (1). Р 48-51.

7. Rebrii O.V. Constraints to Creativity in Translation. The Advanced Science. 2013. № 1. P. 42-45.

8. Robinson D. Becoming a Translator: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation. London and New York : Routledge. 2004.

9. Pym An. Translating between languages. Routledge Handbook of Linguistics. London and New York: Routledge. 2014.

10. Shuttleworth M., Cowie M. Dictionary of Translation Studies. London and New York : Routledge. 2014.

11. Shvachko S. O. Teaching to Translation. Sumy : Sumy State University. 2015.

12. Stewart J., Orban W. & Kornelius J. “Cooperative translation in the paradigm of problem-based learning”. Bilic V., Holderbaum A., Kimnes A., Kornelius J., Stewart J., Stoll C. (Eds.). T2In-Translation. Wissenschaftlicter Verlag Trier : Germany. 2010.

References

1. Benson. Ph. Teaching and Researching: Autonomy in Language Learning Applied linguistics in Action. London and New York : Routledge, 2013.

2. Davies. M. G. Multiple voices in the translation classroom: Activities, task and projects. Amsterdam : John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2004.

3. Gerding-Salas C. Teaching Translation: Problems and solutions. Translation Journal. № 4(3). 2000.

4. Карабан В.І. Переклад англійської наукової і технічної літератури. Граматичні труднощі, лексико-терміноло- гічні та жанрово-стилістичні проблеми. Вінниця : Нова книга, 2004. 576 с.

5. Niedzielski H.Z. & Chernovaty L. M. Linguistic and Technical Preparation in the Training of Technical Translators and Interpreters. In S. E. Wright & L. D. Wright Jr. Scientific (Eds.) Technical Translation [American Translators Association Scholarly Monograph Series VI]. Amsterdam, the Netherlands : John Benjamins PC, 1993. Р 123-149.

6. Popova Y.V., Yemelyanova Y.V., Prikhodko N.A. Grammatical and Lexical Constituents of Pre-Election Discourse. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research. 2014. № 19 (1). Р 48-51.

7. Rebrii O.V. Constraints to Creativity in Translation. The Advanced Science. 2013. № 1, pp. 42-45.

8. Robinson D. Becoming a Translator: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation. London and New York : Routledge. 2004.

9. Pym An. Translating between languages. Routledge Handbook of Linguistics. London and New York: Routledge. 2014.

10. Shuttleworth M., Cowie M. Dictionary of Translation Studies. London and New York : Routledge. 2014.

11. Shvachko S. O. Teaching to Translation. Sumy : Sumy State University. 2015.

12. Stewart J., Orban W. & Kornelius J. “Cooperative translation in the paradigm of problem-based learning”. Bilic V., Holderbaum A., Kimnes A., Kornelius J., Stewart J., Stoll C. (Eds.). T2In-Translation. Wissenschaftlicter Verlag Trier : Germany. 2010.f

Размещено на Allbest.ru