Translation Strategies: Newmark

Summary

The video script discusses Peter Newmark's extensive list of translation strategies, particularly focusing on the translation of culture-specific terms. Newmark's strategies are compared and aligned with those of Vinay and Darbelnet, emphasizing problem-solving in translation. The script outlines various classifications of cultural terms, such as ecology, material culture, and social culture, and proposes strategies like transference, naturalization, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, and modulation. Modulation is further explored with 11 types, including negated opposite, reversal of terms, and changing from concrete to abstract ideas. The video also touches on techniques like compensation, combination analysis, and the use of notes and additions to enhance the translation of culturally specific words and expressions. The summary aims to provide a comprehensive yet concise insight into the video's content, sparking interest in the complexities and nuances of translation.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Peter Newmark proposed a comprehensive list of translation strategies, focusing on problem-solving with culture-specific terms.
• 🌐 Newmark's strategies are complementary to those of Vinay and Darbelnet, offering a broader perspective on translation techniques.
• 📚 Newmark classified cultural terms into categories like ecology, material culture, and social culture to understand cultural differences.
• 🔍 The strategy of 'transference' involves importing a word from the source language into the target language without change, like 'pizza' or 'hajj'.
• 🔄 'Naturalization' adapts a word to the pronunciation and morphology of the target language, such as adding a plural suffix to an Arabic word.
• 🌐 'Cultural equivalent' translates a cultural item from the source language to a culturally equivalent item in the target language, maintaining connotations.
• 🏢 'Functional equivalent' uses a culture-neutral term, neutralizing or generalizing the source language word, like translating 'antarea' to 'heroism'.
• 📝 'Descriptive equivalent' describes the meaning of a cultural item in several words when there's no direct equivalent, like 'al holla' explained as 'divorce initiated by the wife'.
• 🔀 'Modulation' is a technique that changes the form of the message by altering the point of view to better suit the target language.
• ↔️ 'Reversal of terms' is a type of modulation where the order of terms is switched to convey the same idea in a more natural way for the target language.
• 🔗 'Compensation' occurs when the loss of meaning in one part of a sentence is balanced by adding information in another part or a contiguous sentence.

Q & A

What are the main translation strategies discussed by Peter Newmark in the script?

Peter Newmark discusses a variety of translation strategies, including transference, naturalization, cultural equivalent, functional equivalent, descriptive equivalent, synonym, modulation, and several types of modulation such as negated opposite, reversal of terms, moving from cause to effect, changing concrete to abstract, using whole for part and vice versa, changing mass to active, time to space, and changing symbols.

What is the difference between transference and naturalization in translation?

Transference involves directly importing a foreign word in its original form into the target language without any change. Naturalization, on the other hand, adapts a source language item to the normal pronunciation and morphology of the target language.

Can you provide an example of a cultural equivalent in translation?

An example of a cultural equivalent is translating the Arabic term 'Kaisolila', which symbolizes love in the Arab world, to 'Romeo and Juliet' in English, as both are symbols of love in their respective cultures.

What is functional equivalent in the context of translation?

Functional equivalent is a translation strategy where a culture-specific term from the source language is replaced with a culture-neutral or culture-free term in the target language that conveys the same meaning or concept.

How does the script explain modulation as a translation strategy?

Modulation is described as a variation of the form of the message obtained by a change in the point of view. It focuses on making the message appropriate to the target language audience and can be optional or obligatory depending on the awkwardness of the direct translation.

What is the purpose of using descriptive equivalent in translation?

Descriptive equivalent is used when there is no exact equivalent in the target language. The translator describes the meaning of the cultural item in several words to convey the same idea.

What are some of the types of modulation mentioned in the script?

The script mentions several types of modulation including negated opposite, reversal of terms, moving from cause to effect, changing from concrete to abstract ideas, using the whole for part and vice versa, changing mass to active, time to space, and changing symbols.

How can the strategy of compensation be applied in translation?

Compensation is used to make up for the loss of meaning, sound effect, metaphor, or pragmatic effect in one part of a sentence by adding it in another part or in a contiguous sentence.

What is the process of combination analysis in translation?

Combination analysis involves splitting up a lexical unit into its sense components and comparing the source language word with another in the target language which has a similar meaning.

How can translators add extra information about a country-specific word or expression in the translated text?

Translators can add extra information by using techniques such as adding a glossary at the end of the text, using footnotes or endnotes, or inserting a partial or full explanation either in parenthetical squares or free in text.

What is the significance of the script's discussion on the translation of cultural-specific terms?

The discussion on the translation of cultural-specific terms is significant as it highlights the complexities involved in conveying meaning across different cultures and languages, and the various strategies translators can employ to ensure accurate and culturally appropriate translations.