“Translation
in ELT”
1. Linguistics
has many branches, such as origins (historical linguistics), the changing way
language is pronounced (phonetics), derivation of words through various
languages (etymology), development of meanings (semantics), and the arrangement
and modifications of words to convey a message (grammar/syntax).
(http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0017496.html)
In this respect, translation belongs to semantics
since it is the study of
intensive meaning in words and sentences. It
is the study of relationship between linguistics forms and entities of the
world. That is, words literally connect to thing. It is so, because it is concerned
with the logical and literal meaning and the translation is concerned with
meaning as well.
2.
The
comparison of three books, namely “Becoming a Translator” written by Douglas
Robinson, “A Textbook of Translation” written by Peter Newmark, and “Translation
Studies” written by Susan Bassnett. However, before deciding which one is the
best, it must be analyzed as follows:
1)
“Becoming
a Translator written” by Douglas Robinson: it is set up to shuttle between the
two extremes of subliminal or unconscious learning (the “natural” way people
learn outside of class) and conscious, analytical learning (the “artificial”
way people are traditionally taught in class. The book has exercises at the end
of the chapters. The topics for discussion that precede the exercises at the
end of every chapter are designed to foster the sort of critical skepticism
about the claim made in the chapter.
The book is intended to introduce the theory and
practice of translation. It also offers ways of integrating a whole series of
theoretical perspectives on translation from psychological theories through
terminological theories, linguistic theories, and social theories to cultural
theories.
It is intended not only to teach about translation
but also to help students translate better. The suggestions also are given at
the end of chapters. This book is emphasized on practical rather than
theoretical.
2)
“A
Textbook of Translation” written by Peter Newmark: this book is intended to
reasonably comprehensive, namely to discuss most of the issues and problems
that come up in translating. However, some of the shorter pieces in chapter 18
are inadequate and can only offer a few pointers.
The purpose of this book is to offer a course in
translation principles and methodology for final-year-degree and post-graduate
classes as well as for autodidacts and home learners. It provides some
appropriate English texts and example to work on. For this, students can practice more and
apply the theories which have been learnt.
3)
Translation
Studies written by Susan Bassnett: this book is intended as a positive response
to the initiative offered by a demand of situation. It seeks to encourage
rather than resist the process of change. It is to stretch rather than
reinforce the boundaries that currently define literature and its academic
study. New concepts of literary forms and modes have been proposed; new notions
of literature itself and how it communicates are current; it expounds and
comments upon the notable of issues. It tries to identify and discuss the
challenges these offer to our traditional modes and of critical response.
The book is also to examine the extent to which
relevant branches of linguistic studies can illuminate specific areas. It
presumes no prior technical knowledge on the part of the readers and aims to
rehearse the linguistic appropriate to the matter in hand, rather than to
embark on general theoretical matters. It attempts an objective exposition of
significant developments in its field up to the present as well as an account
of its author’s own views of the matter.
However, this book emphasizes more on the theories
rather than practices. There is no place for students to exercise and practice
in it.
Based on preceding elaboration, henceforth I can
draw some conclusion as follows:
a)
In
my viewpoint, the best book is “Becoming a Translator” written by Douglas
Robinson, it is because this book almost cover all aspect of translation in two
different perspectives, namely translator and non-translator. This book
emphasizes more on practices rather than theories. The students can easily
immerse themselves in translation practice and guided by applicable
theories.
b)
The
second is “A Textbook of Translation” written by Peter Newmark. This book also
does not only emphasize on the theory but also the practice at the end of the
book
c)
The
last is “Translation Studies” written by Susan Bassnett. This book talks much
about theories and does not provide readers the space to practice.
Table
1. The comparison of three books
|
No
|
Assessment statement
|
Becoming a
Translator
|
A Textbook
of Translation
|
Translation
Studies
|
|
1
|
The lesson sequence is easy to follow
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2
|
Provide more theories
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
3
|
Provide more practice and exercise
|
P
|
P
|
O
|
|
4
|
The illustration are attractive and appropriate
for the age group
|
P
|
P
|
O
|
|
5
|
The instructions are easy to read
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
6
|
Giving suggestions in every chapter
|
P
|
O
|
O
|
Adapted from Harmer (2002)
3.
The
serious problems in the practice of translation are: the lexicon (some time the vocabulary shortage occurs
when translating the texts), grammatical structure (the structure of source language
and the target language is really different), communication situation (a
translator also has to know more about the communication situation in the
target language) , and cultural context
of the source language text (it is important to know more about the culture to
avoid misunderstanding), analyzing it in order to determine its meaning, and
then reconstructing this same meaning using the lexicon and grammatical
structure which are appropriate in the receptor language and its cultural
context. (http://www.silinternational.org/translation/TrTheory.htm)
Moreover, the most frequent translation
difficulties are of a semantic and cultural nature, it is hard to cope with
"Linguistic untranslatability" (cognates, i.e. true and false
friends, calque, and other forms of interference; institutional and
standardized terms, neologisms, aphorisms, etc.), and "cultural
untranslatability," (idioms, sayings, proverbs, jokes, puns, etc.). A
translator should adopt a very cautious
attitude toward these words or expressions so as to avoid interference and/or
language misuse.
(Kussmaul, 1995 - http://accurapid.com/journal/13educ.htm)
4.
My
short term: I must go back to my school where I taught before. I would like to
apply my knowledge and skills as well as my experiences in my school to make
students fluent. I have a burden on my back to improve my students’ skill in
language and also to lead them pass the final state exam (Ujian Nasional). My long term planning: I would make some researches
about language development and teaching. It is intended to find a new method
and way to improve and increase the English teaching-learning process. Thus,
eventually I can find an effective method or way of how to teach English well
and successfully. Amin…
5.
Three
best definitions on translation are
Ø
Translation is the interpretation
of the meaning
of a text in one language
(the "source text")
and the production, in another language, of an equivalent
text (the "target text," or "translation") that
communicates the same message.(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/translation)
Ø
Translation is the transfer of information from one
language or language variety into another. "Translation" refers to
the transference of meaning from text to text —usually written, recorded, or
sign language— with time and access to resources such as dictionaries,
glossaries, et cetera. There is a very high standard of accuracy demanded for
translation.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literal_translation)
Ø
Translation is rendering the meaning of a text into
another language in the way that the author intended the text. (Newmark: 1988)
6.
Interference
is literal translation from SL or a third language that does not give the right
or required sense. Dulay et al
(1982) define interference as the automatic transfer, due to habit, of the
surface structure of the first language onto the surface of the target
language. Lott (1983: 256) defines interference as 'errors in the learner’s use
of the foreign language that can be traced back to the mother tongue'.
Ellis (1997: 51) refers to interference as ‘transfer’,
which he says is 'the influence that the learner’s L1 exerts over the
acquisition of an L2'. He argues that transfer is governed by learners’
perceptions about what is transferable and by their stage of development in L2
learning. In learning a target language, learners construct their own interim
rules (Selinker, 1971, Seligar, 1988 and Ellis, 1997) with the use of their L1
knowledge, but only when they believe it will help them in the learning task or
when they have become sufficiently proficient in the L2 for transfer to be
possible.
Ellis (1997) raises the need to distinguish between
errors and mistakes and makes an important distinction between the two. He says
that errors reflect gaps in the learner’s knowledge; they occur because the
learner does not know what is correct. Mistakes reflect occasional lapses in
performance; they occur because, in a particular instance, the learner is
unable to perform what he or she knows. (http://iej.cjb.net)
For example:
Badan saya sedang tidak enak
Body I am not
delicious
Saya akan jalan jalan
|
 |
 |
 |
I will walk walk
7.
Transference
is the transfer of an SL word or lexical unit into the TL text, as a
translation procedure. It is a general term describing the carryover of
previous performance or knowledge to subsequent learning. (Brown: 1994)
Transfer is the process of using knowledge of the
first language in learning a second language. Transfer can be positive, when a
first language pattern identical with a target-language pattern is transferred,
or it can be negative (interference), when a first-language pattern different
from the target-language pattern is transferred. In the latter case, L1-induced
errors occur.
Example of transference:
Saya akan pergi ke Bandung
I will
go to Bandung
Mereka harus bekerja di pabrik
They
must work in
factory
8.
The
connection between translation and semantics.
Semantics is the study of relationship between
linguistics forms and entities of the world. That is, words literally connect
to thing. It is concerned with the logical and literal meaning, whereas
translation is the transfer
of information from one language or language variety into another.
"Translation" refers to the transference of meaning from text to text
—usually written, recorded, or sign language— with time and access to resources
such as dictionaries, glossaries, et cetera. There is a very high standard of
accuracy demanded for translation.
From the aforementioned terms, it can be inferred
that there is close relationship between semantic and translation. Both are concerned with the meaning to convey
the messages. A translator must understand semantic well to be a professional
translator, unless he/she cannot do more with translation.
Reference:
Bassnett,
Susan. 1996. Translation Studies. London
and New York
Bhela,
Baljit.(1999). Native language interference in learning a second language:
Exploratory case studies of native language interference with target language
usage. Flinders
University School
Brown,
H. Douglas. (1994). Principle of Language Learning and Teaching. USA
Ellis,
Rod. (1994). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford :
Oxford University
Harmer.
Jeremy. (2002) The Practice of English
Language Teaching. London
Newmark,
Peter. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. UK
Robinson,
Douglas. (1998). Becoming a Translator. London
and New York
Kussmaul.
(1995). Availale at http://accurapid.com/journal/13educ.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literal_translation
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