THE INTENTION OF THE TRANSLATOR

THE ANALYSIS OF A TEXT
13
rather than how to adapt them in order to persuade or instruct a new TL reader-ship. And 
again, he may be translating a manual of instructions for a less educated readership, so thac 
the explanation in his translation mav be much larger than the 'reproduction'.
TEXT STYLES
Following Nida, we distinguish four types of (literary or non-literary) text:
(1) Narrative: a dynamic sequence of events, where the emphasis is on the verbs or. for 
English, 'dummy' or 'empty' verbs plus verb-nouns or phrasal verbs ('He made a sudden 
appearance', 
l
He burst in
1
). 
(2) Description, which is static, with emphasis on linking verbs, adjectives, adjectival 
nouns. 
(3) Discussion, a treatment of ideas, with emphasis on abstract nouns (concepts), verbs of 
thought, mental activity ('consider
1
, 'argue', etc.), logical argument and connectives, 
(4) Dialogue, with emphasis on colloquialisms and phaticisms. 
THE READERSHIP
On the basis of the variety of language used in the original, you attempt to characterise the 
readership of the original and then of the translation, and to decide how much attention you 
have to pay to the TL readers, (In the case of a poem or any work written primarily as 
self-expression the amount is, I suggest, very little,) You may try to assess the level of 
education, the class, age and sex of the readership if these are 'marked \
The average text for translation tends to be for an educated, middle-class readership in 
an informal, not colloquial style. The most common variety of 'marked' error in register 
among student translators tends to be Colloquial' and 'intimate
1
, e.g. useofphrasessuchas 
'more and more'for'increasingly' (de plus en plus), 'above air for 'particularly' (surwut); 'job' 
for 'work
1
; 'got well
1
for 'recovered' and excessively familiar phrasal verbs ('get out of, 'get 
rid of). TrTe other common error, use of formal or official register (e.g. 'decease' for 'death*), 
also shows signs of translationese. These tokens of language typify the student-translators 
instead of the readership they are translating for; they may epitomise their degree of 
knowledge and interest in the subject and the appropriate culture, i.e. how motivated they are. 
All this will help you to decide on the degree of formality, generality (or specificity) and 
emotional tone you must express when you work on the text.

14 
PRINCIPLES

tải về 2 Mb.

Chia sẻ với bạn bè của bạn: