Typology of Translation

On Linguistic Aspects of Translation, R. Jakobson -3 types of translation:

(1) Intralingual TR., or rewording (interpretation of verbal signs by means of other signs in the
same lg.).
(2) Interlingual TR or translation proper (interpretation of verbal signs by means of some
other lg).
(3) Intersemiotic TR or transmutation (interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs of
nonverbal sign systems).
Jakobson - central problem in all types:
- that while messages may serve as adequate interpretations of code units or messages,
-no full equivalence through TR.
Jakobson shows how Intralingual TR resorts to a combination of code units in order to fully
interpret the meaning of a single unit.
Vehicle (a thing used for transporting people or goods, especially on land, such as a car, truck, or
cart, 2. a thing used to express, embody, or fulfill something)
as a synonym for conveyance
1.the action or process of transporting someone or something from one place to another,
2.the legal process of transferring property from one owner to another)
in neither case -complete equivalence, each unit contains within itself
a set of non-transferable associations and connotations: transport, mijloc de transport,
transmitere, transfer
, , ,

I. TR identified in accordance with the correlation of ST and TL

types:
A. Intralingual T.- interpretation of lg. signs using the signs of the same lg:
1. diachronical (historical): TR into the modern lg. of a historical text which was written in the
lg. of the previous age.
2. transposition: TR of a text of one genre or functional style into another genre or functional
style.
B. Interlingual Tr.- transformation of a message expressed by means of a sign system into the
message expressed by means of another sign system
1.Binary TR: from one natural lg. into another
C. Intersemiotic TR: from one natural lg. into an artificial one (esperanto, programmers lg)
1.transmutation: from one artificial lg. into another artificial lg.

II. Tr. - the character of the subject of the TR activity and its relation
to the author of the Tr.Text
traditional translation (human TR.) done by the translator who is not the author of the ST
authors TR: done by the author of the ST

authorized TR: translation of the ST approved by the author

machine TR: done by the computer
mixed TR: human TR and machine TR
MT -a procedure whereby a computer program; analyzes a ST; produces a TT; without further
human intervention.
MT typically does involve human intervention, in the form of pre-editing and post-editing.
In regard to texts (weather reports) with limited ranges of vocabulary, simple sentence structure,
MT can deliver results that do not require much human intervention to be useful.
-

use of a controlled language,

combined with a MT tool
will generate comprehensible TRs

III. Translation - the types of the text segmentation and the units
used:
morphemic TR: done at the level of separate morphemes without taking into account the
structural relations
Teacher/teaching/teaches
word for word TR: done at the level of separate words without taking into account semantic,
syntactic and stylistic relations between the words.
Feature-caracteristic
/
phrasal TR: at the level of separate sentences or phrases translated one after another.
Economic policy-politica economic;
sentence TR( proverbs/sayings)
When the cows come home.
La patele calului.
.
textual TR: an entire text without the identification of
separate words,
sentences
as translation units.
Such phenomenon is rather common when translating poetry.

IV. Translation -the presentation form of the TT and the ST:

written TR: done in written form.
1. written TR of a written text.
2. written TR of an oral text.
oral TR
1. oral TR of an oral text

simultaneous TR
consecutive TR
unidirectional TR: oral TR which is done only in one direction
bidirectional TR: consec. TR of a talk done from one lg. into another and vice-versa.
2. oral TR of a written text.
Modes of Interpreting
1.Consecutive interpretation: taking notes
2. Document sight translation is required in consec interpretation work.
combines interpretation and translation;
the interpreter must read aloud the SL document to the TL as if it were written in the TL
3.Relay interpretation occurs when several lgs are the TL.
A SL interpreter renders the message to a lg common to every interpreter, who then renders the
message to his or her specific TL.
a Japanese source message first is rendered to English to a group of interpreters,
then it is rendered to Arabic, French and Russian, the other TLgs.
4.Simultaneous interpreting
5. Ad hoc or liaison interpreting: telling both sides of the story
passing information to and fro between 2 or more delegates.
is used for smaller meetings and discussion groups around a table
the ad hoc interpreter acting as a linguistic go-between.
6.Whisper interpreting: (chuchotage-French),
involves a multi-lingual interpreter sitting between 2(or 3) delegates round the table and
literally whispering to them
what each speaker is saying as the meeting proceeds.

V. Translation -the nature and the correspondence of the TT to ST:

free TR: the main information of the ST with possible deviations (omissions, insertions);
done at the level of the text,
it corresponds with the entire text as a unit and not separate lg. units.
adequate TR: corresponds to the original and expresses the same communicative aims as the
original.
authentic TR: an official document which has the same legal power as the ST
according to the international law a text of an agreement can be elaborated and adopted in one
lg,
but its authencity can be set in 2 or more lgs. (genuine and official)
certified TR (tr. legalizata):
whose correspondence with the original is legally certified.

VI. Translation -the genre, stylistic peculiarities of the translated

material:

Scientific and technical TR

Social and political TR
Military TR
Legal TR
Common TR -regarding manners, morals, lifestyle
Literary TR-fiction.

LITERARY versus INFORMATIVE TRANSLATION

Literary Translation -deals with literary texts,
i.e. works of fiction or poetry, sung texts and other, the main function of which is to make an
emotional or esthetic impression upon the audience. (Komissarov, p.51)
Informative Translation
-

renders into the TL non-literary texts (documents, publicistic texts, scientific or technical
materials, etc.) and has as its main purpose
to convey a certain amount of information to the reader (facts, events, opinions, etc.) as
accurately as possible. (Komissarov, p.51)

VII. Translation -the completeness and type of rendering the

semantic content of the ST:
-

complete TR: renders the semantic content of the ST. without omissions and abridgements.
incomplete TR renders the semantic content of the ST. with omissions and abridgements
abridged translation: renders the semantic context of the ST in a shortened form.
fragmentary TR - not of the entire text, but of one or a number of fragments.
aspect T: T. only of a certain part of a text according to a specific selection criteria
annotated T.: T. which reflects only the main theme, subject, and purpose of the text
abstract T.: T. which contains rather detailed information about the summarized documents,
its purposes, themes, methods of research and results.

VIII. Translation done according to the main pragmatic function:

-

practical TR- intended for practical use as a source of information

working TR-unedited T. which is mainly intended for practical use, not ready for publication
consultative TR a type of informative TR orally, includes elements of annotation,
abstracting, and selective T. at sight in the presence of the client, who specifies the aspects of
the ST which interest him/her the most during TR
publishing TR- written T. introduced in circulation for the publishing
published TR- practical or educational T. which has been multiplied
educational TR used in the teaching process in order to train t-ors, or as a means of
teaching a foreign language
experimental TR done for research purposes
standard TR- model T. used for the comparison with the text being qualified

IX. Translation -the primary nature of the ST:

primary TR done directly from the original
secondary TR-which wasnt done directly from the ST, but from its T. in another language
back TR experimental or educational T. of an already translated text into the ST.

X. Translation -the type of adequacy:

A. semantically and stylistically adequate TR- semantically complete and correct,

stylistically equivalent, which also corresponds to the functional and stylistic norms of the TL
B. pragmatically adequate TR correctly renders the main communicative function of the ST
C. customer friendly TR completely and correctly meet the informative requirements of the customer
and doesnt necessarily render the complete meaningful content and the predominant function of the ST.