Kinds of Translation

According to Tanke in Said M. Shiyab (2006:21), Translation is the

transfer of a text from source language into a text in the target language, the
objective being a perfect (my italics) equivalent of meaning between the two
texts.
So, in a process of translation we need to make sure that our translation
is natural (equivalent) between the source language and target language. There
are some kinds of translation according to some linguists. The kinds of translation
will help us to translate a text easier.
According to Larson (1998: 15) translation is classified into two main
types, namely form-based translation and meaning-based translation. Formsbased translation attempts to follow the form of the source language (SL) and it is
known as literal translation. Form-based translation here means translations that
follow exactly the form of the source language or like word-for-word translation.
Larson (1998: 15) states A literal translation sounds like nonsense and has little
communication value. For example:
Source language : Dimana Sunarti?
Target language : Where Sunarti?
From the definition above, Larson stated that literal translation is same as
word-for-word

translation.

But

according

to

Catford

(http://thesis.binus.ac.id/Asli/Bab2/2011-1-00338-ig%202.pdf: 9: 6-3-1014) literal

translation is nearly like word-for-word translation but the form or structure of

target language is adjusted according to the grammar of the target language. Here
is the example of literal translation according to Catford:
Source language : Dimana Sunarti?
Target language : Where is Sunarti?
Furthermore, Newmark (http://thesis.binus.ac.id/Asli/Bab2/2011-1-00338ig%202.pdf: 9: 6-3-1014) states The grammatical constructions are converted to
their nearest TL equivalents but the lexical words are again translated singly, out
of content. Newmarks opinion about literal translation is similar to Catford
opinion. They stated that literal translation translates the words of source
language one by one and the grammar of target language is adjusted as natural

target language grammar and the target language have similar meaning with
source language.
The next kind of translation is idiomatic translation (meaning-based
translation). Meaning-based translation makes every effort to communicate the
meaning of the SL text in the natural forms of the receptor language. Such
translation is called idiomatic translation. Based on Larson (1998:17), idiomatic
translation reproduces the meaning of the source language (that is, the meaning
intended by the original communicator) in the natural form of the receptor
language. Idiomatic translation is a process of translation that changes the form
of the source language and giving the sense of original meaning so that the
receptor can understand the translation full.
Newmark

(http://thesis.binus.ac.id/Asli/Bab2/2011-1-00338-ig%202.pdf:

12: 6-3-2014) said that idiomatic translation transfers the meaning of the source
language but sometime change the meaning a little bit by stating daily
conversation and idiom. Some linguists stated that idiomatic translation is natural
translation. Below is the example of idiomatic translation:
Source language : get into state
Target language : menjadi khawatir
In addition, Bijay Kumar Das mention some other types of translation such
as literal translation (which aimed---to be basically word for word), Phonological
translation [which is restricted translation where the phonology of the (SL) text is
substituted by equivalent phonology in the (TL) text], Graphological translation
[which is restricted translation where the graphology of the (SL) text is
substituted by equivalent graphology in the (TL) text, and grammatical translation
(which is restricted translation where the grammar of the source language text
is substituted by equivalent grammar in the target language but the language is
not replaced (Bijay Kumar Das:2008: 27)

References
Das, Kumar Bijay. A Handbook of translation Studies. (New Delhi: Atlantic, 2008)
Larson, Mildred L. Meaning-Based Translation. (Lanham: University Press of
America, 2008) Second edition
Said, M Shiyab. A Textbook of Translation. (Apeldoorn: Garant, 2006)

Internet References
(No

Name

Available).

2011.

Theoritical

Background

of

thesis.

http://thesis.binus.ac.id/Asli/Bab2/2011-1-00338-ig%202.pdf. [6-3-2014]