Cultural Aspects in Translation

Dr. Sujira Hapol Classroom Research Semester 2/2010

Department of Business English Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities May 2011

Classroom Research Cultural Aspects in Translation

Rationale
Translation is a process of transferring from one language to another language that is from a source language (SL) to a target language (TL) or from the first language (L1) to the second language (L2). The accuracy and appropriate equivalence must be in awareness of culture aspect; according to Snell-Hornby (1988), languages can be seen by the contemporary approach as an integral part of culture. Also, according to Halliday (Halliday & Hasan (1985, p. 5) states that there was the theory of context before the theory of text. In other words, context precedes text. Context means a context of situation and culture (Halliday & Hasan, 1985, p. 7). The context is necessarily required for an adequate understanding of the text for translating. Thus, translating without understanding text is irrational, and understanding text without understanding its culture is impractical. In brief, theoretically the degree of probability for perfect translation depends on how much the source language text (SLT) is surrounded by its culture. So, the target language will be naturally transferred within a cultural realm. The researcher needs to identify learners errors that are a result of L1 interference with underlying cultural aspects.

Objectives
1. To study a culturally-bound words in L1 to effect the L2 translation. 2. To study a culturally-bound syntax in L1 to effect the L2 translation. 3. To study a culturally-bound semantics in L1 to effect the L2 translation.

Conceptual Framework
The cultural aspects in L1 generate the un-equivalence of L2 translation. These aspects include: 1. Situation 2. Style 3. Meaning 4. Concept

Research Framework

Independent Variables Cultural Aspects in L1

Dependent Variables

Situation Style Meaning Concept Un-equivalence of L2 translation

Questions
1. To what extent do cultural aspects in L1 in terms of words, syntax, and semantics trigger in the L2 translation? 2. To what extent are cultural aspects in L1 in terms of words, syntax, and semantics interrelated in the L2 translation?

Hypotheses
1. Cultural aspects in L1 in terms of words, syntax, and semantics results in unequivalence in the L2 translation. 2. Cultural aspects in L1 words, syntax, and semantics are not interrelated in the L2 translation.

Contribution
1. The research contributes to the application of the theory in teachinglearning process. 2. The research is helpful to develop teaching-learning process in the next semesters.

Literature Review
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The culturally-bound aspects in terms of words, syntax and semantics results in the un-equivalence of target language are reviewed upon some of previous studies in order to find out different findings/result and/or to confirm those previous studies. In terms of words, syntax, and semantics, culturally-bound aspects in L1 effect in L2 translation in certain extents, taken into account of culture implicit in the source language (ST) and of finding an appropriate technique of successfully conveying these aspects in the target language (TL), it would vary in scopes upon the cultural and linguistic gaps between the source language and the target language (Nida, 1964). The cultural context is very important to effect in L2 translation; some practices in one culture are generally strange to other cultures. So, the equivalence in translation may be not possible. Cultural Consideration in Translation

If culture has never been taken in account in translation, the target language would be not appropriate in terms of translation naturalness. It is consistent with Catford (1965) stating that translation is the replacement of textual material in one language by equivalent textual material in another language. In this definition, the most important thing is equivalent textual material. Yet, it is still vague in terms of the type of equivalence. Culture is not taken into account (p.20). So, there are still no exact indications that culture is involved in translation except in those of Nida and Taber (1982). Anyway, Nida and Taber themselves do not explicitly mention this matter, only explaining closest natural equivalence, which can be inferred that cultural aspects are considered. As the contents of the source language (SL) address all walks of life, culture inevitably plays an important role in human life. Therefore, culture should be considered (Hariyanto).

Cultural Aspects in Situation VS Translation Equivalence

In consistence with cultural aspects in situation, Nida (1976) states that the message in a translation is still the dominant element, even though at some extents the equivalence of form is ignored. However, Nida maintains that in reality content and form cannot ever be separated. When dealing with the content of a text, the translators may clearly distinguish between the discourse and the spatial-temporal background of the text. They have to decide whether they want to use the less understandable cultural background of the source text or the more understandable but anachronistic cultural background of the target text. He also proposes that the purpose of the translation will determine which approaches towards the cultural background have to be applied. When the translation has to draw out a specific response from the receivers, translators have to adapt and modernize the cultural background. Following his idea, if the purpose is to communicate the dates of specific events, the cultural background has to be also given in a faithful manner.

Cultural Aspects in Style VS Translation Equivalence

According to Nida (1964) in the concept of naturalness in expression, translation equivalence must be in accordance with the context of specific message that includes grammatical and lexical elements but also detailed matters such as intonations and sentence rhythms. For example, translators should be sensitive to the register and style of the source text and therefore be aware not to use slangs, vulgarities or colloquialisms when they are not
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requested for in the text. However, translators should not turn a straightforward piece of text into a technical term that is confusing and also difficult to understand. Translators should be aware of anachronisms, which include archaisms and contemporary words when they translate a text. So, when translating discourse that refers to a historical period, they should use vocabulary relevant to that period; by the same way they should not use obsolete words in a contemporary piece of expression. It is consistent with Nidas (1964) argument that "the appropriateness of the message within the context is not merely a matter of the referential content of the words. The total impression of a message consists not merely in the objects, events, abstractions and relationships symbolized by the words, but also in the stylistic selection and arrangement of such symbols (p.168). For instance, flowery English may be successful in Thai language or Japanese language because of the linguistic structures and cultural contexts in these two Asian languages repetition and redundancy which affect their passiveness. According to Nida (1976), again another important element in the naturalness of the dynamic equivalent translation is involved in the extent to which the message fits the receptor-language audience, as he contends that the appropriateness must be based on the basic level of experience and capacity for decoding of the receivers/receptors. Following the advertising discourse, the translation of the source language (SL) is always impossible. The concept of marketing is not homogeneous between two languages and cultures, so the decoding capabilities of translators would not be able to based as such.

Cultural Aspects in Meaning VS Translation Equivalence

In accordance with Nidas statement (1964), no two languages are identical, either in the meanings given to corresponding symbols or in the ways which such symbols are arranged in phrases and sentences (p.156). For this reason there can be no absolute identical correspondence between languages whatsoever, especially in the case of advertisements where visual materials also generates meanings and connotations that could and probably would be interpreted differently by different cultures although their words might have a high degree of linguistic and semantic equivalence. Differences in expressive meaning is another problem of non equivalence at word level mentioned by Baker (1997), which means that there may exist a target language word which has the same comparative meaning as the source language word but may have a different expression in meaning. In other words, translators should achieve a similar effect on the target text receiver as the source text has on the source text receiver. However, between languages with greater cultural differences, it is not easy to achieve this.

Cultural Aspects in Concept VS Translation Equivalence

Culture is a set of beliefs, ideas, attitude, customs, behavior, festivals, cuisine, and clothes style that differ from place to place. People in the same country have some similarities in their culture, but upon each region or part of it, we can see even individual regions or parts different. For this reason, people from different languages are communicating, they need background knowledge to get to know each other. Dress code, for example, is very unique for each culture, so we have to be cautious of translating from the
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source language to the target language. It is more important that good translators have to search information of the source language before communicating by transferring the message with the underlying concepts of culture. Even the same plant may have different meanings with the underlying concepts in different cultures like Bamboo in China - a symbol of friendship and peace, in Vietnam a symbol of patience and strength, and in some other parts of the world a symbol of youth and longevity. Animal is another example for a cultural concept underlying in different cultures. When we call a person dog in Thailand, we mean he/she is very bad. But in American way, they call one kind of food hot dog which is referred to a sausage which is originally made of a mixture of pork and beef. So, if a translator has never been in that country of the source language, he/she may not know how to transfer the message to the target language in an appropriate language or idiomatic language.

Methodology
Subjects All students are purposively selected in class ENGL 308 (Translation 1), as well as ENGL 309 (Translation 2). Procedure All exercises and quizzes are required for them to do after the lecture in order to check their thinking in the L2 culture. All kinds of dictionaries are necessary for them to use in translation. The translation from English to Thai and vice versa is to be done to check their cultural background and how to transfer from the SL to TL.

Findings, Discussions and Conclusions

According to the data collection gathered from students who studied in two classes i.e. Translation 1, and Translation 2, the table of findings is here below for discussions.

Table 1: Cultural aspects in L1 (English) in terms of words results in un-equivalence in the L2 (Thai) translation.
Word Cultural Aspects in L1 Style Meaning

Thai Structure

Part of Speech

Situation

Concept

northern lights

()

noun with adjective noun with adjective phrasal verb singular noun

best seller break up everyone

Table 2: Cultural aspects in L1 (English) in terms of syntax results in un-equivalence in the L2 (Thai) translation.
Cultural Aspects in L1 Syntax The shop was burned down. Every coin has two sides. Friend in need is a friend indeed. Thai Structure Part of Speech / Expression/ Tense passive voice & simple past Idiom & simple present Idiom & simple present Situation Style Meaning Concept

Laughter is the best medicine. Like father, like son.

Idiom & simple present Idiom & simple present Idiom & simple present

Time is money.

Table 3: Cultural aspects in L1 (English) in terms of semantics results in un-equivalence in the L2 (Thai) translation.
Cultural Aspects in L1 Semantics a lot Translation in Thai Part of Speech pronoun Situation Style Meaning Concept

/ / / /

present

noun

underneath

preposition


come true know

//

verb & adjective verb

Table 4: Cultural aspects in L1 (Thai) in terms of words results in un-equivalence in the L2 (English) translation.
Cultural Aspects in L1 Word Thai Structure verb + verb redundancy redundancy Expression

Translation in English trust easily / naive vocabulary police / cob Dear me / Oh dear / Dear God / Oh God dark horse contest, competition / race a secret love a pain in life

Situation

Style

Meaning

Concept

Idiom + verb

verb + verb verb + noun

Table 5: Cultural aspects in L1 (Thai) in terms of syntax results in un-equivalence in the L2 (English) translation.
Cultural Aspects in L1 Syntax Translation in English This job is a piece of cake. You look a million dollars in that dress. The sun listens to the messages of the clouds. Part of Speech / Expression/ Tense Idiom & simple present Hyperbole & simple present Personification & simple present Role designation & Situation Style Meaning Concept

( )

Parents want their kids to be

all right so bad.

simple present

The old man at home is very funny in my mind. Negative connotation & simple present Idiom & simple present

What do you

think of my new car?

Table 6: Cultural aspects in L1 (Thai) in terms of semantics results in un-equivalence in the L2 (English) translation.
Cultural Aspects in L1 Semantics Daddy / Mum / Grandma / Grandpa Translation in Thai Part of Speech noun Situation Style Meaning Concept

( )

/ ( )
verb

live with /live a life

pass the time go Dutch

verb verb (idiom)

see miss

/ / /

verb verb

Analyses from the students translation

1.
The book of a verse Sunthorn Phoo to write a lot. This showed that a student who translated this sentence did not understand the English structure well enough to transfer this message to English. Each Language has its own culture to affect the structure of the language, for example, our Thai way is redundant in saying
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several words such as home, house, or residence in Thai

That is why the above sentence was translated with

the book of a verse. The meaning of in English is poetry, since its culture does not communicate in a redundant or repeating way like Thai language. 2. Tony Jarr reads Shakespeare every day. Shakespeare is a figurative meaning related to books, poetries, and plays of this author. The students did not understand the underlying concept of cultural meaning, so some made a literal translation like

If translators do not

know who Shakespeare is, they should search this information from the internet. A translator is to be aware of cultural differences, so the translation will be made without errors.

3. !
There is one word above with a figurative meaning of cultural concept underlying. In this context we cannot transfer the message above to English in an idiomatic translation; we have to look for a word related to , which English novel is My Fair Lady can be designated to. Some novels or stories in one language can be compared to those in another language, as the themes of two languages may be the same, but the names of characters are not the same because of different cultural backgrounds in assigning names.

4.
The above words in Thai have to be transferred to English with our culture, since our Thai way men may have many wives under the same roof. That is the reason why we have to look for a word choice to be quite close to the English language. Major mum, minor mum, and my mum may be quite equal in the translation.

5. If you are in two minds about something, you cant decide what to do.
The expression in two minds is to be translated in Thai with our Thai way with the underlying concept which is a figurative meaning

The concept

of meaning is not sure, but the way of transferring the message is different dependent on the situations and writing styles of writers. Similarly, TL translator can employ several ways of naturalness in the translation that is proper to the culture. The findings can be discussed in these following areas.
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The un-equivalence in L2 translation is reasoned by: Linguistic Structure Generally, the nature of each language is very unique, it is impossible to say that we can transfer from one language to another in the same linguistic structure. According to the current most popular Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach, ... many CLT teachers maintain that the best way for learners to achieve native-like control of the target language is to think in that language rather than to translate or reprocess the target language into their mother tongue (Liao, 2006, p.192). The English structure is rigid and fixed about the pattern-like SVO (subject + verb + object) and a tense tie-up with the verb changed by placing auxiliaries or form changed before the main verb. Naturalness In consistence with Newmark (1988), cultural aspects for translation which correspond to the communicative translations are relevant to the contents which are acceptable in the source language (SL) and comprehensible to the target language (TL). Similarly, Nida and Taber (1982) also maintain that the use of formal equivalence should be used where possible if the translation is needed to achieve formal rather than dynamic/natural equivalence. Even they still assert that formal equivalence distorts grammatical and stylistic pattern of the target language (TL), thereby causing the receptor to misunderstand as of the message distortion. Cultural Categories o Material culture Newmark (1988) also mentioned, Food is for many the most sensitive and important expression of national culture; food terms are subject to the widest variety of translation procedures (p.97). Another example of material culture includes an eponym, namely Teddy Bear which is referred to a stuffed toy bear assigned with the name of former American President Theodore Roosevelt whose nickname was Teddy. When translation is made in the L2, it should be transferred with this name Teddy to convey the message associated with the specific toy bear. o Gestures and Habits According to Newmark (1988), many gestures and habits are implied but not specifically described, thus making an entirely communicative translation so difficult. In this reason, there are cultural references which imply certain knowledge of the way of life of the people in one place and of the attitudes towards it. Ethnic groups such as hill-tribes in Thailand working hard especially women are supposed to be a minority group even though the government has tried hard to turn them to be one part of our population. Their native accent is one topic of our jokes among Thai people, and their contrastive habits of male and female work are inherent in the text. When a translation is made without the understanding of full cultural significance with such background, the emotional and stylistic pattern of translation cannot be uttered. To sum up with the hypotheses in this study, it is to indicate that 1. Cultural aspects in L1 in terms of words, syntax, and semantics results in unequivalence in the L2 translation. All the previous studies afore-mentioned are to assert with the findings the researcher obtained from the classroom research. As defined before, culture is considered the organizer of all elements in each language. Actually, culture refers to groups shared values and conventions acting as mental guidelines to orientate people's thoughts and behaviors. (House, 2009)
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2. Cultural aspects in L1 words, syntax, and semantics are not interrelated in the L2 translation. According to House (2009), language is culturally embedded, not only a linguistic part but an act of communication across cultures. Translation always involves both language and culture simply since the two cannot be separated. The meaning of linguistic items can only be understood once considered together with the cultural context where the linguistic items are functioned. Translators should pay a great attention to differences in kinds and extents of conventions in the source and target cultures when transferring a text from one culture to another. One of the main characteristics of translation is its double-bind situation, where the translator has to link the source text in its cultural context to the target communicative-cultural condition. This is inconsistent with the above hypothesis that cultural aspects in L1 are not interrelated in the L2 translation. House also believes that the local situational context has to do with the question of who wrote the text, when and why, who is to read it now and for what purpose. The context of the situation is then itself embedded in the larger cultural world. The translator who can find these answers is a successful one in cross-cultural transference. In conclusion, the differences in expressive meanings between two languages results in the non-equivalence at the word level mentioned by Baker (1997). It means there may exist a TL (target language) word which has the same propositional meaning as the SL (source language) word, but may have a different expressive meaning. According to the cultural specific concepts are those SL (source language) words may express a concept that is totally unknown in the target culture. They may have something to do with a religious belief, social custom, or even a type of food as mentioned before. Again, Baker asserts that the SL (source language) word is semantically complicated that means a single word can sometimes express a complex meaning than a whole sentence. Therefore, to maintain the conceptualization of natural translation, these functions of linguistic patterns are employed such as adding, deleting, reordering, producing different lexical chains, re-organizing, and changing into idiomatic language. This means that translators should pay more attention to several factors some of which strategies result in non-equivalence in L2 translation; anyway, they have to remember to keep the whole concepts of intended meanings in the original text. These strategies are paraphrase, omission, compensation, rewording, resourcing, and idioms with the similar meaning and the same or different form. Therefore, the translation is intently perfect in both culturally-and-linguistically-based forms and functions.

References
Baker, M. (ed.) (1997). Thematic roles and syntactic structure. In Haegeman, L. (ed.), Elements of Grammar, pp.73-137, Kluwer Academic Publishers. Catford, J.C. (1965). A Linguistic Theory of Translation. London: Oxford University Press. Halliday, M.A.K. & Hasan, R. (1985). Language, Context and Text. Burwood, Vic: Deaken University. House, J. (2009). Translation. New York: Oxford UP. Liao, P. (2006). EFL Learners Belief about and Strategy Use of Translation in English Learning. Regional Language Center Journal 37.2, p.192.
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Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice Hall. Nida, E.A. (1964). Towards a science of translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill. Nida, E.A. (1976). A framework for the analysis and evaluation of theories of translation. (In Brislin, R.W. ed.) Translation: Applications and research. New York: Gardner Press. Nida, E.A. (1982). Translating meaning. San Dimas, Cal.: English Language Institute. Nida, E.A. & Taber, C. (2003). The Theory and Practice of Translation. Leiden: Koninklijke Brill. Snell-Hornby, M. (1988). Translation Studies: An Integrated Approach. Amsterdam: John Benjamins B.V. Davaninezhad, Forogh Karimipur. Cross-Cultural Communication and Translation. http://translationjournal.net/journal//50culture.htm. Accessible on 02.07.2011 Hariyanto, S. The Implication of Culture on Translation Theory and Practice. http://www.translationdirectory.com/article634.htm. Accessible on 15.04.2011.

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