Recreating the Source Text Equivalence Theory Types of

Recreating the Source Text Equivalence Theory. Types of Equivalence Lecture 4

Overview • Translation process from different perspectives; • Equivalence-based approach; • Types of equivalence; • Dictionary equivalents in translation; • The optimal length of text for translation; • To what extent the idea of full equivalence is adequate; • Types of partial equivalence.

Different Perspectives to Translation Process Target Text Source Text Translation Process Equivalence-based theory Skopos Theory

Equivalence Theory Pros and Bases • source text – starting point for the whole process; • source text – required for translation, otherwise we would be writers; • Obligatory bond or link of some sort between the source and target texts.

Equivalence Equivalent means equal in value, amount, volume and etc. (Hornby A. S. Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English)

Equivalence A equals C and B equals C, then B equals A Equivalence means that if a word or word combination of one language (A) corresponds to certain concept (C) and a word or word combination of another language (B) corresponds to the same concept (C) these words or word combinations are considered equivalent.

Equivalence = Problem to solve Reasons why exact equivalence is problematic: • impossibility of having constant interpretations; • translation is a matter of subjective interpretation; • impossibility to determine audience response to the source text when it was first produced.

Types of Equivalence 1. Eugene Nida: formal and dynamic/functional equivalence Formal – focus on message, its form and content. Dynamic/functional – focus on equivalent effect. 2. Peter Newmark: communicative and semantic equivalence

Types of Equivalence 3. Koller (1997), Jeremy Munday (2001): Denotative equivalence - equivalence of the extralinguistic content of a text. Connotative equivalence - lexical choices, especially between near-synonyms. Text-normative equivalence - text types, with texts behaving in different ways. Pragmatic equivalence - towards the receiver of the text or message. Formal equivalence - form and aesthetics of the text, includes word plays and the individual stylistic features.

Equivalence = Problem to solve Words in a dictionary ≠ universal substitutes of a given word of this word in your language. Translations (equivalents) are worth for specific cases which are yet to be determined by the translator

Equivalence Translation equivalence never means the sameness of the meaning for the signs of different languages. Translation equivalents in a dictionary are just the prompts for the translator.

Examples Picture take pictures English in pictures картина фотографировать английский в картинках Put me in picture ввести в курс дела zinc diethyl dithiophosphate противозадирная присадка (диэтилдитиофосфат цинка)

Translation Unit word = word Word combination = word combination Sentence = sentence The longer is the source text, the bigger is a chance to find proper and correct translation equivalent

Translation Equivalence Grades/Levels • Syntactic –similar syntactic functions • Semantic – similar lexical meanings • Pragmatic – similar message intent and reader response • Textual norms – similar language features of the text (legal documents, etc. ) • Linguistic forms – devices such metaphors, rhyme, etc. Full Translation Equivalence or Partial Translation Equivalence

Translation Equivalence Grades/Levels Full Translation Equivalents – complete coincidence of all levels/grades of the source and target language unit Partial Equivalence – absence of one or more of equivalence levels, i. e. syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, as well as textual norms and linguistic forms.

Examples Book = книга (full equivalence) Protesting is a risk = протестовать рискованно Staff only = служебное помещение Carry coal to Newcastle = возить уголь в Ньюкасл

Summing Up syntactic , semantic or pragmatic equivalence? Syntactic Semantic Pragmatic