Equivalence

Question 1

Roman Jakobson - Intralingual translation

Answer 1

• “translation” within the same language
• trying to define / paraphrase sth in one language

Question 2

Roman Jakobson - Interlingual translation

Answer 2

• translation proper
• translating, looking for counterparts of sth in another language

Question 3

Roman Jakobson - intersemiotic translation

Answer 3

• transmutation
• translation of a message from one form of expression (like language) into another form (like music, art, or dance).
• eg novel -> movie, poem -> music

Question 4

Eugene Nida - two orientations in translating

Answer 4

1. Formal equivalence
2. Dynamic equivalence

Question 5

Eugene Nida - Formal equivalence

Answer 5

Focuses on a direct translation of the source text

a) Characteristics
Maintains the original word order and sentence structure; preserves idioms, phrases, and cultural references even if they might not be easily understood or have an equivalent in the target language.

b) Advantages
Offers a more faithful translation, good for readers who are interested in the way the original was written in terms of structure, wording etc

c) Disadvantages
- translations can be unnatural in the TL
- may not convey the intended meaning or tone effectively if the direct linguistic equivalents do not exist or if they carry different connotations in the target language.

Question 6

Eugene Nida - Dynamic equivalence

Answer 6

A thought-to-thought translation

a) Characteristics
- Adapts idioms, cultural references, etc so they are understood
- message > form.

b) Advantages
- more readable and comprehensible
- allows the translator to convey the nuances of meaning and tone more effectively in the target culture

c) Disadvantages
- Can stray from the exact wording or structure of the original
- risks adding interpretation or elements that may not be present in the source text.

Question 7

Functionalism in translation

Answer 7

• based on action theory, translation is a purpose-governed activity
• translation is intentional
• translators enable intercultural communication

Question 8

Skopos theory - Hans Vermeer
Main assumptions

Answer 8

• translation is an action and an actions is always purpose-driven
• it is not about finding the right equivalents in the TL, it is about making the text fulfill its intended purpose in the TL
• the translator follows the guildlines of their commisioner to produce a good target-text translatum

Question 9

How does the Skopos theory approach equivalence?

Answer 9

The Skopos theory is purpose-driven. The target text should fulfill its purpose even if it means staying from the original text