Translation Problems

What is a translation problem? A translation problem means the difficulty/difficulties we face when we translate. It makes us stop, think, search, rewrite. It may result from grammar, words, style and/or sounds. Thus, we have grammatical, lexical, stylistic and phonological problems

Grammatical Problems Complicated SL grammar “Of the three books you have recommended to me, 1 have chosen only one” من بين الكتب الثلاثة التي نصحتني بها، اخترت واحدا فقط. What challenge does the SL text pose here?

“of” at the beginning of the sentence, and postponing the main clause (I have chosen) to a back position, make it complex. A normal, direct structure reads “I have chosen only one of the three books you have recommended to me”. اخترت كتابا واحدا من بين الكتب الثلاثة التي نصحتني بها.

Detailed in chapter 1 2. Different TL grammar: Most English tenses, for example, do not exist in Arabic grammar. All English sentences are verbal (i.e. should include a main verb each). Arabic sentences are either verbal, or nominal (viz. no verbs at all).

3. Different TL word order: All English sentences usually start with the subject, followed by the verb. Arabic, verbal sentences normally have the verb first and then the subject. The position of the adjective: in English it precedes the noun (usually), while it proceeds it in Arabic.

Grammatical problems in chapter one 1.Translation of verbs “Be”, “Do” and “Have”. 2. Translation of modal verbs. 3. Translation of questions and negations. 4. Nominal vs. verbal sentences. 5. Word order. 6. Translation of personal pronouns. 7. Translation of present participle vs. gerund.

8. Translation of the past participle. 9. Translation of adjectives. 10. Translation of tenses. 11. Translation of conditional sentences. 12. The change of word class. 13. Translation of articles. 14. Translation of sentence connectors (like and, or, but, in fact, etc.).

Lexical Problems These problems occur when a word, a phrase or an expression is not understood clearly and directly, misunderstood.

Literal translation (of meaning): Is it ok? When? Why? 2. Synonymy: 3. Polysemy and monosemy: A Word which has more than one meaning is described as polysemous (e.g. „spring – نابض، نبع، ربيع، يقفز A word of only one meaning is monosemous

4. Collocations: 5. Idioms: 6 4. Collocations: 5. Idioms: 6. Metaphors: used to say something but mean something else. 7. Technical translation: Arabization:

Proper names, titles, political establishments, geographical terms and UN acronyms: Translation and culture:

Stylistic Problems Formality vs. informality: Fronting: Parallelism: Ambiguity: Passive vs. active style Repetition and variation: Nominalization vs . verbalization

Next class Chapter one