The main principles of faithful translation

1. Hold strictly to the author’s conception and render faithfully the content of the source language work.

2. Maintain in the target language version all the structural peculiarities and syntactic organization of the matter under translation.

3. Preserve the main stylistic means including the artistic images and expressiveness of the original work.

4. Avoid deliberate omissions, enlargements or embellishment and any other forms of free interpretation of the source work.

5. Render in the target language version the pragmatic intention of the author and his force of influence on the reader.

4. Translator’s competence

What is the translators’ need to know and be able to do in order to translate?

Bell (1991) argues that the professional translator has access to five distinct kinds of knowledge:

- target language (TL) knowledge;

- text-type knowledge;

- source language (SL) knowledge;

- subject area (‘real world’) knowledge;

- and contrastive knowledge.

1. Target language skills

- be able to communicate accurately, appropriately and concisely;

- have a broad, expressive vocabulary and excellent, in-depth knowledge of the grammatical nuances and rules of your target language;

- be experienced in reading the sort of text you wish to create, in both your source and target language;

- be able to spot a translation that is too literal and feel confident in selecting a less-literal, more-free translation that better suits the norms of the target language and field;

- personal preferences should not dominate over what is more usual;

How to improve

- spend time in a target country to get (re)acquainted with modern usage and refresh your knowledge;

- refer to language and style guides (these are especially helpful for addressing common grammatical errors);

- read newspapers and journals in your target language;

- read texts appropriate to your specialism in your target language;

-consider further education in your specialist area, translation and writing skills so you can ensure an appropriate writing style for the texts you translate;

-get into the habit of checking yourself on any term you are not 100% sure of.

2. Source language skills

- be able to understand the majority of texts without the aid of a dictionary, to the standard of an educated native-speaker.

- be able to understand concepts as well as any native.

- use a dictionary and other resources to find the precise words to express the concepts, terms and ideas in the target language, but also remember that such tools are there to assist only.

- the degree is preferable but it is not a guarantee of success;

- in addition to the pure linguistic skills, be familiar with how the language is currently used, together with commonly used slang, dialect, and new words borrowed from other languages.

How to improve:

- spend time in the source country;

- purchase and refer to language guides;

- read newspapers and journals in the source language;

- read texts appropriate to your specialism in the source language;

- take language courses and obtain qualifications.

Other professionals also agree that other important things for a translator nowadays are: specialization, computer skills, education, resources.

1. Specialisation

Specialisation is incredibly important in translation. Nobody can be an expert in everything, but as a translator, you are expected to be an expert in translating each individual text you translate. If the texts are on related topics, you will have less vocabulary to learn each time.

A good translator chooses a specialisation relevant to him – appropriate to the academic training, professional experience and/or hobbies and interests (obviously, all three is a brilliant combination!)

The other matter to consider is how many fields to specialise in. General discussions with other translators seem to suggest anywhere between one to four.

How to improve

- choose a specialism relevant to your academic, professional and other related experience, as well as your hobbies and interests;

- consider the time and research texts in your specialism will require, and charge accordingly;

- keep your total number of specialisms to a manageable minimum – one to four;

- keep up-to-date on the latest developments and terminology through various media in both your source and target languages.

2. Computer skills

Basic computer skills are a must in this job.

A translator spends all day at a computer and, if freelance, will need to be capable of learning how to meet and overcome new challenges and problems on a regular basis.

The software we work with and documents we receive, as well as the computers we work on, are not always problem-free, so being able to solve the majority of problems yourself is a huge advantage. If your basic office or computer management skills are lacking, it may be worth asking someone to teach you or taking a course.

Typing speed is also very significant.

Online research skills are incredibly valuable.

3. Education

- A good level of education is another huge advantage, and for most agencies and many direct clients, a must. A Bachelor’s degree in your specialist field, translation or your source language are particularly helpful, whilst any degree helps to develop and illustrate a standard of research skills, commitment and writing skills in your native language.

- A Master’s degree is also not uncommon among translators – either specifically in translation, a related field, or a chosen specialism.

- Professional translation qualifications (Master’s in Translation Studies or DipTrans) can also be a big help, although qualified membership status in the ATA, ITI or IOL is probably the more valuable side to this – and you may be eligible for this without taking a full Master’s or DipTrans (e.g. ITI accepts a degree PLUS a membership exam).

- Ongoing education is also useful – and can be found in evening classes, online courses, one-off events, day-seminars, short courses and summer schools.

4. Resources

A good translator also has access to the best resources to assist them in their work – so a stable, fast internet connection is vital, as well as general and specialist bilingual and monolingual dictionaries, style guides, computer software and hardware.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16