2NAVIGATING EQUIVALENCE: ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN TRANSLATING CLOSELY RELATED LANGUAGES
Sevinch Obidjon kizi Abdikhamidova
2nd year student at English philology and translation studies faculty Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages [email protected]
Translating closely related languages poses unique challenges due to the nuances and subtleties that exist within these languages. This article explores these complexities and aims to identify effective strategies for achieving equivalence in translation. Through a review of relevant literature and case studies, this article aims to shed light on the complexities involved in cross-linguistic communication, and suggests strategies for mitigating these challenges.
Keywords: Translation; The concept of equivalence; Translation methods; Literal translation; Free translation; Faithful translation.
INTRODUCTION
The term translation originates from the Latin word "translatio," where "trans" means 'across' and "ferre" means „to carry' or „to bring'. So, when combined, "transferre" means „to carry across' or „to bring across'. In simple terms, translation involves moving information between languages, but it encompasses more than just transferring or carrying words. Actually, the term covers both written and spoken translation. Spoken translation is usually called interpreting. Translation can also mean the broad field, the outcome (the translated text), or the process (the act of making the translation, or translating). When it comes to the process of translation, it is all about making the right choices - selecting the most fitting words, phrases, and sentence structures. The translator plays a crucial role in ensuring a smooth transfer of content without stumbling into confusion. The meticulous work done behind the scenes by the translator often goes unnoticed by those who read the translated material.
When you're translating closely related languages, you face distinct challenges that are quite different from those you deal with when working on languages that are more different from each other. This article examines the linguistic challenges involved in translating close languages, addressing the specific nuances of each process. When languages are similar, you might
ABSTRACT
think translating between them would be simple. However, the
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small differences and nuances between closely related languages can actually make the translation process quite tricky. This article explores these complexities, emphasizing the need for precise equivalence in translation.
THEORETICAL REVIEW AND METHODS
This theoretical review covers existing literature on the difficulties of translating closely related languages to identify strategies for achieving greater equivalence. We thoroughly examined scholarly articles, books, and online resources, emphasizing recent research. Our methodology included a detailed analysis of the literature to uncover patterns and trends in the approaches researchers have taken to address these challenges.
It begins by outlining the theoretical background of these concepts and then delves into the respective linguistic challenges, illustrated through practical examples from scientific articles published or submitted to prestigious academic English journals with an impact factor. The paper concludes with reflections based on the initial theoretical framework and proposes future implications for improving practices in translation-related tasks.
RESULTS
Assuming, in broad terms, that the concept of equivalence pertains to the stable relationship between elements in the source text and its translation or target text, this theory serves as a structurally sound bridge for transitioning from one language (and its corresponding culture) to another. If we suppose that this bridging process should aim for stability, i.e., equivalence, and ensure a safe transition from one side of the bridge to the other without falling into uncertainty, the translator must employ specific translation strategies to make this crossing efficient and naturally successful. The translator must use certain strategies to ensure that crossing over from one language to another is done effectively and without any mishaps.
In 2000, Vinay and Darbelnet outlined 7 methods that translators use to create an equivalent meaning when moving information from one text to another. In linguistics, syntax deals with the rules that control how sentences are structured. Therefore, translation methods that concentrate on sentence structure can be referred to as syntactic strategies. Vinay and Darbelnet suggest various ways to deal with language differences. These strategies include borrowing words or phrases, calquing, which involves slightly changing imported phrases, literal translation, transposition, which is changing grammar, modulation, which is substituting expressions with similar meanings, and equivalence, which is
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replacing idioms with similar ones, and, finally, adaptation is when you replace an entire sentence with a cultural equivalent.
Based on Vinay and Darbelnet's strategies, the most common ones fro m a practical point of view are:
addition
omission
explicitation
implicitation
formality change
domestication
foreignization
speech act change
transediting
Discussing the idea of translation equivalence, it's essential to consider Koller's equivalence frameworks. Koller suggests five types of equivalence [Koller, 1995]:
1. Denotative equivalence: This relates to the non-language content of a text like the context, topic, time, location, audience, sender, and emotional aspects such as humor, irony, and feelings.
2. Connotative equivalence: This involves word choices, such as certain terms, similar words, dialect differences, and language styles.
3. Text-normative equivalence: This refers to how different types or styles of text are represented.
4. Pragmatic equivalence: This relates to how fluent, natural, and easily understood the target text is.
5. Formal equivalence: This pertains to the form and aesthetics of the original
text.
DISCUSSION
Based on Nord's functional theories from 1997, translation is seen as a deliberate effort to create a strong link between the elements of the original text and its translated version, much like building a bridge. The goal of this process is to achieve an „equivalent effect,' as mentioned by Newmark in 1988, by trying to recreate the same or a similar impact as the original text, a notion that Nida in 1964 referred to as „dynamic equivalence.' The idea of equivalence has stirred up lively discussions in translation
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theory. People have debated different terms like "literal," "free," or "faithful" translations. Nida (1964) introduced two main types of equivalence: formal and dynamic. When it comes to translating text, formal equivalence focuses on the form and content of the message, sticking closely to the structure of the original text to ensure accuracy. On the other hand, dynamic equivalence places more importance on the connection between the reader and the message, striving to recreate the bond between the original readers and the message. Focusing on understanding receptors is crucial in this method. It means you need to adjust grammar, vocabulary, and cultural subtleties to make things sound completely natural. So, it's important to carefully compare translations to tackle the tricky task of expressing ideas accurately in similar languages.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, while achieving equivalence in translating closely related languages is challenging, it is certainly attainable. Our review of the current literature highlighted several strategies to address these challenges, such as understanding cultural contexts, using parallel texts, collaborating with native speakers, and conducting comprehensive research. These approaches should be complemented by a deep understanding of both source and target languages, cultural sensitivity, and clarity about the translator's intended message. By integrating these strategies, translators can navigate the difficulties of translating closely related languages and achieve a higher degree of equivalence in their work.
REFERENCES
1. Koller, W. (1995). The Concept of Equivalence and the Object of Translation Studies. Target 7, 2, pp. 191-222.
2. Loureiro, A. S. (2019). Linguistic challenges of translating, revising, post-editing and editing academic publications.
3. Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. London & New York: Prentice Hall.
4. Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a Science of Translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
5. Nord, C. (1997). Translating as a Purposeful Activity: Functionalist Approaches Explained. Manchester: St. Jerome.
6. Vinay, J. P., & Darbelnet, J. (2000). A Methodolody for Translation. In L. Venutti (Ed.), The Translation Studies Reader (pp. 84-93). London & New York: Routledge.
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