TYPES AND CATEGORIES OF TRANSLATION

TYPES AND CATEGORIES

Catford (1989:21) divides translation into three distinctive types, namely :

1.       Full translation v.s Partial translation.

2.       Total v.s Restricted translation.

3.       Rank of translation

The distinction between full and partial translation relates on the extent of SL text which is submitted to the translation process. In a full translation the entire text submitted to the translation process, that is every part of the SL text is replaced by TL text material,e.g.

	Indonesia                                            English Aku cinta Indonesia                        = I love you Dia akan pergi kesana                    = He will go there Mereka tidak membeli apa-apa                = they didn’t buy anything

 

                                                                                                                                                               

In partial translation, However , some part of the SL text are left untranslated. They are simply transferred to and incorporated in the TL text, either because they are regarded as ‘untranstable’ or for the deliberate urpose of introducing ‘local colour’ into the TL text or even because they are so common and frequently used that translation is not needed, e.g.

-I like hamburger                                             = saya senang hamburger -Rock Hudson died of aids                           = Rock Hudson meninggal  karena aids -We need microfilm                                      = kami memerlukan microfilm. -The UNDP is funded by the UNESCO     = UNDP dibiayai oleh UNESCO -Orang utan itu sejenis monyet                                = The orang utan is kind of ape -Pesinden itumenyanyikan                         = the pesinden sang megatruh sadly Megatruh dengan sedihnya -Dalang itu memainkan wayang                = the dalang played the Javanese puppet Kulit semalam suntuk                                        show all night long. -Ibu masak rujak cingur untuk                    = Mother cooced rujak cingur for lunch. makan siang

 

Do you notice any important changewit the words underlined above in the translation ? Hamburger, aids, UNDP, and UNESCO stay the same graphically yet perhaps tey change phonologically (pronunciation). But microfilm undergoes both spelling and pronunciation change (microfilm-mikrofilem). In the same way the Indonesia ‘orang utan’ becomes ‘orang utan’ – a change in both spelling and pronunciation in English.

The distinction between total and restricted translation relates to the levels o language involved in translation SL grammar and lexies. This replacement of SL / phonology by TL phonology/ graphology, e.g.

The child	Has slept	For	Three	Hours
Anak itu	Telah tidur	Selama	Tiga	Jam

Restricted translation at the grammatical and lexical levels means, respectively, replacement of SL grammar by equivalent TL grammar, but with no replacement of lexis, and replacement of grammar, e.g.

Replacement of grammar :

1.       Anak itu / telah / tidur / selama / tiga jam.

-          Noun det / aux verb / prep / det noun (Indonesia)

-          Det noun / aux  / prep / det noun ( English )

2.       Pemburu tua itu / membunuh / seekor beruang muda

-          Noun adj det / verb / det noun adj ( Indonesia )

-          Det adj noun /  / det adj noun ( English )

Replacement of lexis :

1.       Anak itu / telah tidur / selama /tiga jam.

-          Child that / already / for / three hours.

2.       Pemburu tua itu / membunuh / seekor beruang muda.

-          Hunter old that / kill/ a bear young.

The third type of differentiation in translation according to Catford relates to the rank in grannatical hierarchy at which translation equivalent is established. This rank translation can be in form of :

-          Word to word translation

-          Group to group translation

-          Sentence to sentence translation

-          Paragraph to paragraph translation

-          Discourse to discourse translation

In this type of translation, lexical and grammatical adjustment should be applied to achieve equivalent in terms of meaning. The lexical and grammatical adjustment will be discussed more deeply in modules three and two respectively.

In his article ‘on linguistic aspect of translation’,Roman Jacobson distinguishes three types of translation ( Jacobson, 1959 : 234 ):

1.       Intralingual translation or rewording. It is an interpretation of verbal sigs by means of other signs in the same language, e.g.

Paragraphrasing.

2.       Interlingual translation or translation proper. It is an interpretation of verbal signs by means of some other language, e.g. the replacement of SL text into the TL equivalent.

3.       Intersemoitic translation or ranslation. It is an interpretation of verbal signs by means of signs system e.g. from verbal art into music, dance, cinema or painting. For our purpose ( interlingual translation ) which describes the process of transfer from SL to TL is in line with our stated specific objectives and should be discussed more deeply

Savory ( 1969: 20 – 24 ) categories translation proper into four   types as follow :

1.       Perfect translation . all purely informative , such as are encountered by the traveler or used by the advertiser . for example, at some air terminal thre hang notice boards with the following messges.

IMPORTANT

                                Please ensure that your baggage is

                                Correct before leaving terminus !

INTENTION

                                Messieurs less passengers sont pries verifier

                                Leurs bagages Avant de quitter I aerogare !

PERHATIAN

                                Silakan memeriksa barang – barang anda

                                Sebelum meninggalkan pelabuhan udara !

The three messager are not word for word identically phrase , but all contain advise of identical meaning . you may assume that an Englishman, a frechman or Indonesia takes away exactly the same impression, and that they all usually and unemotional and it is made in plain words to which no very intense associations are attached.

2.       Adequate translation ( for mere entertainment )

Into this second category fall the very large number of almost characterless translation made for general reader who may use them without giving a though to the fact that what he is reading was not originally written in his own language , for example English pop novels translated into Indonesian. In the process of translating from English into Indonesian the translator may omit word, or even whole sentences, which he finds obscure. He can freely paraphrase the original meaning whenever it suitis him to do so. There is no reason why this should not be so, as long as the readers want nothing but the story.

3.       Composite translation, this includes the translation. This includes the translation of prose, of poetry into prose, and poetry into poetry. The translator may spend a very long time on his work so that commercial value of the translation is often neglected. He wouldonly get the intelellectual pleasure that results from effect.

e.g. laki-laki tua dan laut translated by sapadi djoko damono from

the old man and the sea by ernest hemingway.

4.       The translated of all learned,scientic and technical matter.

a)      These translation are made solely because of the interistic importance of the original work, an importance that is strictly confined to the practical business of living. For example, R.C punnet’s mendalism was translated into Javanese only because the Javanese neede to know the principles of heredity.

b)      The translator shall have a reasonable knowledge of the science of technique about which the original was written. This will help the translator maintain accuracy, clearness and preciusion of the concepts. To translated an English text on the desease you should have medical background otherwise your translation will be midleding.

We should also include in this fourth category translation work done solely in the interest of trade. Consumers goods can be sold in other contries if they can persuasively describe in the language of the purchaser or at least in English. The work of the translator who perform this service is seldom publicized, seldom appreciated, and seldom, critized. Yet they claim that their  work demands accuracy in the choice and precision in the use of words which many other translator might find to be more than they could endure.