To redeem in his own tongue that pure language exiled in the foreign tongue, to liberate by transposing this pure language captive in the work, such is the task of the translator.

Derrida, J. (1985). Des Tours de Babel. In J. F. Graham (Ed.), Difference in Translation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

The word translation derives from the Latin translatio (trans- + fero, the supine form -latum) = ‘to carry across’ or ‘to bring across.’

Aim at:

1. Word Level Equivalence - pay attention to a number of factors when considering a single word, such as number, gender and tense.

2. Grammatical Equivalence, when indicating the variety of grammatical classes (number, tense and aspects, voice, person and gender) across languages.

3. Textual Equivalence, when indicating the equivalence between S.L text and T.L text concerning information and consistency. Three main factors will guide the translator’s decision, i.e. the text type, the purpose of the translation, and the target audience.

4. Pragmatic Equivalence - the role of the translator is to re-establish the author’s purpose in another culture in such a way that facilitates the target culture readers to comprehend it clearly.

Beware of:

1. mistranslation of information,

2. subinterpretation of the original text,

3. misinterpretation of connections between intentional correlatives,

4. metaphrasing or ‘translating literally’ instead of paraphrasing.

Meter, Rhythm & Ryme:

“Even so my sun one early morn did shine,With all triumphant splendor on my brow;But, out! Alack! He was but one hour mine,The region cloud hath mask’d him from me now.” Shakespeare, Sonnet 33

Alliteration“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary... While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping... For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore... And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain.” Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven

Homophones:

“Now is the winter of our discontent…made glorious summer by this Son of York.” William Shakespeare, Richard III

Similes:

“Pretty as a picture she was. Men flocked ‘round her like flies around a picnic.” Laurie Grant, Maggie and the Maverick

Metaphors

“He says, you have to study and learn so that you can make up your own mind about history and everything else but you can’t make up an empty mind. Stock your mind, stock your mind. You might be poor, your shoes might be broken, but your mind is a palace.” Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes

Idioms

“Let us go in together, / And still your fingers on your lips, I pray. / The time is out of joint—O cursèd spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!” Shakespeare, Hamlet

Phraseological puns = the juxtaposition of the figurative meaning and the literal meaning of a component or components.

“But I laughed and said, "Don't worry, Professor, I am not pulling her ladyship's leg. I wouldn't do such a thing. I have too much respect for that charming limb”. J. Cary, The Horse's Mouth

Syntax

"Atticus's remarks were still rankling, which made me miss the request in Jem's question." Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Register

Naught have I (archaic). Nothing have I (stately, poetic).I have nothing (standard or formal, more usual in writing).I don't have anything (standard or colloquial, more usual in speech).I don't have nothing ('substandard,' almost always spoken). I ain't got nothing ('substandard,' spoken).I don't got nothing ('substandard,' often dialect).

Socio-cultural background“Why couldn’t she be more reasonable? She was a bluestocking; why couldn’t she see the logic of Kevins’s courtship?” Regina Scott, The Bluestocking on his Knee

Regional EquivalenceParis cannot be London or New York, it must be Paris; our hero must be Pierre, not Peter; he must drink an aperitif, not a cocktail; smoke Gauloises, not Kents; and walk down the rue du Bac, not Black Street. On the other hand, when he is introduced to a lady, he’ll sound silly if he says, ‘I am enchanted, Madame.’ Adams, R. M., Proteus, His Lies, His Truth

Names

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest

Anagrams

Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort – J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter