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Types
of Translations
Two translators may be translating from the same source text and into
the same receptor language and yet the results may be very different.
There is not one "correct" translation of a given text. Reasons for this
variation include:
- the purpose of the translation,
-
the translation team itself,
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the receptor language audience for whom the translation is intended.
The results are translations that fall someplace on a continuum from
literal translations to idiomatic translations. Literal
translations follow very closely the grammatical and lexical forms of
the source text language, whereas idiomatic translations are
concerned with communicating the meaning of the source text using the
natural grammatical and lexical items of the receptor language.
Translations that add to the source text or change certain information for
a specific affect are called unduly free.
SIL members are trained for, and
committed to, the production of idiomatic translations. However, since the
projects they are involved in are found in a wide variety of communication
situations, and with team members with different training and skills, the
results may vary.
Choosing a translation type
There are various aspects of the communication situation that may
determine the choice of type of translation produced. One of the goals of
the translation team is to produce a translation that will be acceptable
to the receptor language audience.
- The actual receptor language forms (grammar and lexicon) are chosen
with the educational level of the audience in mind, as well as their
previous knowledge of the subject matter.
-
A newly literate audience will find it hard to read a translation
intended for a highly literate readership.
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Some audiences have a strong opinion as to the type of translation
that is acceptable. They may expect a close formal equivalence and will
not accept a more idiomatic translation.
The ideal of accurate, natural, and
communicative is still the goal. But, in practice, this goal may be
carried out with differing result by different translation
teams.
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