The translated language (TL) of the text entitled ‘No water to purify', originally written by Sadik Haque, translated by Ahmed Tahsin Shams, is a source-oriented translation to some extent as well as target-oriented because the text carries “cultural- pair restricted” (The Name and Nature of Translation Studies by James S. Holmes). Thereby translated language is “foreignized” (The Hermeneutic Motion by George Steiner) to some extent; for example- few elements of the source language like “baristas”, “Azan”, “Ganga”, “Bhairabi”, “Hajj” are not “invaded” ( Steiner) in its “afterlife” (The Task of The Translator by Walter Benjamin).

1. Assignment on Translation Studies
“No water to purify”
Submitted by Nawrin Akhtar
Student of Notre Dame University Bangladesh.
The translated language (TL) of the text entitled ‘No water to purify', originally written by Sadik
Haque, translated by Ahmed Tahsin Shams, is a source-oriented translation to some extent as well
as target-oriented because the text carries “cultural- pair restricted” (The Name and Nature of
Translation Studies by James S. Holmes). Thereby translated language is “foreignized” (The
Hermeneutic Motion by George Steiner) to some extent; for example- few elements of the source
language like “baristas”, “Azan”, “Ganga”, “Bhairabi”, “Hajj” are not “invaded” ( Steiner) in its
“afterlife” (The Task of The Translator by Walter Benjamin).
Translation is a mode. To comprehend it as mode one must go back to the original, for that contains
the law governing the translation; its translatability (Benjamin). At first, the translator goes abroad,
enters the text, driven no longer by the passive trust but by the active intention of taking something
away, of grabbing up fistfuls of meaning and walking off with them.
The transcreation was “transparent” (Benjamin); it didn’t cover the original and the whole
translation “echoes the original” (Benjamin) because the essence of the original text was
maintained without changing the effect. In the translated language used “mid- night faristas’ ”
instead of ‘tahajjut’, “sky-height dilemma”, “dawn to dusk”, “engulfs the minds”, these are
following Steiner's the fourth and the final move restitution. According to Steiner Restitution is
the restoration of balance that intrusion has disrupted. In restitution the translator invaded the

2. original and stolen some of its property; and balances between the divergent pulls of the original
and translated cultural contexts” (Steiner, p- 195).
The original text gives an image to the audience. It shows a social context, social barriers. In the
last line of target language shows a cultural conflict. Here translator added new words that are
“wanderers wonder” which represents the pilgrims. And pilgrims come from “Hajj” a holy work.
Here also used a paradoxical illusion that is Water water everywhere, yet “no water to purify”. All
these ideas give “cultural-pair restricted area” (Holmes). According to Steiner, “The translator
invades the original work by leaving an empty scar on the landscape”. (p- 194). Here the characters
pilgrims are going to a cultural dilemma. They are minds are cultural
In the third stanza by the phrase “a sky-height dilemma” translator try to compare pilgrim’s
problem with sky-height. In translated language line 3 is placed before the last line and the 3rd line
is placed at the end of the 1st paragraph. Such “invasion” (Steiner) is done because it followed
“process-oriented” translation (HOLMES).
Translator also uses some of literary devices as like in the first line “Miles after miles “, last line
“Water water everywhere”, “wanderers wonder” he used alteration. And also follow rhythm.
In conclude, it is clear that the translator translates the original text in the target language, he keeps
the original meaning of the text.