This document discusses translation theory and practice. It defines translation as conveying meaning between languages and discusses why translation is important for connecting global economies and spreading ideas. The document outlines different types of translation including free translation, literal translation, and communicative translation. It also discusses characteristics of good translations and translators, including accuracy, clarity, naturalness, passion, and translation skills. Finally, it summarizes John Dryden's three types of translation and Roman Jakobson's three forms of translation.

1. PARVATHY’S ARTS AND SCIENCE
COLLEGE
Purpose - Notes(Power point presentation )
Discipline- III B.A English literature
Subject -Translation theory and practice
UNIT-I
Introduction to translation-kinds and usage
 Definition and process
 Why translation
 Need of translation
 Kinds of translation
 Characteristics of a good translation and translation
Prepared by
S.Rajeshwari
Asst. professor
English department

2. Translation-Definition and process
Translation is primarily conceived as an intercultural
communication as the process of conveying the
meaning of an utterance form
or
Translation studies is an academic interdisciplinary
dealing with the systematic study of the theory,
description and application of translation, interpreting,
and localization

4. Why translation?
 Translation is Important Because Not
Everyone Speaks English
 Translation is Important Because People
Prefer Their Native Language
 Translation Connects the Global Economy
 Emerging Markets Mean Emerging Languages
 Translation Spreads Ideas and Information

5. Need of translation for language
learning
• Translation is independent and radically different from
the four skills which define language competence:
reading, writing, speaking and listening.
• Translation takes up valuable time which could be
used to teach these four skills.
• Translation is unnatural.
• Translation misleads and prevents students from
thinking in the foreign language.
• Translation is a bad test of language skills.
• Translation produces interference.
• Translation is only appropriate for training translators.

6. Kinds of translation
• Free translation
• Literal translation
• Communicative/dynamic/idiomatic translation

7. free /literal /communicative
translation
• A free translation is a translation that reproduces the
general meaning of the original text. It may or may not
closely follow the form or organization of the original.
• Literal translation is the translation of text from one
language to another "word-for-word", rather than
giving the sense of the original. For this reason, literal
translations usually mis-translate idioms.
• Communicative translation is a translation method
that attempts to render the exact contextual meaning
of the source language so that both content and
language are readily acceptable and comprehensible to
the readership.

8. Characteristics of a good translation
• Accuracy is the most important feel of a fine translation. An
accurate translation is one that conveys the same meaning
as the indigenous, or at least it tries to get bond of as close
as realizable to what has been identified as the main
intended meaning.
• Clarity- An immense translation will make the meaning as
certain as realizable that is, it will not be indefinite or
ambiguous. People will not enter the translation and
admiration what it means. An uncertain translation will
cause people to misunderstand.
• Naturalness- A pleasant translation will be natural and will
not hermetically seal later a translation at each and every
share of one. Readers will think that it sounds considering it
was originally written in the receptor language.

9. Characteristic of a good translator
• Passion. A translator should be passionate about their translation
job. They should use all their means and efforts to deliver every
project in excellent shape, as if it was their baby.
• Translation Skills. A good translator must have a specific linguistic
education. They should master not only the foreign language they
work with, but also the skills of translation.
• Curiosity. A translator must be curious and motivated to keep on
learning new words and expression. The learning process of a
translator should be never-ending.
• Rich Vocabulary. A good translator must have a wide lexicon, not
only in the foreign language but also in their mother tongue. This
will make the translation process easier and the quality of the
translation higher. It is also convenient for translators to acquire
technical terms in specific fields, such as business, law, sciences,
engineering, etc…

10. Cont…
• Clarity. A good translator’s goal is to express the idea of the source text as clearly
as possible, without ambiguity. They should avoid difficult structures when they
can use simple ones.
• Translation Quality. A good translator should be obsessed with quality.
• Resources. In order to achieve the aforementioned quality, a good translator
should use all available resources at their disposal.
• Accuracy. A good translator should provide an exact transfer of information.
Despite it being tempting sometimes, the translator should not correct the source
text, trying to maintain its “spirit” instead.
• Honesty. Translators are humans after all, therefore it is normal for them to not
know some expressions or words. Nevertheless they shouldn’t just skip it, but they
should conduct research and note it down for future reference.
• Humble Pride. A good translator should always deliver a translation that they can
be proud of, but at the same time be humble enough to accept possible
corrections from the editor/proof reader. The most important thing in the end is
always the quality of the translation.

11. John Dryden’s three types of
translation
In the preface to Ovid’s Epistles John Dryden talks about 3 types of
translation-
• Metaphrase, or turning an Author word by word, and Line by Line,
from one Language into another. eg Horace his Art of Poetry
translated by Ben. Johnson.
• Paraphrase, or Translation with Latitude, where the Author is kept
in view by the Translator,so as never to be lost, but his words are
not so strictly follow’d as his sense, and that too is admitted to be
amplyfied, but not alter’d. eg Mr. Waller’s Translation
of Virgils Fourth Aeneid.
• Imitation, where the Translator taking only some general hints
from the Original, to run division on the ground-work, as he
pleases. eg Mr. Cowley’s practice in turning two Odes of Pindar, and
one of Horace into English.

12. Roman Jakobson three types of
translation
In his essay “On Linguistic Aspects of Translation” Roman Jakobson
arrived at three forms of translation
• Intralingual translation: Translation within a language which would
involve explaining it in words of the same language
• Interlingual translation: Translation from one language into
another or reinterpretation of the message in another linguistic
code
• Intersemiotic translation: Translation from one linguistic system to
another which means the transference of meaning from a verbal to
a non-verbal system or from one medium to another