Recommended
More Related Content
Similar to Idioms Under the Microscope
Similar to Idioms Under the Microscope (20)
More from Romina Marazzato Sparano
More from Romina Marazzato Sparano (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Idioms Under the Microscope
- 1. Presentation 2001 Idioms Under the Microscope The Logic Behind Mapping Solutions with examples in English, French, and Spanish Romina L. Marazzato
- 2. 02/14/18 Objective Determine a method to establish an idiomatic translation 1
- 3. Breaking the ice… 1 French: AVOIR D’AUTRES CHATS À FOUETTER English: HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY Have more important things to do 2
- 4. Breaking the ice… 2 French: QUAND LES POULES AURONT DES DENTS English: WHEN PIGS FLY Never! 3
- 5. Breaking the ice… 3 French: COUPER L’HERBE SOUS LES PIEDS DE QUELQU’UN English: BEAT SB TO THE PUNCH - PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH SB Take somebody’s oportunity 4
- 6. Breaking the ice… 4 French: AVOIR UN CHAT DANS LA GORGE English: TO HAVE A FROG IN ONE'S THROAT Be hoarse or husky 5
- 7. Breaking the ice… 5 French: CELA ME FAIT UNE BELLE JAMBE English: A FAT LOT OF GOOD THAT DOES ME Be useless 6
- 8. Methodology Borrow concepts from Philosophy of Language: “Translation and Meaning” by Willard Van Orman Quine 7
- 9. Scenario Linguist in a virgin community Excluding all help of interpreters How do we understand the native’s tongue? 8
- 10. Experimenting A rabbit scurries by The native says ‘Gavagai’ What prompts the native’s assent? 9
- 11. Stimulus Meaning The class of all the stimulations that would prompt the speaker’s assent. 10
- 12. Affirmative Stimulus Meaning σ ∈ M(S) iff ∃ σ’ / σ’ → D(k) & σ → A(k) σ, σ’= Stimulations S = Sentence S M = Affirmative stimulus meaning A(k), D(k) = Speaker’s Assent/Disent 11
- 13. Pragmatics The study of language usage in relation with our acting upon others or in response of others’ acting upon ourselves “How to do things with words” John Austin 12
- 14. Pragmatics & Translation As translators, we are called upon the difficult task of unveiling what other people are doing with their words in order to let speakers of other languages understand that as well 13
- 15. Historic Stimulus Meaning Set of diachronic stimulations —origin, ethimology, variations— consciously or unconsciously present which allow for a broader understanding of the term in different contexts with different connotations 14
- 16. Current Stimulus Meaning Set of synchronic stimulations —current usage, register, impact— that prompt the speaker’s assent allowing him to understand and apply the term in specific contexts with particular connotations 15
- 17. Danica Seleskovitch’s Approach The more closely related two cultures are, the more translatable their languages will be La saisie du sens hors langue La réexpression de ce sens dans la langue cible 16
- 18. Translation of Idioms In order to evaluate the translatability of an idiom, we need to establish the proximity of the two cultures regarding such idiom 17
- 19. Translatability of Idioms If the literal translation of an idiom is understood—with or without further explanation—in the target language culture, this means the two cultures are related in the domain pertaining the understanding of the idiom, and the idiom may, indeed, be translated. 18
- 20. Translatability of Idioms A If the literal translation of an idiom is understood in the target language culture without further explanation, this means the two cultures are closely related in the domain pertaining the idiom and the idiom may, indeed, be translated by an expression that will probably draw from the same or a comparable experiential world. 19
- 21. Comparable Experiential World Spanish: MORIRSE DE RISA French literal: MOURIR DE RIRES English literal: DIE OF LAUGHTER 20 laugh loud and long / laugh until you ache
- 22. Comparable Experiential World Spanish: MORIRSE DE RISA 21 French: RIRE À VENTRE DÉBOUTONÉ English: LAUGH YOURSELF SICK or LAUGH YOUR HEAD OFF
- 23. Translatability of Idioms B If the literal translation of an idiom needs further explanation in the target language culture to be understood, this means the two cultures are not closely related in the domain pertaining the idiom and the idiom may, or may not, be translatable. 22
- 24. Translatability of Idioms B cont’d If translatable, the target language rendering will either resort to a semantic solution (where the expression may be mentioned or explained rather than used), or draw from an experiential world different from that in the source language. 23
- 25. Different Experiential World 24 Spanish: DEJARME FRÍO / HELADO French literal: ME LAISSER FROID English literal: LEAVE ME COLD be stunned or staggered
- 26. Different Experiential World Spanish: ME DEJ FRÍO / HELADO 25 French: J'EN SUIS RESTÉ BABA (de surprise) English: IT BLEW MY MIND
- 27. From Colonial Times Spanish: ME COSTÓ UN PERÚ Variation: ME COSTÓ UN POTOSÍ 26
- 28. Step 1: Literal Translation Spanish: ME COSTÓ UN PERÚ French: ÇA M’A COÛTÉ UN PÉROU English: IT COST ME ONE PERU 27
- 29. From Colonial Times cont’d Current stimulus meaning: great effort on the part of the speaker, usually more than the speaker reckoned necessary when he set out to do a certain task Historic stimulus meaning: Spain colonies fighting for their independence, during the first part of the 19th century 28
- 30. Step 2: Adapted Translation Spanish: ME COSTÓ UN PERÚ French: ÇA M’A COÛTÉ UN WATERLOO English: IT COST ME A WATERLOO 29
- 31. Step 3: Semantic Translation Spanish: ME COSTÓ UN PERÚ French: J'AI DU FAIRE BEAUCOUP D'EFFORT English: IT TOOK ME A GREAT EFFORT 30
- 32. Step 4: Idiomatic Translation Spanish: ME COSTÓ UN PERÚ French: ÇA M’A COÛTÉ TRÈS CHER English: IT COST ME DEARLY 31 Note: to cost an armand a leg or coûter la peau des fesses /les yeux de la tête refer specifically to money
- 33. From the Times of Fables French: NE VENDEZ PAS LA PEAU DE L’OURS AVANT DE L’AVOIR TUÉ 32
- 34. Step 1: Literal Translation French: NE VENDEZ PAS LA PEAU DE L’OURS AVANT DE L’AVOIR TUÉ English: DON’T SELL THE BEAR’S FUR BEFORE YOU’VE KILLED IT 33
- 35. From the Times of Fables cont’d Current stimulus meaning: This idiom reminds you that you should not anticipate the results of an action that has not yet taken place Historic stimulus meaning: Drawn from the moral of the fable “The Bear and the Two Friends” by Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) 34
- 36. From the Times of Fables cont’d Il m ’a dit qu ’il ne faut jamais Vendre la peau de l'ours qu'on ne l'ait mis par terre 35
- 37. From the Times of Fables cont’d ÆSOP “The bear and the two travelers” → image of the bear whispering to the laying man 36
- 38. From the Times of Fables cont’d ABSTEMIUS → idea of the fur for sale PHILIPPE DE COMMINES → entire story as historic event 37
- 39. Step 2: Adapted Translation 38 French: NE VENDEZ PAS LA PEAU DE L’OURS AVANT DE L’AVOIR TUÉ English: DON’T SELL THE GOLD YOU HAVEN’T YET FOUND
- 40. Step 3: Semantic Translation 39 French: NE VENDEZ PAS LA PEAU DE L’OURS AVANT DE L’AVOIR TUÉ English: DON’T DEPEND HEAVILY ON PLANS YOU’RE NOT SURE OF
- 41. Step 4: Idiomatic Translation 40 French: NE VENDEZ PAS LA PEAU DE L’OURS AVANT DE L’AVOIR TUÉ English: DON’T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY'RE HATCHED
- 42. Conclusions 41 Notion of historic and current stimulus meaning Determine both the driving force — diachronic—and the manifest force — synchronic— of the idiomatic expressions
- 43. Conclusions cont’d 42 Translation Sequence: 1. Literal Translation → first step in determining whether the same experiential world is pertinent in obtaining an idiomatic translation
- 44. Conclusions cont’d 43 Translation sequence: 2. Adapted Translation → drawing form a comparable experiential world to maintain the historic stimulus meaning
- 45. Conclusions cont’d 44 Translation sequence: 3. Semantic Translation → an explanation, rather than a translation - if adapted translation not satisfaying - it may be the culmination of the process
- 46. Conclusions cont’d 45 Translation sequence: 4. Idiomatic Translation → drawing from a different experiential world, in which case the historic stimulus meaning of the idiom will probably be lost, thus rescuing only its current force
- 47. Conclusions cont’d 46 The more an idiom draws from peculiar aspects within a culture, the less its literal translation will be understood without further explanation, making it necessary to run through these different steps in order to obtain—or come closer to—an idiomatic translation that sounds right to the native speaker
- 48. Epilogue 47 Pay attention to “the ear in translation” Gregory Rabassa
- 49. Epilogue cont’d 48 “Faced with a choice between [two words], the translator does not put the words on trial and engage attorneys to defend and accuse. Most probably, he hears the words in some corner of his mind, and likes the sound of one better than the other.” William Weaver
- 50. Epilogue cont’d 49 Not only is it important to resort to our own ear in translation, but to constantly remember the ear of the audience
- 51. Thank You! 50 Romina L. Marazzato