This document summarizes the key features of the semantic and communicative approaches to translation. The semantic approach attempts to render the exact meaning of the original text and is accurate but may not communicate properly. It is more complex and tends to overtranslate. The communicative approach aims to make the text readily acceptable and comprehensible to the target readership. It is easier to read, more natural and reader-centered, but risks undertranslating important information. Both approaches have benefits and limitations in accurately conveying the original meaning.

1. Translation:
Semantic and
Communicative
Approach.

2. Features of
semantic
method

3. > It attempts to render, as closely as the semantic and
syntactic structures of target language allow, the exact
contextual meaning of the original.
> it is accurate but may not communicate properly.
> It is personal and individual.
> It emphasizes the "loyalty" to the original text.
> It is more complex, more detailed, more awkward,
more concentrated

4. > It pursues the nuances of meaning.
> It follows the process of the author (author -
centred).
> It is normally inferior to its original, as there is
both cognitive and pragmatic loss.
> Pursuing author's thoughts process and
related to thought.
> It tends to overtranslate.

5. Overtranslation
>It tends to add more words than in
the original.
> Information that is not in the
original or using words in a broader
meaning (mistranslation).
> It could lead to a misunderstanding
between the source language and the target
language.
> Sometimes we overtranslate
because of lack of equivalence.

6. Features
of communicative
method

7. > It attempts to render the exact contextual
meaning of the original in such a way that both
content and language are readily acceptable
and comprehensible to the readership.
> It is related to speech.
> Reader-centred.
> Easy reading, smoother, more natural,
simpler, clearer, more direct, more
conventional.

8. > Contents more accessible to the reader.
> Equivalence effect.
> Faithful and freer, effective.
> It tends to undertranslate.

9. Undertranslation
>It tends to use less words than in the original text.
>It is briefer and simpler.
> It overestimates the knowledge reserve of the target
language readers and neglects the comprehensibility of
translated works.
> It could lead to a lack of necessary information that the
source language attempts to convey.