5. Translation is an operation performed on languages: a process of substituting a text in one language for a text in another.
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6. Larson quoted by Choliludin says that “translation consists of translating the meaning of the source language into receptor
language. This is done by going from the form of the first language to the form of a second language by way of semantic
structure. It is meaning which is being transferred and must be held constant. Only the form changes.”
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In conclusion, translation is a process of replacing a text in one language by an equivalent text in another.
2. The Types of Translation
Brislin categorizes translation into four types based on the purposes of translation, namely:
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1. Pragmatic Translation It refers to the translation of a message with an interest in
accuracy of the information that was meant to be conveyed in the source language form and it is not concerned with other
aspects of the original language version. 2. Aesthetic-poetic Translation
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J. C Catford 1965, op.cit. p.1.
12
Choliludin, The Technique of Making Idiomatic Translation Jakarta: Kesaint Blanc, 2005, p. 4.
13
Ibid . pp. 26-29.
This refers to translation in which the translator takes into account the affect, emotion, and feelings of an original agnate
version, the aesthetic form used by the original author, as well as any information in the message. The examples of this type
are the translation of sonnet, rhyme, heroic couplet, dramatic dialogue, and novel.
3. Ethnographic Translation The purpose of ethnographic translation is to explicate the
cultural context of the source and TL versions. Translators have to be sensitive to the way words are used and must know how
the words fit into cultures. 4. Linguistic Translation
This is concerned with equivalent meanings of the constituent morphemes of the source language and grammatical form, an
example is language in a computer program and machine translation.
3. The Method of Translation
According to Newmark, there are methods of translation as follows:
1. Word-for-word Translation This is often demonstrated as interlinear translation, with the
TL immediately below the SL words. The SL word-order is preserved and the words translated singly by their most
common meanings, out of context. Cultural words are translated literally.
2. Literal Translation The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their
nearest TL equivalents but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context. As a pre-translation process,
this indicates the problems to be solved. 3. Faithful Translation
A faithful translation attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the original within the constraints of the
TL grammatical structures. It ‘transfers’ cultural words and preserves the degree of grammatical and lexical ‘abnormality’
deviation from SL norms in the translation. It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text-realisation
sic of the SL writer. 4. Semantic Translation
Semantic translation differs from ‘faithful translation’ only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value that
is, the beautiful and natural sound of the SL text, compromising on ’meaning’ where appropriate so that no
assonance, word-play or repetition jars in the finished version. 5. Adaptation
This is ‘freest’ form of translation. It is used mainly for plays comedies and poetry; the themes, characters, plots are usually
preserved, the SL culture converted to the TL culture and text rewritten. The deplorable practice of having a play or poem
literally translated and then rewritten by an established dramatist or poet has produced many poor adaptations, but
other adaptations have ‘rescued’ period plays. 6. Free Translation
Free translation reproduces the matter without the manner, or the content without the form of the original. Usually it is a
paraphrase much longer than the original, a so-called ‘intralingual translation’ often prolix and pretentious, and not
translation at all. 7. Idiomatic Translation
Idiomatic translation reproduces the ‘message’ of the original but tends to distort nuances of meaning by preferring
colloquialisms and idioms where these do not exist in the original.
8. Communicative Translation Communicative translation 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.
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4. The Procedures of Translation
