10 transfer of meaning, it includes relaying lexical meaning, relaying grammatical
meaning, and relaying rhetorical meaning, including implied or inferable meaning, or potential readers. The third is about assessment of target text, it
pervades readability, conforming to generic and discoursal TL conventions, and judging adequacy of translation for specified purpose.
2. Translation and the Cultural Implications
It is mentioned above that translators have a high risk to translate a source language text SLT into the target language text TLT without any concerns of
common characteristics of the social framework. James 2002 states that translation is a kind of activity which inevitably involves at least two languages
and two cultural traditions. Therefore, translators are inevitably confronting with how to treat the cultural aspects found in a ST and to find the best technique of
conveying the intended meaning in the TLT. James 2002 explains that a gloss translation mostly typifies formal equivalence where form and content are
reproduced as faithfully as possible and the TLT reader is able to understand as much as he can of the customs, manner of thought, and means of expression of
the SLT context. Persons engaged in the complex task of translating possess some type of
underlying or covert theory; as explained by Nida 1991, even though it may be still very embryonic and described only as just being faithful to what the author
was trying to say, p. 19. James 2002 mentions that the cultural implications for translation may take several forms ranging from lexical content and syntax to
11 ideologies and ways of life in a given culture. In this case, translators have to be
able to analyze the significances found in the cultural aspects of the SLT and how necessary those significances are to be translated into the TTL. Some of the major
problems of
translation are
over-translation, under-translation,
and untranslatability Abdellah, 2002. This statement implies that if translators fail to
transfer the required cultural meanings from the SLT into the TTL, they might lead the translation products into over-translation, under-translation, or even
untranslatability. It is true that the richness of vocabulary and the understanding of language
structure out of the source language as well as the target language could influence the quality of the translators’ product of translation. However, the depth of the
cultural understanding is essential to considering the implications for translation. James 2002, in her study mentions that based on the conclusion of importance to
both linguistic and cultural differences between the SLT and the TLT, differences between cultures may cause more severe complications for the translator than do
differences in language structure. More theory found in James’ study reveals that no language can exist unless it is steeped in the context of culture; and no culture
can exist which does not have at its centre, the structure of natural language. These theories clearly indicate that mere ability or competence to create
grammatically correct sentences as an impact to the TLT is not sufficient for the translators to be “as faithful as possible” to the SLT. The manner in which cultural
aspects may be perceived and make translating decisions accordingly James, 2002.
12
3. Translation’s Considerations
