described above, but also must be able to capture the implicit message in the source language and deliver it into the target language.
In the application of the communicative translation, translators will translate the original texts in a way that will be easy to understand by the TL readers. It tries to
deliver the original information accurately in the target language. But when the original information is in conflict with the communicative purpose, equivalence effect
will be chosen as a compromise or mediator. Nida divides the equivalence into two types: formal equivalence and dynamic
equivalence.
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Formal equivalence tries to remain as close to the original text as possible, without adding the translator‟s ideas and thoughts into the translation.
Dynamic equivalence is an approach to translation in which the original language is translated “thought for thought” rather than “word for word” as informal equivalence.
Dynamic equivalence involves taking each sentence or thought from the original text and rendering it into a sentence in the target language that conveys the same
meaning, but does not necessarily use the exact phrasing or idioms of the original. Dynamic equivalence is useful when the original language is very different from the
target language, making a more literal translation difficult to understand. The more the source language differs from the target language, the more
difficult it may be to understand a literal translation on the other hand, formal equivalence can sometimes allow readers familiar with the source language to see
how meaning was expressed in the original text.
12
E. A. Nida, Toward a Science of Translation. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1964, p, 156
In communicative translation, it is important to make the translation makes sense and reads naturally like any other text in the target language. This is apparently
more difficult than one might expect, because one tends to reproduce a lot of grammatical structures, phrases and wordings which are natural in the source
language but, while possible in the target language, which do not feel natural as such in the target language.
To get the text translation naturally is not easy, because there are some problems that will be faced by translation as Newmark lists:
a. Word order. In all languages, adverbs and adverbials are the most mobile
components of a sentence, and their placing often indicates the degree of emphasis on what are the new information as well as naturalness.
b. One-to-one translation making common structures seem unnatural
c. Cognate words
d. The appropriateness of gerunds, infinitives, verb-nouns
e. Old-fashioned or lofty target language diction
f. Non-corresponding categories and phenomena such as tense-aspect,
definite article use, g.
Idioms and metaphors, nominal compounds, collocations etc. h.
Random, unpredictable things that just seem unnatural in the target language
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13
Peter Newmark, op. cit., pp. 27-28
What make things more complicated is that naturalness often depends on the situation, such that something might seem natural in one context but unnatural in
another. Most translators do something to minimize the unnaturalness by reading the translation and spot unnaturally sounding parts and change them into something that
sounds more natural. The translation of meaning is the main goal in communicative translation. It is
more understandable whether on the respect of cultural background and syntactic structures. The writer concludes that in communicative translation, translators are
loyal to target language norms. Communicative translation attempts to reproduce the exact contextual meaning of the SL text. But both content and language should be
acceptable and comprehensible to the readership. As a guide in translating the text communicatively, Newmark has explained
some principles of communicative translation: 1 Communicative translation is social, 2 concentrates on the message and the main force of the text, 3 tends to
under-translate, 4 to be simple, clear and brief, and 5 is always written in a natural and resourceful style.
14
This happens because the communicative translation method is more consider the maturity level of language and the level of knowledge of the TL
readers.
14
Ibid, pp. 48-49
C. Translation Method
According to Machali, translation method is “cara melakukan penerjemahan
dan rencana dalam pelaksanaan penerjemahan”.
15
Before translating the text, the translators should determine what method that they will use in translation. Some of
translation theorists described several types of translation method. Newmark lists the following translation methods, one extreme being total
focuses on the source textlanguage and the other extreme being total focuses on the target textlanguage.
1 The methods closest to the source language
a. Word-for-word translation: preservation of word order and as literal
translation as possible of individual words, including cultural words, in which the SL word order is preserved and the words translated singly by
their most common meanings, out of context. b.
Literal translation: apart from as literal as possible translation of individual words, grammatical structures are converted into the nearest
target language equivalents but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context.
c. Faithful translation: it attempts to produce the precise contextual meaning
of the original within the constraints of the TL grammatical structures. d.
Semantic translation: which differs from faithful translation only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text.
15
Rochayah Machali, Pedoman Umum Bagi Penerjemah, Jakarta: PT. Grasindo, 2000, p. 49
Semantic translation more emphasis on naturalness than in faithful translation, and translation of certain cultural words into neutral
equivalents in the TL. 2
The methods closest to the target language a.
Adaptation: which is the freest form of translation, and more of a target languageculture based interpretation of the source text than a translation
and is used mainly for plays comedies and poetry; the themes, characters, plots are usually preserved, the SL culture is converted to the
TL culture and the text is rewritten. b.
Free translation: focuses on the content of the target text rather than the form, which means that the same content is expressed in the target text but
with very different grammatical structures if need be. It produces the TL text without the style, form, or content of the original.
c. Idiomatic translation: it 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.
d. Communicative translation: 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. Communicative
translation is reputed to be an ideal way in translation.
16
16
Peter Newmark, op. cit., pp. 45-47
See the following diagram of translation method by Newmark, V diagram:
SL emphasis TL emphasis
Word for word translation Adaptation
Literal translation Free translation
Faithful translation Idiomatic translation
Semantic translation Communicative translation In brief, Newmark divided the method of translation into two types, 1
communicative translation, in which the translation attempts to produce the same effect on the target language readers, and 2 semantic translation, in which the
translation attempts within the bare syntactic and semantic constraints of the target language, to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the author.
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D. Types of Text in Communicative Translation
Newmark‟s puts a very important view, by dividing texts into universal and local, which informative, expressive and vocative texts can fall into easily. This will
ease the process of matching between the text type and translation approach. Expressive texts content will mostly be under local texts, approached formally and
semantically as it is composed of culturally specific components. The concept of text types was present in Peter
Newmark‟s writings. He particularly categories text types according to their translation approaches.
17
Ibid, p. 22
1. Informative texts: which are mostly documents that transfer information and
facts. These types of documents can most likely be translated according to Nida‟s mix of formal- dynamic equivalence approach, and Newmark‟s
communicative approach. 2.
Expressive texts: Aesthetic style is present heavily in the text, transferring images and emotions through the language of the text. It is best to tackle it
semantically and formally staying as close as possible to the author. 3.
In vocative texts, if a communicative translation is pursued then equivalent effect will be sought. This type of texts usually aimed at persuasion and
behavior influence. Therefore, it will be so much important to transfer the meaning that adapts
–or with equivalent effect- in the TL culture.
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Normally, communicative translation used to translate the particular text, mainly publicity, propaganda, persuasive or eristic writing, and perhaps popular
fiction or book for children.
E. Process of Translation
The process of translation can be defined as the activity of translation. The translation process is usually used by a translator as a guide in translating text from
the source language into the target language. The process of translation consists of three steps: analyze texts of source language, transfer, restructuring.
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18
Peter Newmark, op. cit., 1988, pp. 39-41
19
E. A. Nida, op. cit., p. 33
