Information Regarding The Texts Analysis

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Chapter 2

Theoretical Framework

In this stage of the Project, the information regarding the texts analysis, such as text style, text function or type of translation will be explained through this entire chapter. Also, in this part of the project, will be mention with wide details the information about some translation techniques, as well as explanations regarding research questions, and methods how of developed a glossary, its relevance for the translator and for the translation process.

This chapter theory great’s assistance is manly focus on mention important topics that helped this project to achieve its primary objective and purpose.

Text analysis

Text analysis can be defined as a mean that helps the as a guide translator to guarantee the cohesion of the ideas expressed in the sentences of any text or document. The translator must need to take into account several sources to ensure the cohesion of ideas such as:

Theme and rheme: Newmark (1982) says that "theme states the subject of discourse, which is normally referred to in, or logically consequential upon, the previous utterance (sentence or paragraph). Rheme is the fresh element, the lexical predicate, which offers information about theme" (page. 177).

Anaphoric and Cataphoric reference: the anaphoric references detail something priory mentioned and cataphoric references bring details of something that will be mention.

Enumerations: means to reproduce the ideas by numerical order (first, second, next, or then or afterwars).

Opposition or dialectic: Newmark (1982) exampled it in this way: "from thesis to antithesis, from positive to negative, from static to dynamic, from specific to genetic and possibly back in each case or it may start with the negative to go on the positive (page 176).

Redundancy: Newmark (1982) explained, in information theory, the function of redundancy is to counteract noise. In a text, redundancy may be bad writing, woolliness etc. (Avoiding monologophobia) which can be discreetly climinated by the translator (page 176).

Conjunctions: includes the linking words, interpolated clauses and phrases or disjucts.

Substitution: with the explanation of Ruquaiya Hasan’s (1968), in Newmark (1982), substitution can be defined as "grammatical and lexical words are used for cohesive purposes to refer to an object or person mentioned in sentence or the previous sentence (pg 178).

Comparatives: Newmark (1982) says that "a comparison is always used cohesively" (page 178).

Initial negatives: they are indicators for a following positive statement which connects an initial negative idea.

Punctuation: Newmark (1982) explained them as "A powerful Cohesive Factor (See Prepositions, nos. 124-130)" (page 178).

Most SL rhetorical questions become statements in English: According to Newmark (1982) "English needs fewer connectives than other languages" (page 178).

The texts analysis required general and a close reading in order to comprehend completely a text. The general reading is basically to understand the concept and subject of the text. A close or specific reading of a text is particularly used in texts that have more difficult language terminologies.

Besides the general or close reading that text analysis demands when understanding a text, the translator must need to take into account whenever is analyzing a text is the intention of the text or intention of the author and the readership of the text.

Text Styles

According to Nida in a "text book of translation", there are four types of literary and nonliterary texts, the narrative, description, discussion and dialogue.

Narrative: the narrative texts emphasized mainly on verbs, verbs plus verb-noun or phrasal and also in sequences of events.

Description: its mainly focus on linking verbs, adjectives and adjectival nouns.

Discussion: according to Newmark (1988), discussion is "a treatment of ideas, with emphasis on abstract nouns (concepts), verbs of though, mental activity (consider, argue, etc), logical arguments and connectives" (page 13).

Dialogue: its focus on colloquialisms and phaticisms.

Stylistic Scales

According to Newmark (1988), "the scale of formality has been variously expressed, notably by Martin Joos and stevens" (page 14).

Scale of Formality

The scale of formality is compound by eight categories: Officialese, official, formal, neutral, informal, colloquial, slang, and taboo. Newmark (1988) provides an explanation of these 8 categories:

"Officialese: The consumption of any nutriments whatsoever is categorically prohibited in this establishment.

Official: The consumption of nutriments is prohibited.

Formal: You are requested not to consume food in this establishment.

Neutral: Eating is not allowed here

Informal: Please don`t eat here.

Colloquial: You can’t feed your face here.

Slang: Lay off the nosh.

Taboo: Lay off the fucking nosh" (pg 14).

Newmark (1988) also mentioned and provides examples of two other stylistic scales; the scale of generality or difficulty, and a scale of emotional tone:

Scale of Generality or Difficulty

"Simple: "The floor of the sea is covered with rows of big mountains and deep pits."

Popular:"The floor of the oceans is covered with great mountain chains and deep trenches."

Neutral: "A graveyard of animal and plant remains lies buried in the earth’s crust."

Educated: "The latest step is vertebrate evolution was the tool-making man."

Technical: "Critical path analysis is an operational research technique used in management."

Opaquely technical: "Neurimatic acid in the form of alkali-stable methoxy derivate was first isolated by Klenk from gangliosides" (pg 14).

Scale of Tone

Intense: "(profuse use of intensifiers) ("hot")

"Absolutely wonderful… ideally dark bass… enormously successful… superbly controlled"

Warm: "Gentle, soft, heart-warming melodies."

Factual: "("cool")"

"Significant, exceptionally well judged, personable, presentable, considerable".

Understatement: "("cold")" "Not … undignified". (pg 15).

Text function

Newmark (1988) explained that there are three main functions of language, the informative, vocative and expressive. These functions are the core of the language.

Informative

In translation, the informative function concerned about any particular topic of knowledge. This function focuses on external situations or facts of a topic, for example, ideas or theories.

The informative function follows a standard format; these are some examples of types of language function, textbooks, newspapers, scientific technical documents.

It’s important to mention that there are two aspects that should be emphasis when describing the informative function. First most of informative texts are found in international organizations, multi-nationals, private companies or translation agencies. And second, most of them present lacks of proper grammar structures, resulting a task for the translator to correct them.

Expressive Function

The expressive function reflects the ideas of the speaker, writer and the originator of the utterance to express feelings without the intention of receive a response.

Newmark (1988) specify that, for purposes of the translation the expressive texts can be divided in three text-types:

Serious Imaginative Literature: some of them are texts like lyrical poetry, short stories, novels or plays.

Authoritative Statements: Newmark (1988), says "these are texts of any nature which derive their authority from high status or the reliability and linguistic competence of their authors" (page 39).

Autobiography essays and personal correspondence: these in particular are expressive when the readers are quite related with the author’s background.

Vocative Function

The vocative texts are specifically directed to the readership, and to persuade a message for them. This functions is particularly, named that why because a message for the readership to react about a specific topic.

Newmark (1988), mentioned that for translation purposes the vocative function format is seen in "notices, instructions, publicity, propaganda, persuasive writing(requests, cases, theses) and possibly popular friction, whose purpose is to sell the book/entertain the reader, as the typical "Vocative" text" (page 41).

Type of Translation.(Translation Methods)

Semantic Translation

The semantic translation uses the source language exact meaning and translates this same message taking into account the target language grammatical structure. It is important to mention that all semantic translations main objective are focus on meaning. Although, it also takes into account the naturalness and aesthetic are consider in this method of translation.

To amplify the meaning of this method of translation, Newmark (1982) states that "semantic translation attempts to render, as closely as the semantic and syntactic structures of the second language allow, the exact contextual meaning of the original" (page 39).

The principal objective of the translator every time his is about to use the semantic translation, is the ideas and thoughts of the authors whenever the translator perceive that is proper to use the semantic translation method, to convey the exact message of the original into the target language. The semantic translation mostly is directed to just one reader most of the times are addressed to writer of the source language text.

Newmark (1982), explained that semantic translations has the task to has to explained, defined and even interpret metaphors.

Newmark (1982) point of view is that "a semantic translation is always inferior to its original, since it involves loss of meaning" (page 42).

Communicative Translation

Newmark (1982) states that "all translations must be in some degree communicative and semantic" (page 62).

In the communicative translation method the only part of the meaning that is taken into account is the part of the target language message understanding. The communicative translation tries to produce a reaction on the target language reader same as the reaction provided in the original text. This translation method is a subjective procedure, because it aims to achieve a possible effect on the readers.

Newmark (1982), explained that "generally, a communicative translation is likely to be smoother, simpler, clearer, more direct, more conventional, conforming to a particular register of language, tending to undertranslate, i.e. to use more generic, hold-all terms in difficult passages" (page 39).

Translation Techniques

According to Delisle (ed., 1999) translation techniques are methods of linguistic transference of the most relevant parts of the source language text that the translator must used to achieve equivalence.

Parra (2005), defined translation techniques as global approaches that the translator acquire when is translating a source text in coherent way, according to the function or purpose of the target text.

Acording to Newmark "while translation methods relate to whole texts, translation procedures are used for sentences and the smaller units of language" (p.81).

Transposition

Transposition is a type of translation technique that involves a structural change in the grammar when translation the source language into the target one. This procedure does not change the meaning of the source language message at all; transposition just change the way that the message is given by the author of the source language in order to sound more natural for the target language reader.

Transposition is a helpful tool for the translator but is especially directed to help the reader understanding of the message from the source language text.

Transposition is a procedure by which the translator replaces a part of the speech of the source language for completely different target language speech without losing the message of the source language (Vázquez Ayora, 1977).

Vazques Ayora (1977), bring this examples as a reference:

I merely asked his name = me contenté con preguntarle el nombre

Transposition is a procedure that modifies the grammatical structure of a part of the text without losing the general sense of the source language text (López Guix and Wilkinson (1997).

López Guix and Wilkinson (1997), provide this example to give an idea of this procedure:

After she left = Tras su partida

Both examples basically reflect the difference that transposition produce in the target language grammatical order and still reproducing the same message that the source language meant.

Newmark (1987) describes transposition or shifts as a process that involves the grammatical change when the translator is translating a source language text into a target language one.

Newmark (1982), explain that this procedures has three types of transposition. The first type is changing from singualr to plural. Example:

Furniture = muebles

Newmark (1987) provides more of the first type of transposition:

Applause =aplausos

Advice = consejos

The second type appears when there is not a source language grammatical structure equivalent in the target language. The third type is when the literal translation of a grammatical structure is possible but not natural for the target language culture.

Hurtado (2001), defined this translation technique just by mentioned that is a procedure that implies grammatical change order.

Hurtado (2001), provides an important example of the risk that translation may have because it can produce misinterpretations in the target language text:

To translate into castellan He will soon be back for No tardará en venir instead of Estará de vuelta pronto.

Modulation

Newmark (1982) defines modulation as "a variation through a change of point of view, of perspective and very often of category of thought" page 88). The technique is basically used to reproduce the same idea from the original text but changing the grammatical components of it, mostly when the literal translation misses the linguistic level of a text.

This particular technique is tricky because it requires the translator not just to simply translate but mainly, will requires perception of the text to be translate. Modulation can originate misinterpretations from the target language readers if the translator do not take the require to be careful and familiarized with the language when changing the speech of the original document without losing the contextual meaning.

Vázquez Ayora (1977), explain that the modulation exists when there is a change in the conceptual basis within a proposition but without changing the way of meaning of the context.

The following example is provided by Vázquez Ayora (1977) to describe this process:

That’s the answer =>Esa es la solución

In this example is noticeable that the idea is remains even if the grammatical structure is completely different from the original text.

Newmark (1987) defined this technique as a variation made through a viewpoint, perspective and often of category of thought change.

As an example to have an idea of what this procedure is about, Newmark (1987) provides:

Don’t delay = Date prisa

No te quepa duda =Get this straight

No tiene nada de tonto = He’s extremely intelligent

As Newmark (1988) named it " positive for double negative (or double negative for positive ) is a concrete procedure which can be applied in principle to any action ( Verb) or quality (adjective or adverb)" (pg 88).

Modulation is compound by two parts, the Bound modulation and the Free Modulation:

Bound modulation: when the source language active form is transfer to the passive form of the target language.

Free Translation: the free translation refers the act of related the meaning in the source language into the target one. (Newmark in Machali, 2000: 691).

Modulation is very complex, according to most of the translator experts, is the one that requires more knowledge of the grammatical mechanics both source and target language.

Through this process the translator main objective is to change the way the message is given without changing the contextual meaning in order to produce the same effect that the source language pretends into the target language.

Omissions and Insertions

The omission method works particularly the translator to avoid redundancy and repetition of ideas that can be express in a single and simple form when are translated into the target language. Omission, instead of been a procedure that change or modify the source language authors text or idea, it tries to provides an easy to understand and natural speech for the target language readers that explains the same message of the source language text.

Vázquez Ayora (1977) mention that this procedures as well as been a translation procedures they both also have operative technical procedures functions.

Vázquez Ayora (1977) explain this term with this example

The committee has failed to act by La comisión no actuó.

This example clearly shows the fact that when the translator is about to use the omission procedure, a literal translation of the context is not a proper technique. This procedure uses the most cultural and natural phrases or words to provide a better understanding in the target reader of the source text.

The amplification procedure aim to reinforce the idea of the source text when is translated into the target language text, mostly because of the lack of an equivalence to express the word or idea of the source text into the target language text. In the other hand, amplification is a procedure of translation, which is basically the contrary of omission. This procedure is also named expansion.

Deslie (1999), provide the following examples to explain ths procedure:

vivificante > life-giving

Yorkshire > condado de Yorkshire

According to Newmark (1988) for amplification " a not uncommon shift, often neglected, is the source language adjective, English target language adverb plus past participle, or present participle plus objective" (page 90).

Expansion is a procedure by which the translator must increase the number of words to defined better what the source text may refers to.

Besides been that different between the, both procedures might use in texts with poor grammatical or linguistical content which force the translator to produce a significant change of style and lexicon on the text in order to be fully comprehensible for the target language readers; no matters if its omitting or expanding the text.

Newmark (1987), describes this two procedures as quite inaccurate, and must of the time are intuitively made by the translator.

Explicitation

This process is aim to express with a wider vocabulary the ideas of the source language in order to provide a better understanding of the text in the target language reader just alike the amplification procedure. This means that sometimes the implicit terms of a language are understandable for one language but still missing meaning in other language, forcing the translator to bring the implicit to the explicit to achieve a proper translation of the source text.

As a type of amplification that obeys semantics and where the Target language is implicit expressed in the source language context (Vázquez Ayora, 1977).

Deslie (1999), specify that explicitation, incorporate the most specific details to clarify the source language message into the target language.

Deslie (1999), explain this theory with this example:

To help resolve the basic questions of delegation > Para ayudar a resolver el problema fundamental de la delegación de poderes

Literal Translation

When between two languages ​​there is precisely structure and meaning junction and where the equivalence fulfill morpheme after morpheme (Vázquez Ayora, 1977).

López Guix y Wilkinson (1997) describes literal translation as a word for word transition from a language into other taking into account the linguistic and grammatical structures of the target language.

Hurtado (2001) mentioned that literal translation can be defined as phrases or words translated word for word.

According to Deslie (1999), "Literal translation ranges from one word to one word, through group to group, collocation to collocation, clause to clause, to sentence to sentence" (seventh paragraph, 2013).

Newmark (1988) mention that "Literal translation is a strategy in which the Source Language grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest Target Language equivalents, but the lexical words are again translated singly, out of context" (page 81).

Literal translation is the easiest procedure of translation, but it only can function whenever the two languages have the same equivalent words or phrases which is quite rare because mostly all languages have differences in lexicon and the grammatical or linguistic style and order (Vachon-Spilka 1968).

False Cognates

There are many words in the romantic languages that are pretty much similar in appearance and writing to some English words; nevertheless not all of those words have same meaning, actually, most of them refers to a completely other meaning. This words are called false cognates.

Most the time people, especially those people who are starting to become familiar with a new language, confused this words bringing a misinterpretation of a message or an idea.

For eample:

Nudo: knot, node, joint.

Nude: desnudo

Pie = foot.

Pie = pastel

Advertencia = warning, piece of advice, reminder, or preface.

Advertisement = un anuncio.

Agonía = death throes, dying moments.

Agony = terrible physical or mental pain

Apologia= defense or a eulogy.

Apology = una disculpa or excusa

Arena = means sand.

Arena = anfiteatro, redondel, plaza

Asistir = means to attend.

Assist = translates as ayudar.

Bizarro = valient, gallant, brave, or generous.

Bizarre = means extraño or raro.

Blindar = means to armor-plate or to shield

Blind = ciego

Campo = means country (side), field, or farm.

Camp= refers to un campamento.

Carpeta = folder, file, portfolio, briefcase, or table cloth.

Carpet = is una alfombra or una moqueta.

Colorado= means red or reddish.

Colored = de color

Damnificado = victim, from the verb damnificar - to injure, harm, damage.

Damned means = condenado or maldito.

Delito= refers to a crime, offence, or misdeed.

Delight = el placer, el deleite, el encanto, or la delicia.

Desgracia = means misfortune, mishap, accident, setback, or bad luck.

Disgrace = refers to la deshonra or ignominia

Echar = has numerous meanings, including to throw, to put, to pour, to give, to cut, and to push.

Echo= means resonar, repetir, or hacer eco.

Effective = eficaz

Efectivo means real or actual, dinero

Fútbol = refers to soccer (in American English).

Football = el fútbol americano.

Excitar = means to excite sexually.

Excite = when talking about something you're looking forward to is entusiasmar or provocar.

Fastidioso = means annoying or boring.

Fastidious = means escrupuloso

Grabar= is to engrave, record, or impress.

Grab= means asir, coger, or arrebatar.

Gracioso means funny or cute.

Gracious = gentil, cortés, or refinado.

Idioma refers to a language.

Idiom = idiotosmo, modismo, or lenguaje

Labor can mean any kind of work: paid work, chores, needlework, etc.

Labor refers to trabajo

Lectura refers to the act of reading or reading material.

Lecture = una conferencia, una explicación, or un sermoneo

Lujuria = lust, lewdness, excess.

Luxury = el lujo

Mama refers to a breast.

Mama = mamá

Molestar means to annoy or bother.

Molest = acosar sexualmente.

Glossaries

In this stage of the chapter, will to be explanatory arguments of the importance for the translator to develop a glossary with all the content and definition of the most difficult terminology of any text. To develop a glossary is not complicated, nevertheless it requires to be very organized and a deeply investigation in order to provide the real message of the subject or terminology.

Relevance for the Translator

Acclaro (2013), mention that a glossary has essecial benefits for the translator, they specify that doing glossaries for target language text will guarantee less time spent in the translation.

Basically, glossaries for translation purposes, explain the most specific vocabulary of the respective field or subject matter. Glossaries will not just help the translator to understand the meaning of the vocabulary less common or complicated of the text, but it will help the target language readers and users of the document.

Acclaro (2013), also says as another benefit of the use of glossaries in target language texts is "A glossary (from the Greek glossa, meaning obsolete or foreign word), ensures a consistent style and voice, an accurate rendering of the original text and a level of translation quality that is even throughout" (third paragraph, Acclaro 2010).

Relevance for the translation Process

Glossaries are not just developing for the use of the reader to understand difficult terminology, but they also provide assistance to the translator to have a guide of the complex and unique terminology of a specific field. Besides the terminology it facilitates the translator the translation process when need to look up for phrases or terms faster and understand thoroughly the information of the text.

For example, in medical texts, a glossary will be very useful to achieve a final translation text because the different and diverse terms of medical equipment, parts or supplies, medication definitions or any other medical subject that mostly will have very special terminology that will varies completely when translating into a target language.

How to Create a Glossary

Hoang (2011) suggests these advices for creating an Excel-glossary:

"Easy to look up terms, phrases;

Easy to manage (add, edit, delete...) a huge volume of terms in various fields just in one Excel workbook;

Relatively small file size;

Possible to be imported as TMs for CAT Tools." (2nd paragraph)

Hoang (2011), says that glossaries provide important assistant to the translator, especially because is always is working with new vocabulary and terminologies from different fields.

According to RENNERT (2007), "Glossaries can also serve as the foundation for translation memory databases. The use of translation memory software can lead to improved linguistic consistency and lower translation costs. Creating glossaries requires a little effort, but it can make a big difference in the quality and consistency of the finished translation. If you update glossaries on an incremental basis, maintaining them will seem painless." (Second paragraph)

Relationship between the theories and the research question.

In this section the theory and research questions are the core to develop this project. The relation between them will guide and assist the researcher to find in a correct form, the answers of questions of this specific topic.

The analysis and identification of several translation methods will help Meditek with the translation of the texts Manual Del Operador: Mesa de Operaciones Ambulatoria ASC 2000 and the Operator Manual: Amsco Sonic Energy Console

To analyze both texts will help to find procedures and approaches required to to achieve a natural and acquired translations.to evaluate the oblique translation techniques (Transposition, Modulation, and Literal Translation), will help no just the texts to be more natural and accurate, but it also provides assistance to the translator in identifying problems or difficulties when is translating into the text.

There is a glossary, which is specially developed to bring help to the translator and the reader to understand difficult terminologies. Also this glossary can be take into account as a reference for similar medical texts of Mediek in the case that its required to translate more documents f this field.