SEDA GABRIELYAN
SIRANUSH MELOYAN
J.P. VINAY AND J.DARBELNETS TRANSLATION
PROCEDURES IN USE
There are two basic translation methods as suggested by Canadian scholars
Vinay and Darbelnet: direct or literal translation, and indirect or oblique
translation. (Vinay, Darbelnet 1958/1969).
It may happen that a source language message can be transferred perfectly
into a target language, because it is based on parallel categories (structural
parallelism) or on parallel concepts (metalinguistic parallelism). But the
translator may also be aware of gaps or ''lacunae'' in the TL which have to be
filled by some equivalent means, as that the global impression is the same for the
two messages. And there are also cases where because of structural or
metalinguistic differences, certain stylistic effects cannot be transferred to the TL
without radical semantic or lexical changes. It is clear that in such cases the
translator must have recourse to more roundabout procedures which may appear
surprising at first sight but which nevertheless allow a rigorous analysis of
equivalence; these are oblique translation procedures. The first three procedures
outlined below are direct, and the others are oblique.
Procedure (I): borrowing
In the case of a lacuna usually a metalinguistic one, borrowing is the
simplest translation procedure of all. It would scarcely be a procedure of
relevance if the translator did not occasionally need to make use of it in order to
create some particular stylistic effect. For instance to introduce an element of
local colour foreign terms are often retained.
There are many old loanwords which have become so much part of the lexis
of the borrowing language that they no longer appear as loans. Elements of local
colour evoked by means of borrowing have an effect on the style, and
consequently also on the message itself.
It is worth noting that loans often actually enter a language via translation
and are commonly defined as words borrowed from one language and
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incorporated into another or integrated words from a foreign language,
orthography adapted for the receiving language. Certain classes of words are
more commonly borrowed than others, usually words for exotic concepts or
ideas from this class. What is exotic varies from language to language. Thus,
English names for creatures, not native to Great Britain, are almost always
loanwords and most of technical vocabulary referring to classical music is
borrowed from Italian, by contrast functional words are usually not borrowed. In
1973 a computerized survey showed that there were 80.000 loan words in the
Old Shorter Oxford Dictionary (3rd edition). The reasons for English vast
borrowings include the existence of other languages native to Britain, invasions
of England by various tribes, the flexibility of English syllable structure etc.
Procedure (II): Calque
Calque is a loan translation of a particular kind: a complete syntagma
(syntactic unit) is borrowed, but its individual elements are translated literally.
The result may be a claque of translation, which preserves the syntactic structure
of the SL while introducing a new mode of expression; or it may be a structural
calque, which introduces a new construction into the TL. As with borrowings,
there are many old calques which have become fixed in the language; these too
may undergo a semantic change which makes them false friends. The translator
will be more interested in new calques which seek to feel a lacuna without
recourse to an actual borrowing.
Procedure (III): literal translation
This procedure is applied mainly in case of closely related languages and
especially those having a similar culture, and historical development, general
convergence of thought and sometimes of structure and. In principle, Literal,
word-for-word translation is quite a unique solution. It is a translation that
follows closely the form of the source language. In this case it is defined as one
where the resulting TL text is grammatically correct and idiomatic, and where
the translator doesn't have to make any changes other than those obviously
required by the TL grammar/ such as concord, inflectional endings/.
However, if a literal translation is felt to be unacceptable, the translator then
has to turn to an oblique procedure.
Procedure (IV): transposition
Transposition means the replacing of one word-class by another, without
changing the meaning of the message. The procedure can also be used within a
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language, as in rewording. . In this term the second version is called the
transposed form, and the original one, the base form. The base and transposed
forms are not necessarily equivalent from the stylistic point of view. The
transposed form generally has a more literary character. Transposition often
involves a reciprocal change: one change leads to another. Changing one part of
speech for another without changing the message itself.
Procedure (V): modulation
Modulation means a variation in the message due to a change in the point of
view: seeing something in a different light. It is justified when a literal or
transposed translation results in a form which is natural, going against the feeling
of the TL. These differences are quite natural, for languages proceed from
different mental pictures and have their own linguistic style, internal form. They
are formed in different landscapes, through different experiences. And as a
result, we have the same concept with different characteristic features brought to
the fore due to different experiences and perception.
There are several types of modulation:
Concrete vs. Abstract, Whole vs. part, Part vs. different part, Converses
Cause vs. effect, Means vs. result, Different sense (examples to be presented).
Procedure (VI): total syntagmatic change
Total syntagmatic change usually belongs to the phraselogical repertoire of
idioms, clichés, proverbs nominal or adjectival collocations, etc. Proverbs typi-
cally provide perfect illustration of the procedure. And the same is true of
idioms. The change involved in the result of the application of the given
procedure is usually syntagmatic, affecting the whole of the message.
Procedure (VII): adaptation
This procedure brings us to the extreme limit of translation; it is applied
when the situation to which the message refers does not exist at all in the TL and
must be created by reference to a new situation, is not required, as cultural
similarities in such instances usually provide a series of parallelisms of content
that make the translation less difficult than when both languages and cultures are
disparate. Adaptation is question of situational equivalence. In fact, sometimes,
due to religious, cultural and literary factors, it is difficult to find a standard
equivalent in one language for another. For example, in many areas of West
Africa the behavior of Jesus' disciples in spreading leaves and branches in his
way as he rode into Jerusalem is regarded as reprehensible: for in accordance
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with West African custom the path to be walked on or ridden over by a chief is
cleaned of all litter, and anyone who throws a branch in such a person's way is
guilty of grievous insult.
The seven procedures outlined above apply equally to lexis, grammar and
the message itself. Finally, it is clear that within a single sentence several of
these procedures may be used simultaneously, and that some translations depend
on a highly complex technique that is difficult to define. The application of these
complex techniques to lexis, grammar, and the message itself will be illustrated
by the examples derived from ''Lilit'' by A. Isahakian and its translation into
English by Aghasi Serobian.
''Lilit'' by A. Isahakian is not a random choice, in fact. It goes without
saying that this work is notable for its rich language, spontaneous, primary,
graphic, but at the same time derivative, ultimate and ideational intention,
striking personal style which presents a real dilemma to translators. Besides,
each language (here, Armenian) compared to any other also has its own
linguistic style, what von Humboldt (1816) called its 'internal form' and one
should remember that translation is a literary genre apart. It is not the work, but
a path towards the work'' (Ortega 1937). In addition, ''translation should be
transparent: it does not cover the original, does not block its light, but allows the
pure language, as though reinforced by its own medium, to shine upon the
original all the more fully'' (Benjamin 1923). As a matter of fact, translation
procedures, as suggested by J.P. Vinay and J. Darbelnet (1958/1969), help
translator fulfill this onerous task.
It goes without saying that Armenian fiction and English fiction which are
not only written in different languages, but also represent different cultures,
differ greatly in terms of linguistic, literary and cultural-social conventions and
the application of these translation procedures that a translator resorts to in cases
of lacunae, or lexical gaps, can be best illustrated by vivid examples from '' Lilit''
by A. Isahakian and its translation into English.
The following borrowing, indeed, the simplest translation procedure, is
noted both in the original and in the translation. The case is that the SL word
'' '' has its TL translation Eden also known as ''Garden of Eden1 but in
fact, neither of these words is the original one. They both come from the Hebrew
word dhen meaning ''place of pleasure''. Simply, in Armenian we have a
consonant change; assimilation influenced by the plosive d. Anyhow, these
1
(Old Testament) the garden in which Adam and Eva were placed at the creation
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words, though borrowings, have become so much part of the lexis of both the
languages that are no longer perceived as loan words in either language.
As a matter of fact, ''Lilit'' is a Hebrew myth, derived from the Old Testa-
ment and as both the cultures possess the proper aspects, vocabulary and related
concepts, here adaptation, a question of situational equivalence, is not required,
as cultural, mainly religious similarities and factors in such instances usually
provide a series of parallelisms of content that make the translation less difficult
than when both languages and cultures are disparate.
The procedure of modulation is here intensively applied, and it is quite
natural, since Armenian and English are formed in different landscapes, through
different experiences and proceed from different mental pictures.
An interesting thing is observed; the Armenian word finds its
counterpart in English heart.
1. « » - ''Loneliness has trodden my heart''
2. « . »-
with his whole heart squeezed her tightly to his craving chest.
This type of modulation implies part vs. another part.
We have also modulation of different sense;
3. give an ear to
There are also a number of examples of literal translation, perhaps, condi-
tioned by shared metalinguistic concepts, as well as by the general convergence
of thought among the Indo-European languages. Anyhow, it must be mentioned
that even in closely related languages, literal translation of phraseological units is
rarely possible, yet in ''Lilit'' and its translation we come across the following
vivid examples;
1. - he all of a
sudden took heart to draw up to her'',
2. ''Anger rose up in his heart'',
3. ,
''I know such places in Eden where even the creator
hasn't set foot on yet''.
4. '' and she called them
in a sweet voice'',
5. - '' smile beamed on her
charming face''.
6. - '' .the night is coming''
7. « `
» - '' coulnd't get quenched'
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As we know total syntagmatic change mainly refers to
1. the phraseological repertoire;
« » - '' .meaning of my life''
2. interjections, exclamations;
~ ~ Oh, what gems!
Why so?
3. and other units.
- clusters of stars
The following examples of transposition can be presented:
1. - , - ''Go to Adam; that's My
Will''
In Armenian we have a verb, while in translation we have a class shift from
verb to noun: - Will''
2. _ my love is as big as the universe
In Armenian we have a verb, while in translation we have a class shift from
verb to noun: - my love
3. Adam went to God to complain.
In Armenian we have a noun, while in translation we have a class shift from
noun to verb:
- to complain.
The Armenian language is very rich and is more prone to compounding.
Perhaps, this is one of the reasons why we come across so many newly-coined
words in ''Lilit''. These words are called neologisms.
Here we have the following examples of neologisms:
1. snow- feathered
2. golden- glittering
3. - golden-blazing
4. - light- shedding
5. - sweet-beauty
6. - light-flashing
7. lust-smelling poppy
8. sweet-smelling kiss
9. - he closed his eyes appalled by her
charm
= +
In the English world appalled « » prevails over « »,
that's why the word charm is added to compensate the loss. Here we come across
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another translation procedure- Compensation, whereby the translator solves the
problem of aspects of the source text that cannot take the same form in the target
language by replacing these aspects with other elements or forms in the source
text.
One thing is also observed, all the above mentioned words are calques, i.e.
their complete syntagma (syntactic unit) is borrowed, but the individual elements
are translated literally. For example,
1. = + - light- flashing
2. = + - lust-smelling
As we see, in Armenian we have words with connecting vowel ' ' while
in English words are hyphenated. It is conditioned by the specific word
formation patterns of both the languages.
To sum up, while translating different types of translation procedures are
applied to make the same resultant impression on the reader as the original does
on its reader; i.e. to have all the ease of the original and produce a similar
response (Nida1974).
***
1. , . , , , ,
« » , 1975
2. Isahakian A. Lilit, tr. by A. Serobian, Astghik, Yerevan, 2009.
3. Baker, M. Encyclopedia of Translation Studies, London: Routledge, 1998.
4. Benjamin, W. The Translator's Task, 1923 in Translation Studies Reader ed.
by S. Gabrielyan, Yerevan, 2007.
5. Humbolt, W. The More Faithful, The More Divergent From Einleitung,1816,
in Translation Studies Reader. ed. by S. Gabrielyan, Yerevan: Sahak Partev,
2007.
6. Nida, E. A. Science of Translation,1969 in Translation Studies Reader. ed.by S.
Gabrielyan, Yerevan: Sahak Partev, 2007.
7. Ortega y. Gasset J. The Misery and the Splender of Translation,1937 in
Translation Studies Reader. ed. by S. Gabrielyan Yerevan: Sahak Partev, 2007.
8. Vinay J. P. & J. Darbelnet. Translation Procedures: Paris Didier, 1958/1969.
9. - , . . , 2002:
10. Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. Oxford: Macmillan
Education Ltd., 2002.
11. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2005.
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