INTRODUCTION TO TRANSLATION

GENERAL PRINCIPLES RELEVANT TO ALL TRANSLATION




1. Meaning. The translation should reflect accurately the meaning of the original text. Nothing should be arbitrarily added or removed.

Asked your self:

• Is the meaning of the original text clear? If not, where does the uncertainty lie?

• Are any words ‘loaded’, that is, are there any underlying implications? (‘Correct me if I’m wrong…’ suggests ‘I know I’m right’!)

• Is the dictionary meaning of a particular word the most suitable one? (Should register be daftar in Indonesian?)

• Does anything in the translation sound unnatural or forced?



2. Form. The ordering of words and ideas in the translation should match The original as closely as possible. (This is particularly important in translating legal documents, guarantees, contracts, etc.) But differences in language structure often require changes in the form and order of words. When in doubt, underline in the original text the words on which the main stress falls.



3. Register. Language often differ greatly in their levels of formality in a given context (say, the business letter). To resolve these differences, the translator must distinguish between formal or fixed expressions (e.g. Please find enclosed…) and personal expressions, in which the writer or speaker sets the tone.



Consider also:

a. Would any expressions in the original sound too formal / informal, old / warm, personal / impersonal… if translated literally ?

b. What is the intention of the speaker or writer? (to persuade / dissuade, apologize / criticize?) Does this come through in the translation



4. Source Language Influence. One of the most frequent criticism of translation is that ‘it doesn’t sound natural’. This is because the translator’s thoughts and choice of words are too strongly molded by the original text. A good way of shaking off the source language (SL) influence is to set the text aside and translate a few sentences aloud, from memory. This will suggest natural patterns of thought in the target language, which may not come to mind when the eye is fixed on the source language text.



5. Style and Clarity. The translator should not change the style of the original. But if the text is sloppily written, or full of tedious repetitions, the translator may, for the reader’s sake, correct the defects.





6. Idiom. Idiomatic expressions are notoriously untranslatable. These include similes, metaphors, proverbs, and sayings (as good as gold), jargon, slang, and colloquialisms (user-friendly), and (in English) phrasal verbs (look up). If the expressions cannot be directly translated, try any of the following:

• Retain the original word, in inverted commas: ‘user-friendly’.

• Retain the original expression, with a literal explanation in brackets: Indian Summer (dry hazy weather in late autumn)

• Use a close equivalent: devil may care = masa bodoh.

• Use a non-idiomatic or plain prose translation: to blow one’s top = marah sekali.



The golden rule is : if the idiom does not work in the target language, do not force it into the translation.

(Duff, Alan (1990). Translation. Oxford: Oxford University Press).



VERSION INDONESIAN

ASAS UMUM YANG PENAD DENGAN SEMUA TERJEMAHAN



1. Makna. Terjemahan harus mencerminkan secara tepat makna nas asli. Tidak ada yang sewenang-wenang ditambahkan atau dihilangkan.

Tanya dirimu:

• Apa makna nas asli sudah jelas? Jika tidak, di mana ketidakjelasannya?

2. Bentuk.

3. Register.