Translation choices: the translator’s dilemmas

Translation choices: the translator’s dilemmas

Let’s suppose you are reading the translated version of your favourite book… How would you feel if you come across one or more foreign words during your reading? Would you be interested by these new words? Or would you prefer to read something which is  100%  familiar to you?

One of the biggest problems of an interlingual translator is to decide whether to adopt a strategy aimed at preserving the lexicon, morphosyntactic structures and style of the source language, or at replacing these elements, in order to make the translation closer to the target language and culture. In fact, it is not just a matter of translating words. The translator is the representative for other values, intentions and feelings. Indeed, Academics consider translation as “a complex negotiation between two cultures”.

What discipline deals with these dilemmas?

“Translation Studies” is the discipline addressing these dilemmas. It concerns a systematic study of the theory and practical applications of translation and the description of the phenomena that characterise it. It is also a means to understand the transfer between various languages and cultures.  Translation is divided into two macro-areas: the foreignization, which favour the strategy of alienation, and the domestication, more inclined towards the target language.

The relevance of context

In order to choose the most appropriate strategy, it is important to consider the context. Many academic texts or papers published in specialized magazines do not discourage the use of foreign words; mainly because the target audience of that specialized magazine, e.g., a magazine on computer science, is already familiar with the specific related terminology. Thus, the audience has no problem in understanding or, differently, in being inclined to know the foreign words concerning that area. A further example could be wine and its related terminology. An expert sommelier who buys a book on the subject will be more than happy to find terms such as: barrique, bouquet or terroir.

On the other hand, domestication strategies are also extremely important in some cases. For the translation of some websites, advertisings or texts intended to reach different countries, the so-called localisation strategy is increasingly used. It consists in the adaptation of a product or service to meet the needs of a particular language or culture. If, for example, an English biscuit website talks about the perfect “tea-time” biscuits, it would certainly be a great success in UK, since for English people five o’clock tea is like a ritual.

But could the same expression be suitable for an American, French or Italian target?

Perhaps, but not in a fully successful way. A localisation strategy could, for example, lead the translator to replace “tea-time” with “snack time”. Consequently, ensuring easy readability for people to whom the translation is addressed is the main task of a translator. The latter strives to make the text fluent, using expressions customized to the target culture.

Behind a finished translation, it lies a series of complexities, imperceptible to the target audience. Translation is the moment in which the translator takes new challenges on; whatever choices he makes, it is important to allow the reader to fully embrace the spirit of the author of the source text, thus an entire culture.

Isn’t that the power of translation?

Sources:

Venuti, L. (2001). “Strategies of Translation.” in M. Baker (ed.) Routledge Encyclopedia of Translation Studies. London & New York: Routledge.

Munday, J. (2012). Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications. London: Routledge.