Literal Translation And Free Translataion(2)

(整期优先)网络出版时间:2019-03-26
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kind of translation is abortive.
Some translation though that all translation keeps the form of the original is literal translation. That is erroneous. They confuse the conception of literal translation with word-for-word translation. These translators translate like this: first, they look up the meaning of every word of source language in dictionary. Then, they combine the meaning of every word, never do any change. They do not know what translation is, so word-for-word translation emerge. But excellent translators know the meaning of the original. When translating, they do some neccessary adjustment, make target language clearer, smooth and acceptable. They know the difference between word-for-word translation and literal translation. They can use literal translation properly, it is a skill of translation.
All in all. literal translation is not word-for-word translation. Literal translation is acceptable and nimble.
2.3 Some sentences should not translate literally.
Some source language sentences are very difficult to translate literally. It only though of the meaning of surface, translate it literally, the result is unintelligible and indistinct. Some sentences do not accord with expressive way in target language. Different country has different culture,different language, different custom and different way to express the same meaning, different language has different way about metaphors, and has different idioms. In China, people usually use some idioms to describe an event or a person. So do in abroad. But Chinese idioms are unintelligible in western countries. In these suituations, if translate literally, usually, it would have bad effect and be unacceptable. When target language readers read, they could not know the exact meaning of source language. Because the message which target language express was vague.
There are two examples: ⑤
9) Our son must go to school. He must break out of the pot that hold us in.
Literal translation: 我们的儿子一定得进学校,他一定得打破这个把我们关在里面的罐子.
Free translation: 我们的儿子一定要上学,一定要出人头地.

10) Their legs mored a little jerkily, like well-made wooden dolls, and they carried pillars of blank fear about them.
Literal translation: 他的腿轻轻痉挛地移动着,像做得很好的木偶一样,他们随身携带着黑色的恐怖柱子.
Free translation: 他们每向前迈一步,腿就抖动一下,好似精制的木偶一样,他们身上带着一股阴沉的杀气.
From the two examples, literal translation is unintelligible even absurd. But after had translated it freely, translation became cleaner, smooth, acceptable and accord with the culture of target language.
But in which suituation translators should not translate literally? How to use literal translation correctly?
Any source language which does not accord with the expressive way of target language should not use literal translation. For example: In example 9), "Break out the pot that hole us in", it is an English idiom, it means do something successful. But how to translate it into Chines?There is also an idiom in China. It almost has the same meaning as"Break out of the pot that hold us in". It is "出人头地". So when translating that sentence translators should not use literal translation, translators should use free translation.
And how to use literal translation correctly? First, know source language and target language culture as much as possible and translators should have extensive knowledge with the problems which the original wrote or talk about, translators should be conversant. We often have experience like that: Because lake of some knowledge that somebody talking about, even after others explained, we still did not know or understand. So before translators translating some materials, especially some proffessional materials translators must grasp some knowledge about the materials. For example, if translate some materials about economy,translators should know some knowledge about economy; if translate some material about news, translators should know some knowledge about news;if translate some professional materials,translators should know some knowledge about that proffession, or be an export of that proffession. If translator was a man who did not know something about the material which he wanted to translate, his translation would be unqualified. Second, comprehend source language message correctly and thoroughly. It is very important. Translators should not only know the surface meaning of the original and translators should read through the surface, know what does the original want to express. If a translator does only know surface meaning of the original and translate it literally, his translation would be correspondingly. After target language reader read his translation, they would be confuse and have different feeling between the original and the translation or even have erroneous comprehension. www.lwwzx.com

Translation is different from reading. When we reading, it no matter how much we understand or can be understand or have erroneous comprehension. Because level of the readers is limited. Reading is only a feeling of himself. But translation affects others. Instead of the original author, translation is a man retell source language massage to target language. So translators should comprehened the source language message deeply and thoroughly, then retell the meaning of the source language correctly and close to the source language message. If a translator comprehened the source language just a little nmbiguiously,translation would be different from the source language message. Therefore, comprehension is very important. If translators had false comprehension to the source language message, his translation could be far from the original. This will lead his translation to be unqualified.
At last, enhance acceptability of translation. From above we know that translation should accord with the expressive way of target language, so that it can be easily accepted by target language readers. Actually, it is not difficult to retain the style of the original. But it is difficult to translate the original accord with target language expressive way. A translator who has abandant experience can surmount obstacle between two language. An excellent translator must have done his best effort on his translation. This is translators' duty. An excellent translator has practised a lot on how to handle the problems in translation. Excellent translation are acceptable.
From all above, literal translation is a basic skill of translation. It keeps the form of source language, including construction of sentences, mataphor. Sometimes it should do some neccessary change to the original, make the translation accord with the expressive way of target language. So make the translation acceptable. A translation which translated literally is close to the original. But literal translation is not omnipotent. Some sentences should not translate literally, because these sentences contained idioms which are different in source language and target language. Translators should have extensive knowledge. Comprehened source language message correctly and thoroughly, enhance acceptability of translation. If translators want to use literal translation properly and skillfully, they must comprehened all above, and have some practice. After all, practise is the most important aspect in translation.

3. How to use free translation properly?
3.1 If it was some trouble to understand a sentence in using literal translation, use free translation.
In which suituation the translators can not use literal translation? When some sentences that the way of expressive between source language and target language are different, should not use literal translation. If use literal translation, target language readers would have some trouble to understand, then make the translation unacceptable. In these suituation, free translation should in use. Free translation expresses the general idea of the original according to the meaning of the original, and does not pay attention to the details. But translation should be fluent and natural.
There are two examples:⑥
11) I gave my youth to the sea and I came home and gave her ( my wife ) my old age.
Literal translation: 我把青春献给海洋,我回家的时候便把老年给了我的妻子.
Free translation: 我把青春献给海洋,等我回到家里见到妻子的时候,已经是白发苍苍了.
12) Maybe Kino has cut off his own head and destroyed himself.
Literal translation: 也许Kino会割掉自己的脑袋,把自己毁了.
Free translation: 也许Kino走了绝路,自己毁了自己.
From the example 12), the original "cut off his head" means have done something badly, felt into predicament. If a translator translated the original literally, his translating would make target language readers confused, after reading, target language readers would feel unacceptable. So translators should use free translation in the example 11) and 12). Because free translation can tell the ture meaning to target language readers.
Some sentences, if translate literally are also fluent and natural that it seems these sentences should translate literally. But translated these sentences literally could not express the deep meaning of the original. If we use free translation,effect would be better than literal translation. Free translation could express the deep meaning of the original sentences.
For example: ⑦
13) Cast pearls before swine.
Literal translation: 把珍珠扔到猪面前.
Free translation: 对牛弹琴.
14) Barbara was born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

Literal translation: Barbara嘴里叼着银调羹出生的.
Free translation: Barbara出生最富贵人家.
Example 13) and 14) are metaphor, have deep moral. If translated literally, translations are fluent and natural, but it could not express the deep meaning of the oroginal, it is unadvisable.
There is another suituation which should use free translation: a sentense that use idioms.
For example:⑧
15) Something unexpected may happen ang time.
Free translation: 天有不测风云.
Literal translation: 一些没有预料到的事会随时发生.
In English, this sentence is very common. But if translated it literally into Chinese, it did not accord with the habit of expressive. On the contrarary, it would be unitelligible and would not achive the effect of the original. It would make target language readers inappreciatable. But in the example 15), free translation used a Chinese idioms, after reading target language readers would comprehened and have nice feeling. So free translation is a good choice when literal translation could not be used.www.lwwzx.com
3.2 Don not add personal emotion to the original works.
Translation is a brige between source language and target language. Task of translation is to express the meaning and manifestation of the source language message by target language. The translation should give target language readers almost the same feeling as source language readers. If target language readers and source language readers had almost the same feeling after reading the translation, it was successful. If target language readers and source language readers had different feeling after reading the translation, it showed the translation was unqualified. From the angle of translation, actually, the feeling of readers can judge a translation. So the feeling of readers is the standard of translation.
Tough free translation gives some leeways to translators. Translators should comprehened the original thoroughly, and use the leeways correctly. Some translators usually use the leeways incorrectly. They often add their personal emotion to the original works. So translation was subjunctive and different as the original. It was unqualified translation. Because if translators added their personal emotion to the original works that the meaning of the original message had been changed by translators. After reading, target language readers might have different feeling between translation and the original. Those translations which added translator's own emotion were not according with the standard of translation. Tran