Oral translation

      

CONTENTS

 

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………….3

 

CHAPTER I. TRANSLATION IS A MEANS OF INTERLINGUAL COMMUNICATION………………………………………………………………5

1.1.Translation theory……………………………………………………………..5

1.2 A brief history of translation…………………………………………………...8

1.3 Main types of translation……………………………………………………...10

 

CHAPTER II. CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF ORAL TRANSLATION...16

2.1 Problems of oral translation………………………………………………….16

2.2 Note-taking in consecutive translation………………………………………..17

2.3 Linguistic peculiarities of simultaneous translation…………………………..21

 

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………...24

 

REFERENSEC……………………………………………………………………26

 

APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………….28

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Actuality. When you stop and think about it, everything in life is translation. We translate our feelings into actions. When we put anything into words, we translate our thoughts. Every physical action is a translation from one state to another. Translating from one language into another is only the most obvious form of an activity which is perhaps the most common of all human activities. This maybe the reason people usually take translation for granted, as something that does not require any special effort, and at the same time, why translation is so challenging and full of possibilities.

There is nothing easy or simple about translation, even as there is nothing easy or simple about any human activity. It only looks easy because you are used to doing it. Anyone who is good at a certain activity can make it appear easy, even though, when we pause to think, we realize there is nothing easy about it.

Translation in the formal sense deals with human language, the most common yet the most complex and hallowed of human functions. Language is what makes us who we are. Language can work miracles. Language can kill, and language can heal. Transmitting meaning from one language to another brings people together, helps them share each other’s culture, benefit from each other’s experience, and makes them aware of how much they all have in common. /tr.handbook/ 

The urgency of our work is determined by: the problem of oral translation.

Scientific novelty of given work is concluded in: it was undertaken the complex analysis of oral translation in this work in order to reveal the difficulties that appears during the transferring of stylistic aspect in interjection translation from English into Russian.

The Subject of the study is stylistic specifics of the language of oral translation.

The Object of the work is different oral translation, presented in all mass media, external interjections and Internet network as well.

The following methods were used at the decision of the specified tasks: comparative analysis, function - semantic analysis, system description and stylistic analysis.

The conditions of oral translation impose a number of important restrictions on the translator's performance. Here the interpreter receives a fragment of the original only once and for a short period of time. His translation is also a one-time act with no possibility of any return to the original or any subsequent corrections. This creates additional problems and the users have sometimes to be content with a lower level of equivalence.

The purpose of the present work is to study the problems of oral translation.

To achieve this purpose it is necessary to find solve to the following tasks:

1. To give the definition to the notion “translation”;
2. To find out the difference between written and oral translation;
3. To characterize the types of oral translation;
4. To define the problems of oral translation;
5. To find various ways and translating devices for solving those problems.

This paper consists of two chapters. The first chapter describes the translation itself, its development and types. In the second chapter there are the problems of translation and the ways of its salvation.

Throughout history, written and spoken translations have played a crucial role in interhuman communication, not least in providing access to important texts for scholarship and religious purposes.

Writings on the subject of translation go far back in recorded history. The practice of translation was discussed by, for example, Cicero and Horace (first century BC) and St Jerome (fourth century AD); their writings were to exert an important influence up until the twentieth century./19/

 

I. TRANSLATION IS A MEANS OF INTERLINGUAL COMMUNICATION

 

1.1 Translation theory

 

Translation is a means of interlingual communication. The translator makes possible an exchange of information between the users of different languages by producing in the target language (TL or the translating language) a text which has an identical communicative value with the source (or original) text (ST). 

As a kind of practical activities translation (or the practice of translation) is a set of actions performed by the translator while rendering ST into another language. These actions are largely intuitive and the best results are naturally achieved by translators who are best suited for the job, who are well-trained or have a special aptitude, a talent for it. Masterpieces in translation are created by the past masters of the art, true artists in their profession. At its best translation is an art, a creation of a talented, high-skilled professional.

The theory of translation provides the translator with the appropriate tools of analysis and synthesis, makes him aware of what he is to look for in the original text, what type of information he must convey in TT and how he should act to achieve his goal. In the final analysis, however, his trade remains an art. For science gives the translator the tools, but it takes brains, intuition and talent to handle the tools with great proficiency. Translation is a complicated phenomenon involving linguistic, psychological, cultural, literary, ergonomical and other factors.

The core of the translation theory is the general theory of translation which is concerned with the fundamental aspects of translation inherent in the nature of bilingual communication and therefore common to all translation events, irrespective of what languages are involved or what kind of text and under what circumstances was translated. Basically, replacement of ST by TT of the same communicative value is possible because both texts are produced in human speech governed by the same rules and implying the same relationships between language, reality and the human mind. All languages are means of communication, each language is used to externalize and shape human thinking, all language units are meaningful entities related to non-linguistic realities, all speech units convey information to the communicants. In any language communication is made possible through a complicated logical interpretation by the users of the speech units, involving an assessment of the meaning of the language signs against the information derived from the contextual situation, general knowledge, previous experience, various associations and other factors. The general theory of translation deals, so to speak, with translation universals and is the basis for all other theoretical study in this area, since it describes what translation is and what makes it possible.

The general theory of translation describes the basic principles which bold good for each and every translation event. In each particular case, however, the translating process is influenced both by the common basic factors and by a number of specific variables which stem from the actual conditions and modes of the translator's work: the type of original texts he has to cope with, the form in which ST is presented to him and the form in which he is supposed to submit his translation, the specific requirements he may be called upon to meet in his work, etc.

Contemporary translation activities are characterized by a great variety of types, forms and levels of responsibility. The translator has to deal with works of the great authors of the past and of the leading authors of today, with intricacies of science fiction and the accepted stereotypes of detective stories. He must be able to cope with the elegancy of expression of the best masters of literary style and with the tricks and formalistic experiments of modern avant-gardists. The translator has to preserve and fit into a different linguistic and social context a gamut of shades of meaning and stylistic nuances expressed in the original text by a great variety of language devices: neutral and emotional words, archaic words and new coinages, metaphors and similes, foreign borrowings, dialectal, jargon and slang expressions, stilted phrases and obscenities, proverbs and quotations, illiterate or inaccurate speech, and so on and so forth.

The original text may deal with any subject from general philosophical principles or postulates to minute technicalities in some obscure field of human endeavour. The translator has to tackle complicated specialized descriptions and reports on new discoveries in science or technology for which appropriate terms have not yet been invented. His duty is to translate diplomatic representations and policy statements, scientific dissertations and brilliant satires, maintenance instructions and after-dinner speeches, etc.

Translating a play the translator must bear in mind the requirements of theatrical presentation, and dubbing a film he must see to it that his translation fits the movement of the speakers' lips. The translator may be called upon to make his translation in the shortest possible time, while taking a meal or against the background noise of loud voices or rattling type-writers. In simultaneous interpretation the translator is expected to keep pace with the fastest speakers, to understand all kinds of foreign accents and defective pronunciation, to guess what the speaker meant to say but failed to express due to his inadequate proficiency in the language he speaks.

In consecutive interpretation he is expected to listen to long speeches, taking the necessary notes, and then to produce his translation in full or compressed form, giving all the details or only the main ideas.In some cases the users will be satisfied even with the most general idea of the meaning of the original, in other cases the translator may be taken to task for the slightest omission or minor error./14/

There are several types of translation services that can handle various kinds of written work. Translators can be contacted through language schools or universities. Either place may put one in touch with freelance translators, or may have staff who regularly take on translation work. There are numerous translation companies that can address one’s needs. Also, one can obtain translation software, which can cover more basic translation needs. Further, one may hire translators through any of the above resources to conduct oral translation as needed.

Translation services are only as good as the translator. Saving on cost may lead to problems when words or phrases are not properly translated. Someone who is not only fluent in the required language, but also fluent in the language of law or science, should probably translate scientific or legal documents.

When considering freelancers to provide translation services, one should be certain to ask for, obtain, and check references. Freelancers are generally the least expensive option for translation services, but fluency in speaking does not ensure quality writing. References can help those in need of translation services determine the past quality of a freelancer’s translations. When seeking translation for legal or scientific documents, one should consider a freelancer’s skills in these specific areas.

Language schools and universities often provide translation services at a low cost as compared to translation companies. Universities can be particularly good with documents requiring citations in a particular format, like the Modern Language Association (MLA) format. They can provide not only translation, but also editing for a work published in, for example, a scholarly literary review magazine.

Since university professors spend much of their life correcting the translations of others, they frequently have significant experience in the field of translation. Translators are not a wealthy group of people, by and large. Often, gifted and experienced translators teach to augment the income received from their translation work. Language professors may offer a wealth of translation experience at value prices. However, as with freelancers, references should be thoroughly examined.

Translation services from companies tend to be the most expensive, but they may also give one access to translation into less common languages. Translation companies frequently have specialists in fields like law or medicine, who can address specific legal or medical and scientific terms. Translation companies generally have easily obtainable references. They can point to a body of work that proves their translations services in the past have been successful. They offer peace of mind, in many respects, once references have been verified.

Translation services offered through software or on free websites may translate simple sentences, but should probably not be used for technical documents or for creative writing. Software such as this fails to recognize most idiomatic expressions. This wiseGEEK writer visited a free translation site to test an idiomatic expression from English to French. When I typed in “All cats are grey in the dark," and asked for a French translation, I knew the response should be “Tous les chats sont gris,” literally, “All cats are grey.” What I received instead was a word for word translation of my sentence, which ignored the idiomatic translation into French of this old maxim.

If using an online or software translator to convert short works or sentences, one must be quite aware that idiomatic expressions may not translate well. Though much business or friendly correspondence can be conducted through this means, one should avoid idiomatic expressions. Either a freelancer, a professor of a given language, or a translation company best undertakes significant correspondence, particularly for any type of business.

 

1.2 A brief history of interpretation

 

In mid-fifties of the last century conference interpreter was still in its infancy with the first simultaneous interpretation having been used after World War II at the Nuremburg Trials (English, French, Russian and German).

In the interwar years consecutive interpretation alone was provided at international gatherings, such as at meetings of the League of Nations in Geneva where English and French were used.

The first interpreters were not trained but entered the profession on the strength of their mastery of languages, prodigious memory, and their impressively broad cultural background. Some of the legendary figures of interpreting include Jean Herbert, Andre Kaminker and Prince Constantin Andronikof, who was personal interpreter to General de Gaulle and one of the founders of AIIC, which was established in 1953.

With the setting up of international and European organizations (United Nations –  1945, Council of Europe – 1949, European Community - 1957) there was a growing need for a much larger number of trained professionals. To meet this continuing challenge, the course has expanded and now encompasses the languages of the European Union and the UN family.

The situation in the early 20^th century was totally different from what is known now as conference interpreting – a highly professional field requiring advanced learning and special training. Conference interpreting actually started during World War I, and until then all international meetings of any importance had been held in French for that was language of the 19^th century diplomacy.

After the Armistice had been signed on November 11^th, 1918, interpreters were invited to work for the Armistice Commissions and later at the Conference on the Preliminaries of Peace. This was the period when conference interpreting techniques to be developed. According to the conference interpreter and author Jean Herbert, they interpreted in consecutive in teams of two, each into his mother tongue.

So conference interpreting was becoming a profession, assuming certain standards in the period between the two World Wars. It started as a non-professional skill, developed from sentence-by-sentence interpreting into consecutive proper and involved special techniques of taking notes as well as many others.

This interpreting process required special qualities on top of an excellent command of two languages, among others tact and diplomacy; above average physical endurance and good “nerves”.

All this applies to both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting and interpreters.

Simultaneous interpreting came into life much later although first attempts to initiate this new conference interpreting procedure were occasionally made at multilingual gathering in the late twenties and the early thirties. In the USSR simultaneous interpreting was first introduced at the VI Congress of the Communist International in 1928 with interpreters sitting in the front row of the conference hall trying hard to catch the words of speakers, coming from the rostrum, and taking into heavy microphones hanging on strings of their necks. Isolated booths for interpreters started to be used five years later, in 1933. Attempts to introduce simultaneous interpreting in the International Labour Organisation were made a few years before the Second World War. Interpreters there were seated in somewhat like an orchestra pit just below the rostrum. They had no earphone to facilitate listening and had to do their best to understand what came over the loudspeakers. They whispered their translations into a sort of box called a Hushaphone.

With the establishment of the United Nations Organisation which opened up an era of multilateral diplomacy, and the development of multilateral economic relations a new era for conference interpreting also began. Simultaneous interpreting gained ground, particularly as Russian, Spanish and Chinese languages were introduced as UN working languages./28/   

The sense of a language unit (the content of a whole matter) can be conveyed in the TL either in writing or in viva voce (orally). Depending on the form of conveying the sense/content, the following kinds of translating/ interpreting (oral translating) are to be distinguished:

1. The written translation/-ing from a written matter/source – is a faithful conveying of a matter translating in writing from one language into another. It represents a literary or any other faithful sense-to-sense translation from or into a foreign language. It may also be a free interpreting performed in writing. The matter under translation may be different, ex. a belles-lettres passage (prose or poetry work), a scientific or technical, newspaper passage, article or even separate words (in a list) etc.
2. The oral translation/-ing from an oral matter/source – is a faithful conveying of a speech or recording (жива мова або запис).

It can proceed/ be performed in 2 ways:

• in succession - after the whole matter or a part of it was heard. Then it is consecutive translation (послідовний). There is a possibility to interrupt or stop the speaker or recording in order to clarify some obscure places. As a result, consecutive interpreting can take more or a little less time then the SL speech or recording lasts.
• simultaneously (with its sounding) – the process of translation takes quite the same amount of time as the SL matter lasts and the interpreter faithfully conveys the meaning/content (синхронний). It is usually performed with some special equipment, technical devices (microphone, headphones)

3. The oral translation/-ing from a written matter/source – is interpreting at sight. It can also proceed either simultaneously with the process of getting acquainted with the content of the written matter, or in succession (after each part of the matter is first read through and comprehended (обміркований, осягнутий). The former way of interpreting, if carried out faithfully and exactly on time with the consecutive conveying of the matter, may be considered simultaneous too. Usually it is a regular prepared beforehand kind of interpreting.

4. The written translation/-ing from an orally presented matter/source is a rare occurrence, because a natural speech flow is too fast for putting it down in the TL (except for a shorthand presentation, which would be then a regular translation i.e. (that is to say) interpretation from a written matter). Translating from an oral speech/recording is now and than resorted to for training practices. When the matter to be rendered is produced at a slower speed than the written translation, this matter/speech can naturally be performed and put down in the TL.

 

1.3 Main types of translation

 

Though the basic characteristics of translation can be observed in all translation events, different types of translation can be singled out depending on the predominant communicative function of the source text or the form of speech involved in the translation process. Thus we can distinguish between literary and informative translation, on the one hand, and between written and oral translation (or interpretation), on the other hand.

Informative translation is rendering into the target language non-literary texts, the main purpose of which is to convey a certain amount of ideas, to inform the reader. However, if the source text is of some length, its translation can be listed as literary or informative only as an approximation. Literary works are known to fall into a number of genres. Literary translations may be subdivided in the same way, as each genre calls for a specific arrangement and makes use of specific artistic means to impress the reader. Translators of prose, poetry or plays have their own problems. Each of these forms of literary activities comprises a number of subgenres and the translator may specialize in one or some of them in accordance with his talents and experience.