hi, i'm vilitza coa.
and then I will be explaining the translation techniques
first we have Borrowing: is the taking of words directly from one language into another without
translation. The use of this technique is about reproducing an expression in the original text as is. In
this sense, it is a translation technique that does not actually translate. EXAMPLE; the gaucho was
wearing a black sombrero and a worn old pair of bombachas.
Calque (loan translation): is a phrase borrowed from another language and translated literally word
for word. RISKS: an unsuccessful calque can be extremely unnatural, and can cause unwanted
humor, often interpreted as indicating the lack of expertise of the translator in the target language.
EXAMPLE: the English word handball is translated into Spanish as balonmano.
Literal Translation: word for word with or without conveying the sense of the original. USE: can be
used in some languages and not others dependent on the sentence structure. EXAMPLE: el equipo
está trabajando para terminar el informe. Would translate into English as the team is working to
finish the report.
Transposition: CONCEPT: it is specifically derived from the theorical branch of syntactical analysis
known as “generative or transformational grammar” PARTS OF SPEECH: the scope of transposition is
limited to the parts of speech that is, to nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc. transposition consists of
replacing one part of speech with another without changing the meaning of the text. Changing the
sequence of the parts of speech in a sentence occurs when two terms take on each other’s part of
speech. Transposition in Spanish translation can also be either “loose” or “tight”. EXAMPLE:
Modulation: this consists of using a phrase that is different in the source and target languages to
convey the same idea. TYPES: Recorded modulation also called standard modulation: it is usually
used in bilingual dictionaries and free modulation: this second type is considered to be more
practical in cases where the target language rejects literal translation. EXAMPLE: te lo dejo means
literally I leave it to you but translates much better as You can have it.
Equivalence/Reformulation: a procedure(proceduor) which replicates the same situation as in the
original, whilst using the completely different wording. If this procedure is applied during the
translation process, it can maintain the stylistic impact of the original text in the Translated text.
Equivalence is therefore the ideal method when the translator has to deal with proverbs, idioms,
clichés, nominal or adjectival phrases and the onomatopoeia of animal sounds. EXAMPLE: Mother-
country/homeland
Adaptation: Also known as cultural substitution, cultural elements of the source language are
replaced with an equivalent cultural element of the target language. This makes the text more
familiar and easier to understand, especially with units of measurement. Mesherment
Example: Cyclisme (French) = football (UK) = baseball (US).
Compensation: This technique compensates for being unable to translate a nuance or phrase in one
specific place by expressing the information at another point in the document. This process is
intended to compensate for the losses that a text suffers from when it is translated. Such technique is
useful especially when it comes to wordplays
