International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

The Comparative Study of Various Translations of

Manto´s Short-story: `´Toba Tek Singh´´
Muhammad Usman Khan

Researcher at UNESP-Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil

Department of Letters

Abstract

Saádat Hassan Manto is a reknown short-story writer of Indian subcontinent. His popularity
is spread across the borders of India and Pakistan. His short-stories are translated by
various scholars from Urdu into global languages including English. One of his short-story
``Toba Tek Singh`` is considered as a masterpiece of his work, translated many times into
Englsih by different writers. The story tells us about the sufferings at the times when All
India was divided into two parts and people were exchanged. Muslims immigrated to a
new-created country ´Pakistan´ and, on the other hand, Hindus and Sikhs went to India.
Later on, it was decided to exchange the lunatics of the both countries. In one assylum of
Pakistan, the lunatics were confused about the partition and they were not ready to be
handed over to another country. The centeral character of the short-stroy is a Sikh whose
real name is Bishan Singh but is called as Toba Tek Singh, the name of the village he
belongs to. At the time of transfer from Pakistan to India, he denied and died on the no-man
land, the midline between Pakistan and India. The short story criticises the politicians and
narrates the massacres of partition. In present scenorio, the researcher focused on different
four translations of Manto´s short-story ``Toba Tek Singh`´ and analysed comparatively the
selected words and passages in accordance with the criterion set by Larson´s meaning-
based translation theory. It was found that no any translator did a thorough job and every
translation had some pros and cons. Some real words of the source lamguage were omitted
and on the contrary, some new words were added into the translation. Finally, among the
four writers, the ´Anonymous translator´ was regarded as the best translator.

Keywords: Manto, Toba Tek Singh, Meaning-based Theory, Translation, equivalency,

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Introduction eyes before embarking on frenzied blood-

baths. The character and scale of the
butchery was unprecedented in Indian
Saadat Hassan Manto was born in history (Ali, 2012, para. 5). So, the
May 1912 in British India and after the similarity between some of the writings
partition, he came to Pakistan and died in of Orkeny and Manto's is striking. The
January 1955 at the age of 42. He is closeness between their stories provoked
considered a giant short-storywriter of the query, as to how narrative energy
Urdu in Indian subcontinent. Manto deals with an extreme situation, like the
worked as a film and radio scriptwriter catastrophe of the Holocaust and the
and a journalist. He wrote twenty-two Partition of India (Koves, 1997, p. 2147).
collections of short stories, one novel, One of his short-stories, ‘Toba
five collections of radio plays, three Tek Singh’ is considered a masterpiece,
collections of essays, and two collections set in the mental hospital in the city of
of personal sketches. According to Gatt Lahore at the time of Partition. When
(2013), Manto a born rebel never pay whole cities were being ethnically
attention to the norms of the society; he cleansed, how could the asylums escape?
chose his own path to tread on at times In this short-story, the Hindu and Sikh
accused of being a communal by his lunatics are told by officers authorizing
detractors but he took it upon himself to the transfer of power that they will be
show the interiors of those sitting at the forcibly transferred to institutions in
margins in the social hierarchy—menial India. The inmates rebel. They embrace
workers, whores, wagers, pimps, brutes each other and weep. They will not be
and alcoholics who always remain unsung parted willingly. They have to be forced
in a hollowed society where all had on to the trucks. One of them, a Sikh, is
similar contribution in the dance of so overcome by rage that he dies on the
nakedness (p. 60). Manto was arguably demarcation line which divides Pakistan
the best Urdu short story writer and the from India. Confronted by so much
owner of realistic prose in South Asia. He insanity in the real world, Manto
was also a maverick in a society prickly discovered normality in the asylum. The
about obscenity in literature, an issue that ‘lunatics’ have a better understanding of
an ideological Pakistan is still struggling the crime that is being perpetrated than
with (Ahmad, 2013). Manto wrote about the politicians who have agreed to
the massacres and sufferings of partition Partition (Ali, 2012, para. 14). The central
when in 1947, all India was devided into character in Manto´s fiction is a Sikh who
two parts and a new country, Pakistan has been confined in the lunatic asylum
came into being. While exchanging the for fifteen years. His actual name is
people of both sides, a storm of robbery, Bishan Singh, but he is known as Toba
rapes, killing, kidnaping and hatred burst Tek Singh, the name of the village he
out among the immigrants that affected comes from (Bose, p. 152). Manto, the
millions of newcomers to India and writer of masterpiece ‘Toba Tek Singh’ in
Pakistan. Manto was one of them. In the his short stories describes how the
months that preceded Partition, Hindus humanity, the peace loving, god-fearing
and Sikhs on one side and Muslims on the people suffer most on account of the
other glared into each other’s hate-filled communal hatred spread all across the

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world and depicts the scenes of untold the source language (Urdu) and target
miseries faced by the helpless people language (English). It is to know about
where the communal bigots and fanatics translation which actually carries the
have become law unto themselves, value of meaning-based translation.
perpetuating the mayhem of slaughtering
people on the basis of communal identity, Theoratical Framework
irrespective of sex or age. The This research is based on the
controversial writer despite being accused Mildred Larson´s meaning-based
of obscenity, debauchery and drinking translation theory. For Larson (1984),
was very insightful at heart and he felt the translation consists of transferring
pangs of separation amidst the prevailing without distortion the meaning of the
atmosphere of mistrust and hypocrisy source language into the target language,
(Gatt, 2013, p. 61). meaning which must be kept constant,
´Toba Tek Singh´ has become a even when the form of the source
symbol of the confused and torn identities language changes as it is turned into the
arising from separation from one’s form of the target language. The form
ancestral home. He wins over those who here represents the grammatical surface
“claim to be sane” and who want to fix structure of the language, while meaning
his identity, as his death takes place in no- refers to the semantic deep structures. A
man’s-land, where the writ of neither translation based on the semantic
nation prevails (Tiwari, 2013, p. 55). structure of the language takes also into
According to Jalal, ´Toba Tek Singh´ consideration the communication
was, is and will continue to remain one of situation: historical setting, cultural
the most revered famous short stories setting, intention of the author, as well as
written by the celebrated Urdu writer the different kinds of meaning contained
Saadat Hasan Manto (p. 265). This short- in the explicit and implicit information of
story is written in Urdu and translated the text. Besides referential and structural
into many languages including English. meaning, situational meaning is presented
The objective of this research is to as an important element that would help
compare various English translations of the translator interpret the author’s culture
´Toba Tek Singh´ rendered by four or the cultural information given in the
different writers. text. She makes the difference between
1. Translation by Tahira Naqvi literal and idiomatic translation, stating
2. Translation by Sardar that a good translator should try to
Khushwant Singh translate idiomatically, that is his
3. Trnaslation by Frances W. translation will not sound like a
Pritchett translation, it shall sound natural in the
4. Translation by Anonymous target language, taking care not to fall
into “unduly free translations”. The text
Rationale for the Selection of to be translated has to make part of a
´Toba Tek Singh´s Translations translation project which involves the
The four genres of translation of text, the target, the team and the tools,
the short-story ´Toba Tek Singh` were what Larson calls the four T’s. When that
selected to check their prons and cons is settled various steps follow: the initial
comparatively because there is a clear draft, evaluation of the initial draft,
difference of culture and location between consultation and final draft. All these

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steps involve analysis of the text, Anonymous translator replaced

comparison with the source text, `´prinsoners`´ with ``criminals`` that is
evaluation of the translation. A literal ultimately unsuitable. In this paragraph,
translation sounds like nonsense and has Manto used the word ´´the home of
little communication value. A truly lunatics´´ that is translated by Tahira
idiomatic translation does not sound like Naqvi as lunatic assylum and institution
translation. It sounds like it was written and [merely] assylum. Lunatic assylum is
originally in the receptor language (see a proper word for the home of lunatics
also in Vanilla, 2010). but institution and [merely] assylum have
different meanings in English culture
such as institution of agriculture,
Problem of Statement institution of engineering, assylum for
The short-story `Toba Tek Singh´ immigrants and assylum for orphans etc.
is translated from Urdu into Englsih by Pritchett translated it as ``insane
four different writers. The researcher has assylums`` that is also a beautiful
to investigate about the translation that is expression. Khushwant Singh´s
considered the best one, using the translation is ``lunatic assylums`` that is
measures of Larson´s meaning-based perfect. The Anonymous translator
translation theory. replaced it just as ´´àssylums`` that is
incomplete expression.The phrase
´´handed over to India`` is translated by
Methodology
Tahira Naqvi as ``allowed to go to
A comparative method was
India´´, that is not a meaning-based
applied to analyze all the four texts of
translation. The Anonymous translator the
different translations on the criteria of
Urdu idiom ``handed over to India`` as
meaning-based translation theory and
``handed over to India``. Pritchett put the
extract pros and cons of them regarding
idiom in this place as ``send over`` and
litral and cultural aspects respectively.
``confide to``. Khushwant Singh
Crucial words and passages were selected
translated it as ``transfer to`` and ``send
from the four texts of translations and
to,`` that is also a good translation.The
used as a unit of analysis.
sentence: ´´Nonetheless, [with respect to
the decision of intelligencia,] several
Discussion high-level conferences took place´´ is
In the first paragraph of the short- translated by Tahira Naqvi as ``
story, Manto used the phrase ´´ethical Nonetheless, several high-level
prisoners´´ that is translated by Tahira conferences took place,`` that is a not
Naqvi as ``civil prisoners´´. It is a meaning-based translation because the
meaning-based good translation as the phrase ``with respect to intelligencia`` is
word ethical prisoners has different not translated in English. Khushwant
meaning in English. For Englsih readers, Singh translated this sentence as `` It took
´´civil prisoners´´ is a meaningful word. many conferences of important officials
Khushwant Singh translated ``ethical from the two sides to come to this
prisoners`` as mere ``prisoners``. It is also decision.´´ This is also meaning-carrying
suitable. Frances W. Pritchett translated translation. Pritchett translated it as ``
the same phrase as ``criminal according to the decision of the learned,
offenders`´that is unsutable. The high-level conferences took place here

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and there, and finally a day was fixed for misleading translation of a sentence
the exchange of lunatics.`` It is a litral rendered by Tahira Naqvi because here,
translation but the worst translation as ``One Muslim lunatic`´ is translated as
``according to the decision of the ``One man``. In the same way,
learned`´ has no meaning in English. The ´´Zamindar`` was an Urdu daily at that
best translation is rendered by the time and the word ``daily`` is not
Anonymous translator that is ``However, included into it. The Anonymous
the decision had been taken at the translator replaced it as `` A Muslim
topmost level on both sides. After high- lunatic, a regular reader of the fiery Urdu
level conferences were held a day was daily Zamindar.`` It is not a fair
fixed for exchange of the lunatics.`` translation becuase ``twelve years`` are
In Tahira Naqvi´s translation of : excluded. Pritchett translated it as `` One
``those [Muslim] inmates who had Muslim lunatic, who every day for twelve
relatives in India were retained there``; a years had regularly read the
word ``Muslim`` is missed that creates "Zamindar``.`` Here, again the word
ambiguity. In the Anynonymous ``daily`` is not pasted before the
translation, `` It was agreed that those Zamindar becuase English readers are not
Muslims who had families in India would aware of it. Khushwant Singh translated it
be permitted to stay back while the rest as `` One Muslim lunatic, a regular reader
would be escorted to the border.`` the of the fire-eating daily newspaper
whole sentence creates better impression Zamindar.`` The phrase ``fire-eating
but the phrase ``it was agreed`´ is added daily´´ is used for rhetorical expression.
by translator. Pritchett translated it is `` The duration of ``twelve years´´ is not
Those Muslim lunatics whose relatives mentioned. The word ``Moulie Sahib``
were all in Hindustan were allowed to (Mr. Clergy) is not translated by
remain there.`` it is also meaning-based Khushwant Singh, Tahira and
translation. Khushwant Singh translated it Anonymous translator in any way.
as `` Muslim lunatics whose families Pritchett put it as "Molbi Sa'b``. ``
were still residing in India were to be left During the course of a bath one morning,
undisturbed.´´ It is rhetorical translation. an [Muslim] inmate shouted, “Pakistan
Manto´s Urdu sentence: ``what happened Zindabad!”``. This a translation rendered
in that side is not known,`` is translated by Tahira Naqvi but it is not a meaning-
by Tahira Naqwi as `` What happened in based translation as the inmate who
India is not known,`` is a good example shouted was a Muslim and ``Pakistan
of meaning-based translation. The same Zindabad`` is Urdu/Persian words which
sentence is translated by Khushwant mean ``long live Pakistan.`` Khushwant
Singh as `` While it is not known what the Singh used the same manner and
reaction in India was.`` it is also a translated it as; ´´One day a Muslim
meaning-based trasnlation. Pritchett lunatic, while taking his bath, raised the
translated it as `` No telling what was slogan 'Pakistan Zindabad'.´´ The
going on that side.``. It is not a sufficient Anonymous translator replaced the same
sentence. The Anonymous translated it as manner: `` One day while taking his bath,
`` Nobody knew what transpired in a Muslim lunatic yelled, "Pakistan
India.`` It is based on rhetoric. `` One Zindabad!"´´
man, who had been reading Zamindar Pritchett did a great job and translated the
regularly for nearly twelve years.´´ It is a same sentence as `` One day, while

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bathing, a Muslim lunatic raised the cry That was why both the mad and the
of "Long live Pakistan!"´´ The sentence partially mad were unable to decide
of Manto: ``They could not infer any whether they were now in India or in
result from their conversation`` is Pakistan.`` It is his own interpretation.
translated by Tahira Naqvi as `` little In fifth paragraph, the word
information could be gained by talking to ``Hindustan`` is translated by Tahira
them.´´ it is not meaning-based Naqvi, Pritchett as ``Hindustan`` that is
translation. The Anonymous translator unfamiliar word for English readers. It
transformed it into: ``... from whose should be translated as ``India`` as done
conversation they could not glean by Khushwant Singh and Anonymous
anything.`` It is an ideal translation. translator. `` A Muslim radio engineer,
Pritchett translated the same sentence as who had an M.Sc. degree, and never
`` nothing could be picked up from their mixed with anyone, given as he was to
conversation either.`` It is also similar to taking long walks by himself all day, was
the first one. Khuswant Singh translated it so affected by the current debate that one
as `` Nor was there anything to be learnt day he took all his clothes off, gave the
by eardropping on their conversations.`` bundle to one of the attendants and ran
The latter three translations are similar. into the garden stark naked.`` It is a good
Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Quaid-e-azam meaning-based traslation rendered by
are not explained by Khushwant Singh, Khushwant Singh. The same passage is
Pritchett,Tahira Naqvi as leader of all translated by Tahira Naqvi as `` One
India Muslim League for English readers. morning, a Muslim engineer who used to
The Anonymous translator did not spend most of his time walking back and
mention ``Muhammad Ali Jinnah´´ in forth in a particular part of the garden
his/her translation. ``For this very reason suddenly took off his clothes and began
all the inmates who were altogether mad running about naked.`` Tahira´s
found themselves in a quandary; they translation has omitted the words
could not figure out whether they were in ``attendent``, and ``radio`` and she also
Pakistan or India `` It is a translation added the phrase `` one morning`` that is
rendered by Tahira Naqvi, whereas a great mistake. `` Pritchett translated it as
Manto´s intension is: ``All those lunatics ``in an M.Sc.-qualified radio engineer,
of the assylum whose minds were not who was Muslim, who used to stroll all
broken down completely.`` There is a day in silence on a special path in the
clear difference of meaning between two garden entirely apart from the other
sentences. The Anonymous translator lunatics, the change that manifested itself
described it as `` That was why they were was that he removed all his clothing,
all at a loss whether they were now in confided it to the care of a warden, and
India or in Pakistan``. It is also far from began to wander all around the garden
the original. Pritchett translated it as `` entirely naked.``. In this trnslation the
This is the reason that in the insane word ``wardon`` has extra meaning. The
asylum, all the lunatics whose minds were Anonymous translator converted the same
not completely gone were trapped in the sentence into his/her language as ``all this
dilemma of whether they were in Pakistan hubbub affected a radio engineer with an
or Hindustan. It can be considered a MSc degree, a Muslim, a quiet man who
meaning-based translation. Khushwant took long walks by himself. One day he
Singh translated the same passege as `` stripped off all his clothes, gave them to a

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guard and ran in the garden stark naked.`` Muhammad Ali. Accordingly, one day in
He added the phrase ``all this hubbub his madness he announced that he was the
affected`` that explains the real situation Qa'id-e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. In
and this translation has right to be imitation of him, a Sikh lunatic became
awarded with the title `´beaning-based Master Tara Singh. In this madness it
trasnlation. He/she used `´guard´´ instead almost came to bloodshed, but both were
of ``wardon´´. declared 'dangerous lunatics' and shut up
A [fat] Muslim lunatic from in separate rooms.`` This is a translation
Chaniot, who used to be one of the most of Pritchett which hás no explainations of
devoted workers of the All India Muslim Quaid-e-azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and
League, and obsessed with bathing Máster Tara Singh. ``Another Muslim
himself fifteen or sixteen times a day, had inmate from Chiniot, an erstwhile
suddenly stopped doing that and adherent of the Muslim League who
announced his name was Mohamed Ali bathed fifteen or sixteen times a day,
that he was Quaid-e-Azam Mohamed Ali suddenly gave up bathing. As his name
Jinnah. This had led a Sikh inmate to was Mohammed Ali, he one day
declare himself Master Tara Singh, the proclaimed that he was none other than
leader of the Sikhs. Apprehending serious Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
communal trouble, the authorities Taking a cue from him a Sikh announced
declared them dangerous, and shut them that he was Master Tara Singh, the leader
up in separate cells.`` It is a translation of of the Sikhs. This could have led to open
Khushwant Sing that cannot be violence. But before any harm could be
considered a beautiful meaning-based done the two lunatics were declared
translation because it has missed a word dangerous and locked up in separate
``fat``. On the other hand, Tahira cells.`` It is a translation of Anonymous
translated the same passage as `` A fat which has explained for English readers
Muslim from Chiniot, who had once been that Master Tara Singh was a leader of
an active member of the Muslim League Sikhs. It is, with all other requirements,
and who bathed at least fifteen times the best translation. ``There was a young
during the day, suddenly gave up bathing Hindu lawyer from Lahore who had gone
altogether. His name was Mohammed off his head after an unhappy love affair.
Ali. One day he announced that he was When told that Amritsar was to become a
Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. part of India, he went into a depression
Following his example, a Sikh in his because his beloved lived in Amritsar,
enclosure announced that he was Master [some words of source language are
Tara Singh. Blood would have been omitted here ] something he had not
spilled, but luckily both men were forgotten even in his madness. That day
declared to be dangerous and were he abused every major and minor Hindu
confined to separate quarters.`` Tahira did and Muslim leader who had cut India into
not add ``the leader of Sikh`` which was two, turning his beloved into an Indian
necessary for explanation. ``a stout and him into a Pakistani. When news of
Muslim lunatic from Chiniot who had the exchange reached the asylum, his
been an enthusiastic worker for the friends offered him congratulations,
Muslim League, and who bathed fifteen because he was now to be sent to India,
or sixteen times a day, suddenly the country of his beloved`` [Khushwant
abandoned this habit. His name was Singh]. Here, ``friends offered him

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congratulation`` is not meaning-based ``comforted`` and ``should not mind`` for

translation. In Tahira´s translation: `` the same meaning as twice. ``Among the
There was a lawyer in the asylum, a inmates of the asylum was a Hindu
young man from Lahore who had lost his lawyer from Lahore who had gone mad
sanity over a tragic love affair. He was because of unrequited love. He was
deeply grieved when he discovered that deeply pained when he learnt that
Amritsar had become part of India, Amritsar, where the girl lived, would
because the girl he had been in love with form part of India. He roundly abused all
was from there. She had rejected this the Hindu and Muslim leaders who had
young lawyer, but despite his mental conspired to divide India into two, thus
state, he still cared for her. And he cursed making his beloved an Indian and him a
all the leaders, both Muslim and Hindu, Pakistani. When the talks on the exchange
who were responsible for splitting were finalized his mad friends asked him
Hindustan in two. His beloved had to take heart since now he could go to
become a Hindustani while he was now a India. But the young lawyer did not want
Pakistani. Some of the other inmates tried to leave Lahore, for he feared for his legal
to comfort the lawyer. They told him he practice in Amritsar.`` The last one is of
would be sent to Hindustan, where his Anonymous and it is the best one.
beloved lived. But he did not wish to ``When told that the British had
leave Lahore, for he felt that his practice decided to go home after granting
would not thrive in Amritsar.`` The independence to India, they went into a
world ``Hindu`´ is missed. In spite of it, state of deep shock and were seen
Tahira´s translation has some good conferring with each other in whispers the
qualities. ``There was a young Hindu entire afternoon. They were worried about
lawyer from Lahore who had been their changed status after independence.
rejected in love and had turned lunatic. Would there be a European ward or
When he heard that Amritsar had gone would it be abolished? Would breakfast
away into India, then he was very sad. He continue to be served or would they have
had fallen in love with a Hindu girl from to subsist on bloody Indian chapati?´´
that very city. Although she had rejected [Khushwant Singh]. It is a good
the lawyer, even in his madness he hadn't translation carrying entire meaning but a
forgotten her. Thus he abused all those phrase ``the entire afternoon`` is added by
Hindu and Muslim leaders who had him. ``In the European Ward were two
connived together and made Hindustan Anglo-Indians. When they heard that the
into two fragments-- his beloved had English had given Hindustan freedom and
become Hindustani, and he Pakistani. then left, they were devastated. In the
When talk of the exchange began, then course of several secret meetings, they
some of the lunatics comforted the discussed the future of their status in the
lawyer, saying that he shouldn't mind asylum. Would the European Ward be
about it, that he would be sent to retained? Would they continue to get
Hindustan-- the Hindustan where his breakfast? Would they be forced to eat
beloved lived. But he didn't want to leave the bloody Indian chapati instead of
Lahore, because he thought that in bread?`` [Tahira Naqvi]. In Tahira´s
Amritsar his practice wouldn't flourish.`` translation, the phrase ``several secret
This is a translation rendered by Pritchett meetings´´ is unsuitable for lunatics. ``In
and it is a word for word but he has used the European ward there were two Anglo-

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Indian lunatics. When they learned that ``ankles`` and the translation of
the English had freed Hindustan and gone ``someone asked him`` was ignored by
away, they were very much shocked. And Tahira. Collectively, Tahira´s translation
for hours they privately conferred about is better than Singh. ``Because he
the important question of what their status constantly remained standing, his feet
in the lunatic asylum would be now. swelled up. His ankles were swollen too.
Would the European Ward remain, or be But despite this bodily discomfort, he
abolished? Would breakfast be available, didn't lie down and rest. When in the
or not? Instead of proper bread, would insane asylum there was talk about
they have to choke down those bloody Hindustan-Pakistan and the exchange of
Indian chapattis?`` [Pritchett]. It is the lunatics, he listened attentively. If
best translation, word for word but someone asked him what his opinion was,
explainatory. ``There were two Anglo- he answered with great seriousness,
Indians in the European ward. When "Upar di gur gur di annex di be dhyana di
informed the British were leaving, they mung di daal of the Pakistan
spent hours together discussing the Government."`` [Pritchett]. ``His feet
problems they would be faced with: were swollen with constant standing and
Would the European ward be abolished? his calves had puffed out in the middle,
Would they get breakfast? Instead of but in spite of this agony he never cared
bread, would they have to make do with to lie down. He listened with rapt
measly Indian chapattis?´´ [Anonymous]. attention to all discussions about the
In this translation, some words are exchange of lunatics between India and
omitted. Pakistan. If someone asked his views on
``His feet and ankles were swollen the subject he would reply in a grave
from standing too much, but in spite of tone: "Uper the gur gur the annexe the
the bodily discomfort he experienced, he bay dhayana the mung the dal of the
refused to rest. With great seriousness he Government of Pakistan."``
listened to all the talk about the matter, [Anonymous]. The translation of
then assumed a solemn air and replied, Anonymous writer is better than
“Oper di gur gur di annexe di bay dhania Pritchett´s as here, Hisndutan is replaced
di mung daal di of di Pakistan by India and ``great seriousness`` is
government”—his usual gibberish.`` translated as ``grave tone``. ``and was
[Tahira Naqvi]. ``Because of this, his legs there anyone who could guarantee that
were permanently swollen, something both Pakistan and Hindustan would not
that did not appear to bother him. disappear someday?`` [Tahira]. ``And
Recently, he had started to listen carefully who could say if both India and Pakistan
to discussions about the forthcoming might not entirely vanish from the map of
exchange of Indian and Pakistani lunatics. the world one day?`` [Singh]. Here,
When asked his opinion, he observed Tahira´s translation leaded Singh´s
solemnly: ' Uperthegurgur the annexe the translation. ``And who could place his
baydhayana the mung the dal of the hand on his breast and say whether
Government of Pakistan. '`` [Khushwant Hindustan and Pakistan might not both
Singh]. Both translations of Tahira and someday vanish entirely?`` [Pritchett].
Singh respectively did not fulfill And who could say if both India and
completely the requirement of Pakistan might not entirely disappear
meaningness. Singh omitted the word from the face of the earth one day?``

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[Anonymous]. `` and was there anyone daughter behind, now a pretty young girl
who could guarantee...`` is the best of fifteen. She would come occasionally,
translation of the first part of the source and sit in front of him with tears rolling
language rendered by Tahira naqvi. ``The down her cheeks. In the strange world
guards only knew that he was from Toba that he inhabited, hers was just another
Tek Singh, where he owned land. He had face.`` [Singh]. Both translations of
been a well-to-do landowner. Then, Tahira and Singh are incomplete. Some
without warning, he had gone insane. His words are omitted and some extra words
relatives had bound him with iron chains, are added. `` He had one daughter who,
brought him to the asylum, and admitted growing a finger-width taller every
him.`´ [Tahira]. ``Older attendants at the month, in fifteen years had become a
asylum said that he was a fairly young girl. Bishan Singh didn't even
prosperous landlord from Toba Tek recognize her. When she was a child, she
Singh, who had quite suddenly gone mad. wept when she saw her father; when she'd
His family had brought him in, bound and grown up, tears still flowed from her
fettered. That was fifteen years ago.`` eyes.`` [Pritchett]. `` When he had been
[Singh]. The sentence: ``that was fifteen brought to the asylum, he had left behind
years ago`` is added by Khushwant Singh. an infant daughter. She was now a
`` The longtime custodians in the insane comely and striking young girl of fifteen,
asylum knew only this much about him: who Bishan Singh failed to recognize.
that he had some lands in Toba Tek She would come to visit him, and not be
Singh. He was a prosperous landlord, able to hold back her tears.``
when suddenly his mind gave way. His [Anonymous]. The translation of pritchett
relatives bound him in heavy iron chains, can be considered the best one and the
brought him to the insane asylum, got Anonymous translator misinterpreted the
him admitted, and left.´´ [Pritchett]. Here whole sentence. ``He probably wanted to
``some land`` is a wrong translation say that if the man had been a Sikh god
rendered by Pritchett. `` The older instead of a Muslim god, he might have
employees of the asylum knew that he helped Bishan Singh.`` [Tahira]. What he
had been a well-to-do fellow who had wanted to say was: 'You don't answer my
owned considerable land in Toba Tek prayers because you are a Muslim God.
Singh. Then he had suddenly gone mad. Had you been a Sikh God, you would
His family had brought him to the asylum have been more of a sport.'`` [Singh].
in chains and left him there. They came to Tahira translated the passage indirectly
meet him once a month but ever since the and did not expressed the intention of the
communal riots had begun, his relatives writer. She used word ``god`` insted of
had stopped visiting him.`` [Anonymous]. ``God`` that is wrong because Muslims
In this translation, ``well-to-do fellow`` believe only in God. `` What he wanted to
and ``but ever since the communal riots say was: "You don't answer my prayers
had begun`` fulfilled the requirements of because you a Muslim God. Had you
interpretation. ``He had a daughter who been a Sikh God, you would have surely
was grown up now. As a child, she cried helped me out."`` [Anonymous]. ``
whenever she saw her father, and she Perhaps the meaning of this was, "You're
continued to cry for him when she was a the God of the Muslims! If you were the
young woman.`` [Tahira]. ``When he was God of the Sikhs, you'd surely have
first confined, he had left an infant listened to me!"´´ [Pritchett]. The phrase

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 International Journal of Research (IJR) Vol-1, Issue-6, July 2014 ISSN 2348-6848

`` what he wanted to say was`` is I'm at your service.... And I've brought
misinterpretation of the source language. you a little puffed-rice candy."``
`` Perhaps`` and ``probabily`´ are [Pritchett]. Pritchett tranlsated the Urdu
meaningful words in this context. words ``bhai`` and behain`` as brother
``What can I say, except that you and sister but he also found ``puffed-rice
should remember me to bhai Balbir canddy`` as an alternative for ``Maronda``
Singh, bhai Vadhawa Singh and bahain and this alternative is inequal to
Amrit Kaur. Tell bhai Bibir Singh that ``maronda``. `` Your family wanted me to
Fazal Din is well by the grace of God. make sure you were well. Soon you'll be
The two brown buffaloes he left behind moving to India. Please give my salaam
are well too. Both of them gave birth to to bhai Balbir Singh and bhai Raghbir
calves, but, unfortunately, one of them Singh and bahain Amrit Kaur. Tell Balbir
died after six days. Say I think of them that Fazal Din is well. The two brown
often and to write to me if there is buffaloes he left behind are well too. Both
anything I can do.' Toba Tek Sing. Then of them gave birth to calves, but,
he added: 'Here, I brought you some rice unfortunately, one of them died. Say I
from home.' `` [Singh]. Here, Khushwant think of them often and to write to me if
Singh used the Urdu words ``Bahi`` and there is anything I can do." Then he added
``bahain`` that mean brother and sister "Here, I've brought some plums for
respectively in Urdu. These are unfamiliar you."`` [Anonymous]. It is not a real
words for English readers that cannot translation. ``Salaam`` is an Urdu word
convey the complete meaning. that is meaningless for English readers.
``Maronda`` is a special Pakistani sweat The Anonymous translator used ``plums``
which is translated by Singh as ``rice``. It for ``maronday´´ that is his/her mistake.
is a wrong alternative word for it. ``Give ``Getting the lunatics out of the
my regards to Bhai Baleer Singh and Bhai lorries and handing them over to the
Vadhwa Singh…and sister Amrit Kaur. Indian officials proved to be an arduous
Tell Bhai Baleer I am all right. One of the task. Many of them refused to leave the
two cows he left behind has calved, had lorries, and those who did ran about
two calves…One died six days after the wildly, making it difficult for the guards
birth…And if there’s anything more I can and other officials to keep them under
do, tell them I am ready anytime. And control; those who were naked tore off
here, I brought you some sweets.”`´ . any clothing that was forced on them,
[Tahira]. Tahira also used the Urdu word many swore and cursed, one or two sang,
``Bhai`´ but she translated ``bahain`` as some fought with each other, and others
sister that is good practice. The phrase cried or wailed. Confusion was rampant.
``give my regards`´ is better that the The women were also a problem, and the
phrase ``remember me to´´. `` Give my cold weather made everyone’s teeth
greetings to brother Balbesar Singh and chatter.`´ [Tahira]. ``It was quite a job
brother Vadhava Singh.... And sister getting the men out of the bus handing
Amrit Kaur too.... Tell brother Balbesar them over to officials. Some just refused
that those brown water buffaloes that he too. Those who were persuaded to do so
left behind, one of them had a male calf.... began to run up in every direction. Some
The other had a female calf, but when it were stark naked. All effor them to cover
was six days old it died.... And... and if themselves had failed because they would
there's anything I can do for you, tell me; be kept from tearing off their garments.

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Some were using abuse or singing. Others for ``lorry`` that is not matchable word.
were weeping bitter fights broke out. In His translation: `` they swore`` is instead
short, complete confusion prevailed. of ``they abuse`` is far from the Urdu
Female were also being exchanged and writer´s intention. `` The cold weather
there was even a bitterly cold.´´ [Singh]. made everyone’s teeth chatter`` [Tahira
Again Tahira leads Khushwant Singh. naqvi] is a beautoful translation of Urdo
The sentence `` Female were also being idiom than `´there was even a bitterly
exchanged```could not find in source cold``[Singh]. But the best translation for
language. The sentence `` The women this idiom is rendered by Pritchett as ``
were also a problem`` also a wrong and the cold was so fierce that
transaltion. ``To extricate the lunatics everybody's teeth were chattering.`` `` On
from the lorries, and confide them to the hearing this, Bishan Singh leaped back
care of the other wardens, was a very and ran towards the remaining group of
difficult task. Some refused to emerge at men who awaited their turn. The
all. Those who were willing to come out Pakistani soldiers caught him and tried to
became difficult to manage, because they force him back to the checkpoint. He
suddenly ran here and there. If clothes resisted vigorously.`` [Tahira]. `` Bishan
were put on the naked ones, they tore Singh tried to run, but was overpowered
them off their bodies and flung them by the Pakistani guards who tried to push
away. Someone was babbling abuse, him across the dividing line towards
someone was singing. They were fighting India. However, he wouldn't move.``
among themselves, weeping, muttering. [Khushwant Singh]. `` On hearing this
People couldn't make themselves heard at Bishan Singh leaped up, dodged to one
all-- and the female lunatics' noise and side, and ran to rejoin his remaining
clamor was something else. And the cold companions. The Pakistani guards seized
was so fierce that everybody's teeth were him and began to pull him in the other
chattering.`` [Pritchett]. Prichett´s direction, but he refused to move.``
translattion is a meaning-based trasnlation [Pritchett]. ``Hearing that Bishan Singh
and his proposition: ``and the female turned and ran back to join his
lunatics' noise and clamor was something companions. The Pakistani guards caught
else.`` is word for word but near to source hold of him and tried to push him across
language translation. `` Getting the the line to India. Bishan Singh wouldn't
lunatics out of the trucks and handing move.`` [Anonymous]. Here, the
them over to the opposite side proved to translation of Khushwant Singh failed to
be a tough job. Some refused to get down convey the meaning-based message.
from the trucks. Those who could be Many phrases are translated differently by
persuaded to do so began to run in all Khushwant Singh. Tahira´s translation
directions. Some were stark naked. As also did not fulfill this creterion. The
soon as they were dressed they tore off phrases `` force him back to the
their clothes again. They swore, they checkpoint`` [Tahira Naqvi], `` push him
sang, they fought with each other. Others across the dividing line towards India``
wept. Female lunatics, who were also [Khushwant Sing], `` pull him in the other
being exchanged, were even noisier. It direction`` [Pritchett] lead an English
was pure bedlam. Their teeth chattered in reader to some extra but irrelevant
the bitter cold.`` [Anonymous]. The information that is not available in source
Anonymous translator used the ``truck`` language. Again, the Anonymous

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translator created an equalency between translation founded on equivalency will

source and target languages. He/she usually always result in the loss or gain of
translated the same message as: ``push information between the two languages
him across the line to India``. (p. 2). In present case, this extreme
Conclusion difference and cultural gap between Urdu
The selected words and passages and Englsih resulted in loss and/or gain of
of Manto´s fiction were analysed and the information and the four translator did not
relationship between SL (Urdu) and TL take measures in accordance with
(English) was judged carefully. The four Larson´s meaning-based theory. In
translators of the same fiction were Larson´s point of view, the purpose of
compared on the basis of their works. It translation is to transfer the meaning of a
was found that no one was capable to source language text into a target
change the form of language but keep the language text. This is performed by
meaning constant. There were some replacing the form of the source language
shorcomings in every translation such as with the form of the target language while
omission and addition of words/phrases. the meaning itself is maintained in
Sometimes, a tranlation leaded to original sense (1984, p. 12).
misinterpretation too. It was beacuase the In spite of it all, the four
meaning of the source language was translations have many literaty qualities
changed. In Brahma´s point of view and an English reader can infer a sense of
(2010), during the project of translation originility from their text. The aspect of
when the source language and the target domestication is apparent in these
language are extremely different in translations. By comparing their texts, the
structure and in cultural scenorio, there Anonymous translator can be awared with
cannot be a real equivalent of the source the title of ``the best translator``.
language into the target language. The

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