Translation Principles,Summary & Test

Translation Procedures Summary:

1. Translation procedures involve essentially adding (structure or lexical elements to those present in the SL), subtracting from them, or adapting the content of the message so that the TL text will come as close as possible to the intent of the SL text.
2. Translation can be listed in terms of different levels of complexity in the form of: transcription, transliteration, borrowing, literal, transposition, modulation, and adaptation.
3. In translating from SL into TL transposition and modulation are obviously the most important procedures that should be taken into account by the translator.
4. A translator should always study the text as a whole before he begins to translate it. After obtaining a picture of the whole he can break it up into its parts.

Summary :

1. Though there are no universally accepted principles of translation due to contradiction among scholars on this case, we can nevertheless identify the distinction between the literal or faithful translation and the idiomatic or free translation. The former is believed to be more difficult due to several factors.

2. Some reasons for the advocacy of faithfulness are among others:

1. The translator never forgets that he is a translator. 
2. The translator is not the original writer.
3. The translator is just the interpreter.
4. The writer’s style could only be preserved in a literal translation.

3. Some reasons for the advocacy of free translation are among others:

1. Literal translation is too difficult.
2. Accuracy, clearness, and precision are difficult to achieve in literal translation.
3. The freedom to include lexical and grammatical adjustments to obtain the meaning/concept of the SL text as closely as possible to the TL equivalent.
4. Free translation is fresh and can be read with ease and pleasure.

4. The choice whether a translation should be literal or idiomatic depends entirely upon the intended readers.-> Dituju kepada pembaca

Test :

1. Which of the following is not the reason for the advocacy of free translation?

1. Literal translation is too difficult.
2.  Free translation can be read with ease and pleasure.
3. The writer’s style could only be preserved in a literal translation.
4. Accuracy, clearness, and precision are difficult to achieve in literal translation.

2. Which of the following principles supports the choice of faithful or literal translation?

1. A translation should posses the style of the translation.
2. A translation should read as a contemporary of the translator.
3. A translation of verse should be in verse.
4.  A translation of verse should be in prose.

3. Which of the following principles supports the choice of free or idiomatic translation?

1. A translation of verse should be in verse.
2. A translation should posses the style of the translation.
3. A translation must give the words of the original.
4.  A translation should read like an original.

4. In the sentence “We’ve already had various talks on how to look after our money, how to use the library, and so on.” which of the following Indonesian equivalent is the most faithful to the original?a. Kami telah mengadakan berbagai macam pembicaraan mengenai bagaimana menjaga uang, bagaimana menggunakan perpustakaan, dan sebagainya.

b. Kami telah mengadakan bermacam-macam pembicaraan mengenai bagaimana menjaga uang kami, perpustakaan, dan sebagainya.

c. Kami telah mengadakan berbagai pembicaraan mengenai bagaimana menjaga uang kami, bagaimana menggunakan perpustakaan, dan sebagainya.

d. Kami telah mengadakan pembicaraan yang panjang lebar mengenai bagaimana menjaga uang kami dan bagaimana caranya menggunakan perpustakaan.

5. In the sentence ‘The old lady fell to the ground and lay there motionless.’ which of the following Indonesian equivalent is the most idiomatic (free)?

1. Nyonya itu jatuh dan tergeletak tidak bergerak.
2. Nyonya itu jatuh di tanah dan tergeletak di situ tanpa bergerak.\
3. Dia jatuh ke tanah dan pingsan tak bergerak.
4. Dia jatuh dan pingsan.

6. In the sentence ‘John had been working for about half an hour when his wife came in and turned off all the lights.’ which of the following Indonesian equivalent is the closest in meaning to the original?

1. John telah bekerja lebih kurang setengah jam sewaktu istrinya masuk dan tiba-tiba semua lampu padam.
2. John belum lagi bekerja setengah jam sewaktu istrinya masuk dan memadamkan semua lampu.
3. John telah bekerja lebih kurang setengah jam sewaktu istrinya masuk dan memadamkan semua lampu.
4. John telah selesai bekerja lebih kurang setengah jam sewaktu istrinya masuk dan semua lampu padam.

7. In the sentence ‘They’ll have to make a few changes, but at least they haven’t got to start again from scratch.’, which of the following Indonesian equivalents omits part or parts from the original?

1. Mereka harus mengadakan sedikit perubahan, tetapi setidak-tidaknya mereka tidak harus memulainya lagi dari permulaan.
2. Mereka harus mengadakan perubahan, tetapi mereka tidak harus memulainya dari permulaan.
3. Mereka harus mengadakan sedikit perubahan yang dirasa perlu, tetapi setidak-tidaknya mereka tidak harus memulainya lagi dari permulaan.
4. Mereka harus selalu mengadakan sedikit perubahan tetapi setidak-tidaknya mereka tidak harus memulainya lagi dari permulaan.

8. In the sentence ‘There was no way he could escape, the Chief of Police was having the whole area searched, house by house.’, which of the following Indonesian equivalents adds to the original?

1. Tak ada jalan untuk melarikan diri baginya; kepala polisi memerintahkan seluruh daerah untuk digeledah dari rumah ke rumah.
2. Tak ada jalan untuk melarikan diri baginya; kepala polisi memerintahkan seluruh daerah untuk digeledah.
3. Tak ada jalan baginya untuk melarikan diri keluar kota, dari rumah ke rumah.
4. Tak ada jalan untuk melarikan diri baginya, seluruh daerah digeledah dari rumah ke rumah.