1

Assessing Coherence in Malachie Manaouda’s Translated English Tweets on Covid-19

between March and June 2020

By

Atoh Chenwi Julius & Fomen Marius

University of Bamenda University of Douala
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract

The present work assesses coherence gaps in the tweets by Manaouda Malachie on
Covid-19 when the pandemic was at its peak in Cameroon. To analyse the issue, the work
aims to find out the coherence gaps from the tweets, possible translation impediments,
approaches that have been used and the ones that should have been used for an accurate
rendition from the coherence perspective. To achieve these objectives, all the 62 instances of
coherence gaps in the tweets were identified and assessed in accordance with Zheng’s (2009:
53) recommendation. The analysis was done following Toury (1995, 36-39) and Wanchia
(2012) models, together with translation theories (textual equivalence, interpretative,
communicative, and skopos theories) and some translation micro strategies: literal translation,
transposition, reformulation and explicitation. It derives from the analysis that the most
critical coherence related error has to do with assuring continuity of sense throughout the text
(72.58%). Findings also reveal that the translator almost exclusively used an approach that
foreignised the product of translation, notably: textual equivalence theory (100%) and literal
translation technique (96.77 %). We realised that the translation theories of naturalisation
(interpretative, communicative, and skopos theories) supported by the techniques of
explicitation, reformulation and transposition permit to solve the problem. Through the
present research endeavour, we hope to have contributed in demonstrating that it is necessary
official communications be handled by professional language service providers in order to
make sure the expected objective is met rather than worsening a situation because of poor use
of language.

Key words: Coherence, Manaouda Malachie, Tweets, Translation Quality Assessment,

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Covid-19
Résumé 

Le présent travail de recherche analyse les défauts de cohérence dans les tweets de
Manaouda Malachie relatifs à la covid-19 à un moment où la pandémie connait un pic au
Cameroun. Pour examiner ce problème, le travail s’est fixé pour objectifs : d’identifer les
défauts de cohérence dans ces tweets, de relever les éventuels problèmes de traduction
contenus dans ces textes, et de trouver les théories et techniques qui n’ont pas rendu service
au traducteur ainsi que celles qu’il aurait dû utiliser. Pour atteindre ces objectifs, les 62
extraits présentant des problèmes de cohérence ont été identifiés et évalués selon les directives
données par Zheng (2009 : 53). L’analyse a été menée selon les modèles de Toury (1995, 36-
39) et de Wanchia (2012), et guidée par les theories de traduction (les théories de
l’équivalence textuelle, de communication, et du skopos) et les techniques de traduction
litérale (transposition, reformulation et explicitation). Les résultats montrent que le problème
le plus critique relatif à la coherence est l’absence de suite logique explicite entre les idées,
avec une fréquence d’erreur de 72.58%. Il ressort également de l’analyse que le traducteur a
recouru quasi-exclusivement à une approche qui étrangéise la traduction, notamment : la
théorie de l’équivalence textuelle (100%) et la technique de traduction littérale (96.77 %). Par
ailleurs, il s’est avéré que les théories de traduction qui permettent de naturaliser le produit
(les théories interprétative, de communication, et du skopos) sous-tendues par les techniques
d’explicitation, de reformulation, et de transposition permettent de remédier à ces écarts de
traduction. À travers ce travail de recherche, nous espérons avoir contribué à démontrer la
nécissité de confier les communications d’envergure (officielles par exemple) aux prestataires
de services linguistiques rompus à la tâche afin d’assurer une parfaite transmission de
l’information pertinente plutôt que d’aggraver une situation exsitante en raison d’une
utilisation inappropriée de la langue.

Mots clés : Cohérence, Manaouda Malachie, Tweets, Évaluation de la Qualité de la

Traduction

Covid-19.

0. Introduction
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Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical linking within a text or sentences that hold a
text together and give it meaning whereas coherence refers to the way in which ideas in a text
logically complement each other. In fact, a set of sentences cannot be considered coherent
until the ideas it contains are logically connected all through. That is why Halliday & Hasan
(2001: 2) think that ‘A text has texture and this is what distinguishes it from something that is
not a text…The texture is provided by the cohesive relation’. In a similar light, and since
translation focuses on handling ideas, high-quality products of translation also depend on
whether or not the source text (ST) pertinent information has been coherently rendered. This
requirement for good translation underlines the need to assure connectivity throughout
translated texts for their optimal fluency, with particular focus on the syntactic, semantic,
pragmatic and stylistic devices of the texts. On this ground, we observe that the English
versions of the tweets made by Manaouda Malachie on the most hideous health crisis
Cameroon has ever sufferred is full of coherence gaps. As a matter of fact, the following
questions are worth raising: 1) How coherent are the English tweets of the Minister of Public
Health at the peak of Covid-19 in Cameroon? 2) What related translation constraints could
prevent the translator from adequately translating those tweets from French into English? 3)
What approaches have been used and which ones would have helped obtain translations that
better contribute in stopping the spread of the virus?

From this outlook, it is clear that efficient communication would be vital to a

successful fight against Covid-19 in Cameroon. The present work intends therefore to: a)
detect and classify coherence gaps, b) determine related translation impediments, and d)
present the translation approaches used by justifying the ones that should have assured
optimal coherence. We however need to start by highlighting to what extent previous works
inform ours and take a look at the conceptual, theoretical, and methodological foundations for
the analysis of the observed problem.

1. Review of related literature

The literature focuses on previous scientific papers related to the disease, concepts
worth understanding in this paper and the theories serving as frame for analysing the collected
data.

1. 1 Previous works

Scientific investigations have emerged from the pandemic of Covid-19 with the same
speed the disease has threathened the world in record time. Consequently, the present research
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endeavour can only be and addition to what others have already done on the phenomenon.
The question is thus: why can we say that the present investigation is still necessary?

First of all, Wandji & Kingne (2020) analyse Manaouda Malachie’s tweets, which is
being done in the present work, but aiming to demonstrate to what extent this figure of the
health domain shows he is the ‘right person at [in] the right place’ (ibid: 221) by generating an
average of three tweets daily. To succeed in building that image, the researchers show how
the Minister passes through a discursive identity building. Unlike theirs, our work evaluates
the efficiency of the English version of the Minister’s tweets with regard to coherence and to
achieve this, we verify whether or not and to what extent the assessment criteria proposed by
(Zheng, 2009) have been respected and find out the reasons behind any erroneous instance.

Secondly, Salerno (2020) is concerned with the way we should communicate during
health crises, and the present research endeavour is in consonance with this concern. Besides,
Salerno focuses on the communication by key actors (members of the Government and
figures of the health domain) in mid-April 2020, a period during which the pandemic was at
its peak all over the world. While restricting his investigation to monolingual communication,
that researcher deplores the fact that the terms used could make people forget they are on
‘Ground Zero’ and an unexpected sad event can emerge and worsens the health situation.
Also, nonverbal communication is noticed to be the most prioritised means of communication
in the context (ibid: 45).

In addition, Rosenstein (2020) addresses the pandemic as a factor to social inequalities

considering for example sudden online classes which had not helped some students due to
variables one cannot attribute to them – poor Network, lack of ITCs tools, among others. This
work complements his as we are afraid the tweets by the most reliable figure of the
circumstance had also reinforced a social inequality, from the coherence standpoint. Again,
unlike our work, this previous one is not interested in a problem caused by a product of
translation. From the above works, we think the problem we have identified still requires
being addressed.

1. 2 Conceptual Review

Focusing on coherence, tweet with its author, and covid-19, what do researchers think
and how is it going to be perceived in this work?

1. 2. 1 Coherence
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Two levels of coherence are considered in this work: local coherence and goblal
coherence. Beaugrande & Robert (1991: 276) talk of local coherence when the author has
worked to ‘establish meaningful connections between successive elements in a discourse or
between constituents of sentences’. The researchers define global coherence from a functional
outlook stating that it (ibid: 276) ‘organizes and orders predicates referents, propositions and
so on around the central ones and imposes unity and sequences’. The analysis done in the
present work takes into account the two levels of coherence.

Hu (1999:42) thinks that cohesion is embbeded in coherence though both work

together. In this connection, Hatim and Munday (2004) hold that the notion of cohesion is
pertinently handled when considered within the frame of coherence. The scholars (ibid: 265)
illustrate this view with ellipsis as deletion, whose understanding should be informed by the
association of extratextual variables like intimacy, ‘language and text type preferences’
(Baker, 1992: 190). That is why our work uses coherence, knowing that it includes cohesion.

In line with this view, Hu (1999: 42) thinks that trying to dissociate the two notions
cannot stand and considers so connected to each other that equivalence can sometimes be
appraised in translation by handling them interchangeably. Reading the notion in the context
of the work, Beekman & Callow (1974: 30) consider cohesion to be ‘the most useful
constituent of discourse analysis or text linguistics applicable to translation’. In consonnance
with (Beekman & Callow, 1974) and (Hu, 1999), Blum-Kulka & Shoshana (2000) hold that to
make coherence palpable to target text receptors, translators must interpret the meaning
behind the use of linguistic items that serve as connectors so that what is said be relevant to
those receptors.

We read coherence from this frame as it supports the cardinal translation theory
privileged by ESIT1. In fact, we agree with advocates of this trend who think that the sole
translation approach that is likely to result in a worthy translated text is the interpretative
approach. Lederer et al. (2001: 19) and Guidère (2008: 9) respectively highlight the need for
the intended meaning of the speaker to match with the pertinent information expected by the
consumer of a translation, and that some key aspects of meaning cannot be worded yet
essential to the information to translate. The next concept to cater for is the tweet and its
author.

1. 2. 2 Tweet and the Tweeter

1
ESIT: Advanced School of Interpreters and Translators. The most renowned translators training school in Paris,
France.
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The term tweet derives from Tweeter, a microblogging service which, since 2006 is
being used – via short messages – for communicating. It is thus a recent means of
communication that many of Communication and Information Technology users, including
political figures, are fond of worldwide. As far as their content is concerned, tweets have a
maximum of 140 characters or sings. This is what makes Longhi (2013) to mention that
spontaneity constitutes the peculiarity of tweet productions before indicating that this
spontaneity is not always respected in tweets by political figures and that they are not
deprived however of material for pragmatic and discourse analysis investigations.

The author goes further to conclude that tweets are proven to be the privileged means
by politicians in critical situations and a fertile form of discourse for critical thinking. That is
why he says « Le tweet politique est donc un lieu de renouvellement de discours politique, et
un cadre intéressant pour observer certaines mutations des formes textuelles, sémantiques et
discursives qui sont produites. » [Political tweets therefore appear to be the most suitable form
of text for renewing political discourse and for observing some structural, semantic and
discourse changes.] (Our translation), (ibid: 11).

The present work considers tweets as texts on their own. The reason being that, since
they have been translated it supposes that they had been comprehended as units that make
complete sense, otherwise the translation process would not have taken place. It is from this
premise that the work analyses the translated tweets following a translation quality assessment
methodology.

The tweeter – author of these tweets – is Doctor Manaouda Malachie, Cameroon’s

Minister of Public Health, the position he occupies when he produced these tweets. Doctor
Manaouda Malachie is a scholar in the field of Political Sciences; an irrefutably
knowledgeable citizen indeed. Considering some of the roots of the ongoing social crises in
the country, the Minister rightfully found it extremely germane to ascertain that whatever he
would tweet be well understood by all Cameroonian citizens irrespective of their linguistic
barriers (regarding official languages). This justifies why the Minister of Public Health could
be looked at as one of the best Cameroonian Ministers as he is very well conscious of the
urgent need to communicate with his fellow Cameroonians in both English and French.

However, considering the fact that Doctor Manaouda Malachie is actually not a
professional in passing the pertinent information of texts from one culture to another, coupled
to the bicultural nature of Cameroon, and considering the critical role of information quality
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during crises, without forgetting that Ministries in Cameroon have colleges of renowned
professional translators at their disposal, it can be assumed that the Minister made good use of
his professional language service providers during the confinement period more than ever
before. It is important to indicate that it is on the basis these facts that the Minister’s tweets
are worth analysing as reliable texts. The last concept the work cares about is Covid-19.

1. 2. 3 Covid-19

Covid-19, which is a new strain of coronavirus was discovered in Wuham, China.

Considering how it is transmitted, whom it targets and its consequences so far, to address this
pandemic means using language in a given manner and for a given purpose. In fact, this
disease has been so terrifying that just a mistake can produce an effect the two World Wars,
put together had not. This paper advocates that this psycological awareness be the dimension
that prevails while addressing Covid-19.

2. Theoretical Frame

Given that the corpus being analysed is a product of translation, the handling of
information from the source to the target texts (TT) is analysed within the frame of translation
theories, supported by appropriate translation techniques. The translation approaches that
were used or that were supposed to be used while translating: the textual equivalence theory,
the interpretative theory, the communicative theory and the skopos theory are reviewed
below.

The equivalence theory emanates from the linguistic theory of translation which, to
Catford (1965: 21), consists in replacing items by their equivalents in the target language; this
is known as textual equivalence. On the contrary, Advocates of the interpretative theory of
translation defend the thesis that the object of translation is the pertinent information, not
words. In this respect, Herbulot (2004) sees translation as an activity essentially based on the
messages and sense of information, but never on words. Prior to him, Lederer et al. (2001: 19)
thought that so much emphasis should be laid on sense so that translators have to translate the
intended meaning. Further to this, and more recently, Guidère (2008: 9) highlights that
translators should consider the fact that some vital parts of information are often unexpressed.

Newmark (1981: 39) opines that communicative theory of translation is one which
permits translated texts to have the same or nearly the same effect on their receptors as the
source texts did. The scholar thinks that to achieve this goal the translator is free to make
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necessary adjustments. In addition to textual correspondance, to sense, and to the effect of the
target text on its receptor, the objective assigned to the translation product does matter too.
Hence the skopos theory of translation that better explains this factor. Vermeer (1989) insists
on the fact that translation and interpretation will not be successful until the translator and
interpreter have made the product to meet the objective their client wanted it to. Guidère
(2008) adds that determining the appropriate strategy for successfully guaranteeing the
client’s mission through the product of translation precedes and determines the choice of the
techniques to use.

Four techniques have permitted to implement the above translation theories: literal
translation, explicitation; transposition, and reformulation. To Vinay and Darbelnet (1995: 33-
34), literal translation refers to a word-for-word translation which produces a grammatically
and idiomatically acceptable translated product, though we should highlight the fact that
literal translation produces awkward translated texts as well. In the same book, they consider
explicitation as ‘a stylistic translation technique which consists in making explicit in the target
language what remains implicit in the source language because it is apparent from either the
context or the situation’ (ibd: 242). Transposition is the replacement of a word category with
another without altering the meaning of the message. Reformulation, which Lavault (1998:
62) views as a technique of translation, permits the translator to render the pertinent
inforamtion so that it be intelligible, precise and idiomatic in the target language.

3. Methodology

To begin with, coherence gaps have been identified and classified following (Zheng,
2009)’s approach for assessing coherence in translated texts. This approach is made up of four
factors, notably the: ‘retention of the continuity of senses of a text; reconstruction of the target
text for the purpose of continuity; coherence complement in translation and the extracting and
foregrounding of topic sentences in translation.’

The retention of the continuity of senses of a text  entails following the continuity of
senses in the original text, if it was overt, or detect and render it clearly if covert. The
reconstruction of the target text for the purpose of continuity  is necessary as the logic of
language structures varies. For instance, English text tend to be topic or paragraph sentence
based as English people are straightforward. Coherence complement in translation means that
possible adjustments can be made to better match with the receivers’ reality. As for extracting
and foregrounding of topic sentences in translation, (Zheng, 2009) thinks that translators
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would better extract and fore-ground topic sentences or main concepts or ideas in order to
facilitate the appropriation of the product by target consumers.

The components of coherence analysed in the present work are classified following the
factors given by Zheng (op cit.). His evaluation approach is adopted because not only does it
permit to assess coherence from the local and global levels mentioned by Beaugrande &
Robert (1991: 276) but it also permits to address components of coherence more concretely –
sensible orgarnization, parallelism, repetition, pronouns, consistency, and transitional
expressions.
Collected data are analysed considering (Toury, 1995: 36-39)’s requirements in
analysing translation products and the analysis model is the grid-based analysis proposed by
Wanchia (2012). Considering the elements from Toury Wanchia’s model stresses visibility in
a tabular form as opposed to the prosaic form when it comes to an analysis whereby a quite
good number of elements should be factored in.

Sample of analysis grid

Entry Content
1 Source Text (ST) Excerpt to be translated
What surrounds the production of a
2 Context of production
given excerpt
Highlight the part of the excerpt to be
3 Element of interest
analysed
What the author intends to pass as
4 Author’s intention
pertinent information
5 Translation constraint Possible obstacle to translating
6 Target Text (TT) Translator’s rendition bearing the issue
Translator’s Translation theory One(s) likely to explain the process
7 Translation technique Micro strategy(ies) used
approach
Comparison of ST and TT Show the différence
Value judgement How acceptable is the rendition
8
9 Proposed translation Improved version
Researcher’s translation theory One(s) likely to explain the process
10 translation technique Micro strategy(ies) used
approach
To what extent the researcher’s
11 Justification of the researcher’s approach
approach is appropriate

5. Analysis
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Due to space constraint, it has not been possible to analyse all the instances of errors
identified throughout the tweets. As a matter of fact, just representative ones are developed in
the grids below. They are four excerpts standing for the four elements to consider while
assessing coherence in translated texts as prescribed (Zheng, 2009: 53). Concerning the
remaining excerpts, though they have been analysed, only an inventory of the trend is
provided in the findings sub-section of the work.

Excerpt 1 (March 30): Sample of errors related to maintining the continuity of senses

Entry Content
A ce jour, nous avons 3 cas de plus, soit un
total de 142 mais nous comptons une
1 Source Text (ST) dizaine de malade guéris. Le
gouvernement s’active
2 Context of production The number of patients is increasing in the
country.
A ce jour, nous avons 3 cas de plus, soit un
3 Element of interest total de 142 mais nous comptons une
dizaine de malade guéris. Le
gouvernement s’active
Assure citizens as for the ability of the
4 Author’s intention Government and health professionals to
efficiently handle the pandemic.
5 Translation constraint Highlight the logical link without
overtranslating
(9 : 34) To date, we have 3 more cases,
6 Target Text (TT) total of 142 but we have about then
patients who have been cured. The
Governement is active
Translator’s translation theory Textual equivalence
7 approach translation technique Literal translation
The ST did not point out the link existing
Comparison of ST and TT between the chunks of information in the
8 two sentences and, neither has the TT.
The TT is problematic as it is not clear
Value judgement enough.
The 3 additional cases makes a total of
142, but we have about then patients who
9 Proposed translation have been cured; a clear indicator that the
Governement is making successful efforts.
Researcher’s translation theory Skopos theory
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10 approach translation technique Explicitation

This communication had to persuade its
listeners on the fact that the Government is
on the right track given its recent exploit,
hence the skopos theory. Explicitation is
11 Justification of the researchers’ approach the technique that could more
appropriately help establish that direct link
by adding a phrase that can actually
highlight the implication of the good job
by the health professionals.

Excerpt 2 (April 2): Sample of errors related to reconstructing for the target culture’s
logic
Entry Content
(21 : 16) Notre stratégie: testing massif et
généralisé, placement en traitement immédiat
des cas suspects, sensibilisation des
1 Source Text (ST) populations (hygiène, distance, etc), maîtrise
des frontières, développement d’expertises
locales fiable pour la riposte
The number of cases leads to questioning how
2 Context of production the government is handling the issue
Noun forms appearing in the enumeration: …
3 Element of interest testing, placement …, … surveillance,
awareness…, …control, development ...
4 Author’s intention Communicate on the strategy being set to stop
the spread of the pandemic
5 Translation constraint Verbalize the nouns and maintain sense
(21 : 25) Our strategy : massive and
generalized testing, placement in immediate
treatment of cases, active surveillance of
6 Target Text (TT) suspect cases, awareness of the populations
(hygiene, distance, etc.), border control
development of reliable local expertise for the
response
Translator’s translation theory Textual equivalence
translation technique Literal translation
7 approach
Comparison of ST and TT The translator was influenced by the word
class of terms embodying the ST information
8
Value judgement The translation is inappropriate in the target
language
Our strategy includes: testing massively and
widely, treating confirmed cases immediately,
controlling suspect cases actively, stimulating
9 Proposed translation awareness of the populations (on hygiene,
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distance, etc.), controlling border, and

developping reliable local expertise for
fighting the disease.
Researcher’s translation theory Communicative theory
10 translation technique Transposition
approach
The communicative theory permits the target
text to be familiar to its readers by using the
11 Justification of the researchers’
suitable word form for listing a series of ideas
approach and applying the necessary changes it implies.
To achieve this, transposition is the technique
that gives the translator the possibility to pass
from one grammatical catogory to the other.

Excerpt 3 (March 18): Sample of errors related to adjusting translation for the sake of
coherence
Entry Content
(0 : 01) Les présidents des différents
ordres professionnels et associations
1 Source Text (ST) savantes, ont pu s’exprimer sur la
question. Vigilance !!
Meetings are being held to find out
2 Context of production solutions against the spread of the virus.
3 Element of interest Vigilance !!
Inform the citizens that resolutions from
4 Author’s intention the meeting prescrible constant
vigilance as the saving attitude to adopt.
5 Translation constraint Bringing in more information without
overtranslating the idea in ‘vigilance’.
(00 : 02) The presidents of the various
6 Target Text (TT) professional orders and learned
associations were able to speak on the
issue. Vigilance !!
Translator’s translation theory Textual equivalence
7 approach translation technique Literal translation
Comparison of ST and TT The translator restricted the pertinent
information to the ST terms
The information is undertranslated
8 given there is pertinent information
Value judgement which has not been worded and the
translator forgot to render it.
The presidents of the various
9 Proposed translation professional orders and learned
associations have addressed the issue
and have insisted on the fact the
watchword remains close and
continuous attention (vigilance!!).
Researcher’s translation theory Skopos theory
10 approach translation technique Explicitation
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Still, the ST author would like his

listeners to constantly be vigilant. The
skopos theory is used to ascertain that
the TT consumers perceive this
11 Justification of the researchers’ approach intention of the author of the ST. To
make it possible, explicitation is the
most appropriate technique as it gives
the possibility to introduce a phrase
likely to make the intention in such a
way that can actually reach the TT
readers and influence them.

Excerpt 4 (April 9): Sample of errors related to extracting and foregrounding main
ideas
Entry Content
(15 : 41) Très sensible à la nouvelle orientation
que vous avez souhaité donner à notre
communication, je vais donc m’employer
désormais à ne publier simplement que des
1 Source Text (ST) informations sur l’évolution de notre stratégie,
les cas graves, les cas guéris, les décès et les
mesures barrières
2 Context of production The Government’s communication on the
pandemic is being misinterpreted
3 Element of interest Order of clauses given their functions
4 Author’s intention Convey that they have adopted some
restrictions vis-à-vis what to communicate
5 Translation constraint Forgrounding the topic sentence when all the
ideas are all in a single complex sentence.
(15 : 41) Very sensitive to the new orientation
that you wished to give to our communication, I
6 Target Text (TT) will therefore endeavor now to publish only
information on the evolution of our strategy,
serious cases, cured cases, deaths and measures
barriers2
Translator’s translation theory Textual equivalence theory
7 approach translation technique Literal translation
Comparison of ST and TT The translator followed the ST phraseology
8 which is not appropriate in the target language.
Value judgement The TT is therefore a wrong translation
I will now endeavour to publish only
information on the evolution of our strategy,
9 Proposed translation serious cases, cured cases, deaths and

2
‘measures barriers’ : is an expression quoted verbatim from the translation under criticism. It is not from the
researchers.
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protective measures because we are very

sensitive to the new guidelines that you wished
to give to our communication.
Researcher’ translation theory Communicative theory
10 s approach translation technique Reformulation
The information about the fact precceds the
very fact yet the target culture prefers the
11 Justification of the researchers’ reverse and its readers would not feel
approach confortable. Restructuring by starting with the
fact before justifying would better suit the
target text readers.

4. Findings
After the analysis has been done, trends are presented considering Zheng (2009)’s
criteria for evaluating coherence in translated texts, then follows the trends on the frequencies
of the different theories and techniques used by both the translator and the researchers.

To begin with, failure to maintain continuity is the most critical type of coherence
error identified in Manaouda Malachie’s tweets as it presents the overwhelming percentage of
error, 72.58 %. In fact, in those tweets, ideas appear as separate chunks and it is left to the
receptors to establish a link among them, which offers an excellent occasion to ambiguity as
the TT readers may not understand anything in the ST yet are bound to struggle and find out
the accurate link. The next concern is related to adjusting translation for coherence sake, with
an error marging of 19.35 %. Reconstructing logic in ideas for the target culture’s
convenience and forgrounding topic ideas close the series with 6.45 % and 1.61 %
respectively.

As for translation theories, one can notice 100 % for textual equivalence meaning that
the translator of the tweets used exclusively textual equivalence as translation theory, which is
surprising because this theory cannot permit to successfully handle non-linguistic realities
while translating. This kind of sign-to-sign and structure-to-structure movement during the
translation process is justified here given that literal translation and borrowing were the sole
techniques used, with 96.77 % and 3.2. % as their respective usage percentages. In a similar
light, Fomen (2020: 95) rightfully deplores the fact that the use of literal translation technique
accounts for 98 % of the semantic mismatches related to the handling of the value of
punctuation marks while translating the Books of Genesis and Exodus from French into
Medùmbà.
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In conclusion, the contrastive analysis done as regards the approach of the translator
and the approach of the researchers has permitted to realise that the interpretative theory
would have helped the translator of those tweets clarify the links among ideas whereas the
communicative theory would have made it possible for the TT receptors to feel exactly or
nearly what the ST readers felt. In fact, to solve the coherence issue identified we have used
those two theories with a usage percentage of 45.16 % and 32.25 % respectively. The last, but
not the least, since the author of the tweets also originally intended to reassure his receptors
and prevent them from being distracted by ill-intentioned citizens so that they acknowledge
and appreciate how efficiently the Government was handling Covid-19, the skopos theory was
used with a usage percentage of 22.58 %.

As concerns the implementation of the theories in the above paragraph, explicitation

and reformulation are recommended, with 70.96 % and 25.8 % as usage percentages. The
reason being that translators need to ease understanding to receptors, coupled with the fact
that the watchword while translating should be zero ambiguity in understanding the TT. This
view had already been theorised by (Vinay and Darbelnet, 1995: 242) and strengthened more
recently by (Nana, 2016) who finds that some errors in the Medùmba version of the French
Bible are a result of the failure to take into account the peculiarities of the target culture. Still
in this connection, Almohaya (2015: 148) thinks that explicitation gives the translator the
possibility to add a contextual or semantic pertinent information for rendering the exact
original message.

5. Conclusion

To conclude, it should be recalled that the work set to know three main things: to what
extent the tweets are coherent, the constraints for an optimal rendition from the coherence
angle, and the approach towards the translation product. First of all, we have to emphasise
that the tweets made by the Minister of Public Health to sensitise the citizens during the most
critical period of the pandemic, which had to be translated into English as they were originally
in French, are to a great extent incoherent. Secondly, explicitating without bringing in new
information, alongside rephrasing to suit the target culture realities without missing any
pertinent information are the most significant impediments found. Thirdly, as for the
translation approach, the interpretative, communicative and the skopos theories of translation
are proven to be absolutely necessary to avoid the awkward translations one can read in the
tweets in English and which could have contributed to worsen the health situation among
English-speaking Cameroonians.
 16

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 18

We immensely thank those who took time to read the present work in order to help
improve its quality. We have learnt a lot. We, however, would like to shed more light on some
of the amendements, notably vis-à-vis the theories with their techniques used as well as the
analysis models employed.

1) Theories

The theories used in the translation of the tweets were not appropriate, making us to
use appropriated ones, which are highlighted under the proposed translations entries. The
same criticism goes to the translation techniques they used. As a matter of fact, in order to
naturalise the translated texts, unkike them, we have to use techniques that help implement the
adequate theories.
We realized for instance that where they failed for having used the equivalence theory
and the literal translation technique; the interpretative theory, the communicative theory or the
skopos theory would have been appropriate, implemented thanks to techniques like
explicitation, transposition, or reformulation.
NB: It is therefore by making use of ALL these theories and techniques that we can
scientifically show the extent to which their translation is problematic, and explain how
the problems are solved in our proposed renditions.

2) Analysis method

As regards the analysis models, wanchia (2012) is chosen as it helps analyse excerpts
in a synthetic but comprehensive grids comprising analysis variables proposed by (Toury,
1995: 36-39); notably, the identification and description of the translation, the analysis of the
ST and TT, the presentation of the problem area before suggesting ways out.
In addition, through this grid analysis model, it is possible for the reader to easily
contrast what is being criticized with what the researcher proposes; and assess the justification
in accordance with the context.