Translation Techniques

Literal Translation: Translating word-for-word while maintaining grammatical accuracy

In reality, this type of translation is rarely used because very few words have a unique translation in a single
language.
Brave Douja, you’re the sea and I’m the wave =
Borrowing: a translation technique involves incorporating a word or phrase from the source text into the
target text. In the translated text, these borrowed terms are typically presented in italics. The goal is to
faithfully reproduce an expression from the source text in the target text.
Clothes: Safseri
Titeles: El haj/ lella
Tradition: Har9ous
Religion: Allah Akbar/ Imem
Transliteration: the process of transferring a word from the alphabet of one language to another.
Transliteration helps people pronounce words and names in foreign languages
Hammem al-Na’ura / Dar al-basha ..
Equivalence:
In translation, equivalence involves attempting to convey the same situation or meaning using entirely
different stylistic and formal means. It is commonly used in translating sayings or proverbs that are
culturally specific.
This technique ensures that the essence of the expression is maintained, even though the literal words
change.
The two types of equivalence are
 Functional Equivalence: Prioritizes conveying the meaning and effect of the source text in a way that
feels natural in the target language. 9ofa= basket / Bendir= drump / Chachia= Fez

 Descriptive Equivalence: translating a source language/text word using a description of the concept it
refers to in the target language. Chachia = a red Tunisian hat.
Calque: borrowing a phrase from another language and translating it word-for-word
For example, translating the French marché aux puces as ‘flea market’ in English.
The English skyscraper is ‘gratte-ciel’ in French.
Adaptation/Reformulation: This technique is also known as cultural substitution / cultural equivalence,
where a cultural element from the source language is replaced with one more suited to the culture of the
target language. For instance, consider the cultural practice of tea: while the English may say they're
"staying for tea," in France, it's more common to say they're "going to have a coffee" instead.
Hotdog= chapatti / hamburger= kaskrout chaneb
Transposition/ Shift: involves a shift from one grammatical category to another, while still preserving the
same meaning (from singular to plural, from active to passive, from verb to adjective)
The noun “la rentrée scolaire” in French becomes the verb “the school started”
Modulation: using a phrase that is different in the source and target languages to convey the same idea. it
involves changing the viewpoint or perspective while keeping the original meaning intact.
“Te lo dejo” literary means “I leave it to you”
But it translates better as “You can have it”.
Compensation/ Idiomatic translation: in which a word is selected in the target language that may not be an
exact match for the source language word but is conceptually close.
Consider the English idiom "costs an arm and a leg," which means something is very expensive we can
use "coûte les yeux de la tête"
This adaptation conveys the idea of something being extremely expensive in French, even though it uses
different body parts as a reference.
Reduction: the translator chooses to remove any words forming the original text that are considered
redundant in the target language.
Example: The French 'sciences politiques' [literally; political sciences] can be rendered in English as just
'politics'.
Translation by omission:
Expansion: occurs when the target language takes up more space than the source language. In certain
languages, it just takes more words to make the same statement.
For example, if a document with 1000 Arabic words were translated into English, it would on average
convert into 1250 words.

Translation by omission: refers to a technique where certain words, phrases, or sentences from the source
text are deliberately left out in the target text. This is done when the omitted elements are deemed
unnecessary for conveying the main message, are redundant, or would create confusion for the target
audience due to cultural or linguistic differences.
Source Text: "She nodded her head in agreement."
Translated Text: "She nodded in agreement."
"Her head" is omitted because it is understood that nodding involves the head.
Translation by addition: refers to the technique of introducing extra words, phrases, or explanations into the
target text that are not explicitly present in the source text. This is done to ensure clarity, preserve the
original meaning, or bridge cultural and linguistic gaps.
Example: Translating "Diwali" as "Diwali, the Indian festival of lights."
Translation by explanation: this is a technique where the translator provides additional information or
rephrases a term, phrase, or concept in the target language to ensure that its meaning is fully understood by
the audience. This technique is particularly useful when translating culturally specific terms, idiomatic
expressions, or complex ideas that lack direct equivalents in the target language.
Takhlila = a traditional dress worn by a woman.
Hammam Al Nau’ra, the baths with the waterwheel= hamemm
Interjection
Ohh/ Outch = feeling pain
Ye lella = Shaming, Blaming
Annotation: explaining or defining difficult or unusual words and expressions used in the text.
(Footnote)/ Note in the margin of the text to explain difficult words or expressions.
The text/ / the passage (title) contains the following cultural bounds elements, the author (translator) uses:
Proper names

Title

Profession (job)

Music instruments

Religions

Place names

Local setting

Architecture

Furniture

Clothing

Food

Means of transport

Utterance

Habits and gesture

Greeting

Cursing
Objects

Ecology
Foreignization and domestication are two key strategies in translation theory, primarily associated with the
work of Lawrence Venuti. These strategies deal with how translators handle cultural differences between
the source text (ST) and the target text (TT).
Foreignization
Definition:
A translation strategy that emphasizes retaining the cultural and linguistic distinctiveness of the source
text. It intentionally keeps foreign elements in the translation to give readers a sense of the source
culture.
Goal:
 To make the reader aware of the "foreignness" of the source text and culture.

Techniques:
 Retaining original words or phrases
 ("kimono" instead of "robe")
 (Cheikh Masoud wearing joba and Chachia.)
 (Macha’Alah)

Advantages:
 Maintains cultural authenticity.
 Provides educational value by exposing readers to the source culture.
Challenges:
 May alienate or confuse readers unfamiliar with the source culture.
 Can lead to a less fluid reading experience.

Domestication
Definition:
A translation strategy that adapts the source text to fit the cultural and linguistic norms of the target
audience, making it more accessible and relatable.
Goal:
 To create a translation that feels natural and familiar to the target audience.
Techniques:
 Replacing culturally specific elements with equivalents in the target culture (e.g., converting
"pounds" to "kilograms") (Uncle Mousad wearing a clok and a hat) (Good belss you instead of
Masha’Alah)
 Adjusting idioms, metaphors, or humor to match the target language's norms.
 Using target language syntax and style.
Advantages:
  Enhances readability and relatability for the target audience.
 Reduces potential misunderstandings or cultural barriers.
Challenges:
 Risks erasing the cultural essence of the source text.
 May lead to accusations of ethnocentrism or cultural appropriation.

Aspect Foreignization Domestication

Cultural Orientation Source culture-focused Target culture-focused
Reader Experience Awareness of cultural differences Familiarity and ease of
understanding
Translation Style Literal and close to the source text Adaptive and target-culture oriented