Models of translation

A model is a conventional representation of the translating process describing mental operations by which the ST or some part of it may be translated, irrespective of whether these operations are actually performed by the translator.

Translation models can be oriented either toward the situation reflected in the ST or toward the meaningful components of the ST. Every translation model postulates the existence of some interlingual level of equivalence.

The situational (referential) model is based on the identity of the situations described in the original text and in the translation. The intermediate level is extralinguistic. The process of translating consists of two stages:

1) the break-through to the situation (the translator understands the actual situation described in the ST);

2) the description of this situation in the TL (the translator says the same thing in the TL).

Wet paint. – Обережно, пофарбовано. Keep off the grass. – По газонах не ходити.

Make yourself at home. – Почувайтеся як вдома.

The transformational model is based on the identity of nuclear structures in the SL and the TL. The immediate level is linguistic (structural). The model postulates the existence of nuclear structures common to the SL and the TL. The process of translating consists of three stages:

1) the stage of analysis (the transformation of the original structures into the nuclear structures within the SL);

2) the stage of translation proper (the replacement of the SL nuclear structures with the equivalent nuclear structures in the TL);

3) the stage of synthesis (the development of the TL nuclear structures into the terminal structures in the TL).

1) They heard a bomb explode. – A bomb exploded. They heard.

2) A bomb exploded. – Бомба вибухнула. They heard. – Вони чули (почули).

3) Бомба вибухнула. Вони чули (почули). – Вони (по)чули, як вибухнула бомба. Вони почули вибух бомби.

The semantic model is based on the identity of basic notions in the SL and TL. The intermediate level is linguistic (semantic). The model postulates the existence of deep semantic categories common to the SL and the TL. The process of translating consists of three stages:

1)the stage of analysis (the reduction of the original semantic units to the basic semantic categories within the SL);

2)the stage of translation proper (the replacement of the SL basic semantic categories with the equivalent basic semantic categories in the TL);

3)the stage of synthesis (the development of the TL basic semantic categories into the terminal notions in the TL).

1) студент – а) чоловічої статі, а не жіночої (на відміну від студентка)

б) навчається, а не навчає (на відміну від викладач)

в) навчається у ВНЗ, а не в школі (на відміну від учень)

д) одна особа, а не множина (на відміну від студенти)

2) а) чоловічої статі, а не жіночої (на відміну від студентка) – a male (not relevant)

б) навчається, а не навчає (на відміну від викладач) – studies

в) навчається у ВНЗ, а не в школі (на відміну від учень) – goes to college or university

д) одна особа, а не множина (на відміну від студенти) – one person

3) a person who is studying at a university or college - student