Translation Theories.pdf

This is not the only example that shows how unfortunate is the practice of
producing paper-based dictionaries with single-word entries, based on the assumption
that a word is the smallest meaningful unit of a language. In fact, this is not true, and
certainly it is a very deplorable way of translating texts believing that a translator needs to
find a single word to fit in some missing sense. And most embarrassingly, the fact that a
thing is called what you find in a dictionary is a very poor excuse. But this issue is another
broad subject that I am not going to discuss here both for lack of space and for the sake of
concentrating on the original topic of meaning.
So coming back to the practice of translating, changing, or transcribing some part
of the input text is done by following a number of conventions that are or may be written
down for a particular producer of a particular class of texts. Examples include News
Agencies, EU GD, Translation Agencies, Publishers, Pharmaceutical companies, On-line
magazines, etc.
If meeting such conventions are a prerequisite to submitting any text for
publication, then they are reasonably called standards, which may be industry-wide,
meaning the publishing industry rather than the translating industry, which is too diverse
to appear as one block of market players of identical interests. Therefore a recent
publication of Translation Standards (for Agencies) seems to be far from that type of
document. (Note that people outside the translation trade manage to claim that they
know what this business is about and publish quite irresponsible texts as in the latter
example.)
Common Assumptions Concerning Translating
So instead of following the standards that are compiled in the recent EU Standards,
and which are practically the same as those in any other service business, it would be
better to remind the trade of what is going on in practice. It is quite likely, for example,
that some other rules govern the work of professional translators whether they are aware
of them or not. They may be expressed as below:
Rule 1: Every translator delivers according to the best of his ability considering the
available time and other constraints
Rule 2: When a translator is in doubt, he will use authentic sources (dictionaries, previous
translations, versions, anything already checked for quality), or
Rule 3: The translator will team up with a better (native) speaker and/or specialist (from
client, etc.), or
Rule 4: The translator will split up work to ensure compliance with the delivery times.
Rule 5: He will observe the required consistency (over time, across document or client,
market players, etc.) and
Rule 6: He will keep context in focus.
Rule 7: When it doubt, he will consult the client.
The Translation Theories: From History to Procedures
Edited by Zainurrahman
Source: Personal Journal of Philosophy of Language and Education
(http://zainurrahmans.wordpress.com) 87