constructing pathways to translation - Higher Education Commission

c. The SL Word is Semantically Complex:
A single word which consists of a single morpheme can sometimes express a more
complex set of meanings, than a whole sentence. Languages automatically develop very
concise forms for referring to complex concepts if the concepts become important
enough to be talked about.
d. The SL and TL make Different Distinctions in Meaning:
What one language regards as an important distinction in meaning another language may
not perceive as relevant.
e. The TL lacks a Super Ordinate:
The target language may not have general word (super ordinate) to head the Semantic
field. Russian has no equivalent for ‘facilities’. It does however, have specific words and
expressions which can be thought of as types of facilities.
f. The TL lacks Specific Term (Hyponym):
More commonly languages tend to have general words (super ordinate) but lack specific
ones (hyponyms). English has many hyponyms under house for which it is difficult to
find precise equivalents in Urdu, for example bungalow, cottage, croft, chalet, lodge,
mansion, manor, villa and hall. Urdu may have equivalents like, maqan, ghar, ghonpari,
kutia,mehal etc., but can not convey the exact equivalents of English.
g. Differences in Physical or Interpersonal Perspective:
Physical perspective has to do with where things or people are in relation to one another
or to a place, as expressed in pairs of words such as come/go, take/bring, arrive/depart,
and so on. Perspectives may also include the relationship between participants in the
discourse (tenor).
h. Differences in Expressing Meaning:
There may be a TL word which has the same prepositional meaning as the SL word, but
it may have a different expressive meaning. If the TL equivalent is neutral, compared to
the SL item, the translator can sometimes add the evaluative element by means of a
modifier or adverb, if necessary, or by bringing it in somewhere else in the text.
Differences in expressive meaning are usually more difficult to handle when the TL
equivalent is more emotionally loaded than the SL item. This is the case with items
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