PETER NEWMARK ON TRANSLATION

 

PETER NEWMARK ON TRANSLATION:

           Peter Newmark's theory of translation expressed in hit Approaches to Translation, is an improvement on Nida's theory of translation. Nida concentrates on the problems arising out of translation of the Bible. But Newmark's approach is broad based. He deals with the problems in translating a wide variety of texts. Newmark focuses on the question of conveying meaning. In this connection, Newmark lists the following functions of language.

       a) Expressive function: It is centred on an author’s capacity to express thoughts and feelings.

      b) Informative function: The language gives the extra linguistic information content of the text.

      c) Vocative function: It is reader-oriented.

      Newmark equates the above three functions to the following three levels of translation:

         a) Referential level.

         b) Textual level.

         c) Subjective level.

        In translating a literary text, the language is ‘expressive’ and the level is 'subjective'. In translating a scientific text, the language is ‘Informative' and the level is 'referential'.

     Newmark on translation process: Newmark list the following process of translation:

a)      Comprehension: It is connected with interpretation.

b)      Formulation: It is connected with re-creation in the target language.

c)      Communication: In this process, the translator aims at producing the same effect on the reader of the TL text that was produced earlier on the reader of the SL text.

d)      Semantic translation: In this process, the translator attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the source language text.

  e) Newmark suggests the following translation procedures 1) literal translation 2) transcription 3) transliteration 4) transference 5) transposition 6) naturalization 7) borrowing 8) modulation 9) adaptation 10) recognized translation 11) synonymy 12) cultural equivalence 13) functional equivalence 14) descriptive equivalence 15) expansion 16) reduction 17) paraphrase.