Today is our topic of discussion – Literal Translation

Literal Translation

 

 

What is literal translation?

Literal or direct translation or word-for-word translation is a translation of a text done by translating each word separately, without looking at how the words are used together in a phrase or sentence.

For Example:

Source Language:

The cow is a domestic animal. It has two eyes, two ears and a long tail. It is a very useful animal. It helps the farmers to plough the land. It eats grass. It gives us milk.

Translated Language:

গরু একটি গৃহপালিত প্রাণি। ইহার দুইটি চোখ, দুইটি কান এবং একটি বড় গো আছে। ইহা খুবই উপকারী প্রাণি। ইহা কৃষকদের জমি চাষে সাহায্য করে। ইহা ঘাস খায়। ইহা আমাদের দুধ দেয়।

What is literary translation?

It consists of the translation of poetry, theatre plays, literary books, literary texts, songs, rhymes, literary articles. fiction/detective novels, non-fiction stories, short stories, poems, etc. We should not only translate the language itself in these cases, but also, translate the culture in which the story/novel is taking place.

In general, in literary translation we translate messages, not meanings. The text shall be seen as an integral and coherent piece of work. For example, if we translate from Arabic into English or vice versa, we shall take into account that the two realities are very different, their cultures have sometimes opposite views on important matters, as well as differences in scientific and technological development.

 

 

So, the search for equivalent words is more complex. When this is the case, the translator shall find in his own language words that express almost with the same fidelity the meaning of the words of the original language, for example, those related to the cultural characteristics, skills or abilities of that particular culture.

Example:

Source Language:

• Johny, Johny
• Yes, Papa?
• Eating sugar?
• No, papa!
• Telling lies?
• No, papa!
• Open your mouth Ha, ha, ha!

Translated Language

• জনি , জনি
• হ্যাঁ, বাবা?
• চিনি খেয়েছিস?
• না, বাবা!
• মিথ্যা বলছিস?
• না, বাবা!
• মুখ খোল
• হা, হা, হা।

Source Language:

• আমার সোনার বাংলা
• আমি তোমায় ভালবাসি
• চিরদিন তোমার আকাশ
• চিরদিন তোমার আকাশ
• তোমার বাতাস আমার প্রাণে
• ও মা
• আমার প্রাণে বাজায় বাঁশি
• সোনার বাংলা
• আমি তোমায় ভালবাসি….

 

 

Translated Language:

• My Bengal of Gold,
• I love you.
• Forever your skies,
• Your air set my heart
• in tune As if it were a flute.
• My Bengal of Gold, I love you…