CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)

GROUP II

No Items Book 1 (Handbook) Book 2

1. The identity of the
book :

- Title - Translation as Profession - Translation as a Profession

- The writer - Teaching Team - Daniel Gouadec
- Publisher - State University of Medan - John Benjamins Publishing Company

- City of - Medan - Amsterdam

publisher
- Year of - 2020 - 2007
publishing
- Edition - -Reprint
- Pages - 110 - 396

2 Introduction ‘’ Translation as a Profession ‘’ The translating profession

Introduction All translators have excellent language
Translation plays an important skills, excellent writing skills, and an
role in global communication. It interest in anything technical. All of them
involves at least two language, are also, perforce inquisitive, patient,
source language and target methodical and thorough, at the cutting edge
language. Translation is an of IT, good at networking (with clients,
operation performed on colleagues, domain specialists, etc.) and, if
languages: a process of possible, well versed in one or more
substituting a text in one specialist fields.
language for a text in another. He Translators a few figures
further states that language is a Anyone looking for up-to-date figures on
patterned human behavior. the populations of translators can find the
Language – behavior is information on the Web (query: “number of
externalized or manifested in translators”) with the difficulty that over half
some kind of bodily activity on the answers concern translators as
the part of a performer, and communication devices in networks. and, of
presupposes the existence of a course, the sites of national unions of
least one other human participant translators whose addresses are available
in the situation, an addressee. from www.fit-ift.org/en/news-en.php
The specific type of behavior in (members).
which language is manifested not
only identifies the behavior as Translators are not interpreters
language – behavior but also Translators always translate written material
defines the medium which the or code or transcribed pre-recorded speech.
performer is using. The first type This usually implies a time-lag between the
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)
GROUP II

of activity is a manifestation of moment the material is produced and the

language in the spoken medium time when it is translated – notable
– the performer is a speaker, and exceptions being documents or content that
his addressee (s) is / are a hearer are produced bilingually or multilingually
orm hearers. straightaway and in parallel. These may be
Translation has its own dictated into a voice recognition system or
excitement, its own interest. A recorded for later typing by professional
satisfactory translation is always typists. And getting a recorded rough
possible, but a good translator is translation that can be listened to in a car
never satisfied with it. There is while sitting in a traffic jam or on the train
no such a thing as a perfect, ideal may, in some cases, turn out to be the most
or ‘correct’ translation. A economically sensible solution and a very
translator is always trying to efficient alternative to machine translation.
exited his knowledge and Translators are mostly women
improve his means of expression, The translating profession has long been
he is always pursuing facts and dominated by women. The reasons were
words. economic (the relatively low rates were
Definitions of translation acceptable as a second income) and social
The experts in translation, such (translation offered part-time opportunities
as Catford, Bell,Larson, and and flexibility).
Venuti have proposed various Many technicians affected by ruthless
definitions on definitions on downsizing and cost-cutting are particu-
translation. For example, states larly attracted by the prospect of being their
that translation consists of own boss for once. Given that most have
transferring, the meaning of the some linguistic competence, translation may
source language into the receptor at first sight seem to be the golden
language. This is done by going opportunity.
from the form of the first Translators work in language pairs
language to the form of a second The most important thing about translators
language by way of semantic is the combination of working languages
structure. It is meaning which is that they can offer and the direction of
being transferred and must be translating. An ‘English-French translator’,
held constant only the form for instance, is someone who translates from
changes. The form which the English into French. Translation graduates
translation is made will be called are expected to be able to translate from two
the source language and the form foreign languages into their mother tongue,
into which it is to be changed the idea being that graduates cannot assume
will be called the Receptor they will be able to specialise very early in a
language. single language combination and/or in any
Venuti (1995:17-19 ) states that one particular field.
translation is a process by which 1.6 Translators translate from B to A,
the cain of signifiers that with (increasing) exceptions
constitutes the source language Any code of good practice has it that
text is replaced by a chain of translators translate into their own language
signifiers in the target language and culture only – or at least into languages
which the translator provides on where they have mother tongue profi-
the strength of an interpretation. ciency. This is so because the translated
Larson (1998:3) states that message must obviously be totally
translation means transferring the ‘embedded’ in the target culture and this is
meaning of the SL into the RL. only really possible if the translator is native
This is done by going from the to that culture or has become fully
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)
GROUP II

form of the first language to the ‘localised’ into it.

form of a second language by 1.7 Translators specialise
way of semantic structure. Every translator specialises sooner or later,
Defenitions of translators not only because no one can pretend to
Bell(1991:5) defines a translator know everything but, more importantly,
as a bilingual mediating agent because it pays to specialise. Any job
between monolingual requiring special skills usually commands
communication participants in higher rates, simply because highly
two different language specialised and skilled professionals are few
communities the translator and far between.
decodes messages transmitted in 1.8 Translators are masters of
one language and re –encodes communications technologies
them in another. According to This means mastering a complex set of
Hatim (1999:1) the world of the tools, tech- niques and media, including
translator is inhabited by an word processing, desktop-publishing
extraordinary number of software, trans- lation memory management
dichotomies, reflecting, dividing systems, search engines, computer-assisted
which either exist or are transla- tion (CAT) tools, text aligners, Web
supposed to exist between site design tools, Web editors, and many
mutually exclusive opposites. more.
Some of these are professional, 1.9 Translators’ statuses
corresponding to the traditional Short of disregarding the law and opting
areas of activity of translators to be an ‘outlaw’, a translator has to choose
( the technical translator, the between working as an in-house (salaried)
likterart translator, the legal, the translator or as a freelancer. Translators
religious and so on).Moreover, working for publishers come somewhere in
Baker ( 1992: 124) states that a between.
good translator could not begin Salaried translators
bto transalate until she or he had By definition, the salaried translator is
read the text at lest once and got bound to her/his employer. The employer
a ‘’ gist of the overall message in pays both the salary and any mandatory
the text. employer’s contributions, while the
In brief, translator is a person translator pays the relevant employee’s
who translates written messages contributions.
from one language to another. A In-house translators
translator uses ttheir knowledge In-house translation departments are fully-
of the source and targed fledged services within companies or
language to translate a text. The various kinds of governmental or non-
meaning of the source language governmental organisations.
should be delivered ninto target ‘Temping’
language correctly. A translator To all intents and purposes, translators
is also called as a mediator hired by ‘temping’ agencies work as
between speaker of different freelancers, except that they are salaried
languages. Here,a translator is employees and do not have to look for
called as na interpreter – the one contracts themselves.
who translates languages orally. Translation company translators
Summary Translators working for a translation
From the defenitions of company are fortunate in the sense that they
translation and translator above, work in a business that is wholly centred on
we can summarize that : translation and where the company itself
1.Translations is a process of will be responsible for getting the translation
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)
GROUP II

transferring the meaning of a text contracts and etc.

from the source language into Agency staff
target language. Definition, translators working for
2.Translator is a person who brokerage companies (i.e. carrying out
reproduces written messages translation contracts brokered by the
from one language into company or agency) are freelance or
another .A translator is a person independent contractors.
who changes thye form of the Translators under the umbrella company
first language to the form a system
second language by way of Translators working for an umbrella
semantic structure. Yet, the company are in an unusual legal position.
meaning does not change, the They are basically freelancers but with the
form does. status of salaried translators. Having won a
contract for one of their own clients, they
sign a short-term ‘consultancy’ contract with
an umbrella company for the duration of the
job.
Special cases
Salaried translators do not necessarily
translate on their employer’s premises all the
time. They may also work as ‘on-site’
translators, or as translation project
managers for outsourced translations or as
‘remote’ or ‘seconded’ translators.
Freelance translators
Freelance translators, or so-called
‘independent’ translators, are self-employed,
meaning they are not in any legal sense
‘bound’ to their clients or work providers.
Translators working for publishing
companies
In fact, any translator can work for a
publishing company and the only reason for
setting up a special category is because, in
many countries, translations done for
publishing companies are subject to specific
and special conditions regarding payment
and/or tax and contributions.
‘Outlaws’
Any person who practices translation on a
commercial basis without paying any of the
mandatory contributions or taxes can be
considered as an ‘outlaw’.
3 Discussion
- Strengths - From grammar, the language - This chapter discussed about the
used in this book use easy translating profession, many explanation
language , it makes the readers to that focus on all translators have excellent
understand the delivery of the language skills, excellent writing skills, and
material, the font size of the an interest in anything technical. All of them
writing used and can be read are also, perforce inquisitive, patient,
clearly by the reader. From the methodical at the cutting edge of IT, good at
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)
GROUP II

aspect of the contents of the networking (with clients, colleagues, domain

book, especially chapter 1, this specialists, etc.) and, if possible, well versed
chapter explain about definition in one or more specialist fields.
of translation, difference between
translating and translation, the
terms, translator, and
collaborative work. For the
readers, if necessary to review
this chapter, the contents and
delivery of this material are
clearly conveyed and obtained.
The material of this chapter took
by the theories of experts so that
the readers can add their
knowledge to the translation as
profession, the author also
presents several exercises as a
practice to know more about this
chapter. The glossary, and
summary also.

- Weaknesse -The weakness of this chapter - In presenting the material in this chapter,
s just one, there is the theory of the author uses the terms and abbreviations
experts about the categories of as IT, ICT, OECD, EADS, PCW and others.
translation, use a difficult It may not be understand by the reader, so
technical term and less readers will find it difficult to understand the
explanation, it make the readers material of this chapter. It will be better if
little bit can’t understand the author use illustration and pictures to
meaning of the theory. complete the material.
4 Concluison After we read the book For the conclusion of the second book, we
( handbook), we can make can found that the book give the explanation
conclusion aabout the book about the materials is clearly especially in
especislly in the chapter 1. In the the terms of discussion or in the chapter 4.
chapter the authors have more The author give the explanatio in the focus
expplanation about definition of of materials discussion so that can make the
translation, difference between readers improve their knowladge about
translating and translation, the translation, especially in the terms kinds of
terms, translator, and translators. But in the explanation of
collaborative work. But In the discussion is still nothing of illustrations or
explanation of materials specific examples in the terms, it is can
discussion in the boo, especially make the readers still less understanding
in the chapter 1 the authors still about the materials discussion. So for the
less of theory to support the future, we hope that the author can make
explanation of materials some illustration of speaciall terms in the
discussion. We as the writer of part of discussion, because it’s can improve
this paper hope that in the future readers understanding about materials
the author of Translaion as discussion.
Profession book can give more
theory by experts, so the readers
can understand more about what
 CRITICAL BOOK REVIEW (CBR)
GROUP II

the materials that discuss in the

book.
After we read the books (handbook and secondbook), we just want to
recommend to the readers about the books. The books are the good book,
because have the clearly explanation about the materials discussion, and
recommend the book to be references in teaching activity. And we hope this
review is useful for all of people. If the material has mistaken, we apologize
profusely.
5 References Teaching Team (2020), Gouadec, Daniel (2007), Translation As a
Translation As Profession, State Profession, John Benjamins Publishing :
University of Medan : Medan Amsterdam.