Lecture No. 1 Translation and Translation Studies

Course Title: Introduction to Translation Studies
Course Code: ELING-00506

Lecture No. 1 What is Translation and Translation Studies?
1. What is Translation?
The word "translation" can be defined as “The process of turning an original or
"source" text into a text in another language.” Translation is often confused with interpretation.
However, translation deals with written text while interpretation deals with spoken language.
The discipline concerned with issues related to the production of translations is
called translation studies. Following are three major aspects of translation:
 Intralingual translation - translation within the same language, which can involve
rewording or paraphrase;
 Interlingual translation - translation from one language to another, and
 Intersemiotic translation - translation of the verbal sign by a non-verbal sign, for
example, traffic signs, music or image.
Only the second category, interlingual translation, is considered 'proper translation' by Jakobson.
Every translation includes three crucial parts: source language, target language, and transfer
of meaning. Simply translators transfer the meaning from the text written in the source language
to the target language. Let’s discuss it step by step:
 Source Language/Source Text (SL/ST)– the language being translated from

 Target Language/ Target Text (TL/TT)– the language being translated into
 Meaning transfer – the message from language A (source language) needs to be
communicated in language B (target language)
This is very important to know that there are no exact synonyms or transfer of meaning in Inter-
lingual Translation e.g. 'big' does not mean precisely the same as 'large'). There are no exact
matches for words or expressions across languages. The History of Translation
Etymology
The word ‘translation’, which originates from the Latin trānslātiō means “to carry over,
to bring across”. It refers to today’s ‘transfer of meaning’.
Translation plays an important role in our modern, globalised world. It supports
everything from the sharing of medical and scientific advances to the smooth operation of
international political and business ventures.
Religious Translations
Since the origin of translation, religious texts have been a key focus. Saint Jerome – the patron
saint of translation – was a Christian priest whose translation of the Bible into Latin gave us the
Vulgate – the version of the Bible used by the Catholic Church.
Literary Translation
The earliest evidences of ancient translation of poetry include the Sumerian poem, “Epic of
Gilgamesh.” The epic poem was translated from Akkadian to various Asian languages around
2,000 BC.
2. What is Translation Studies

Translation Studies is the field of study that deals with the theory, description, and application
of translation. It examines translation not only as inter-lingual transfer but also as inter-cultural
communication. It also touches on other diverse fields of knowledge, including: comparative
literature, cultural studies, gender studies, computer science, history, linguistics, philosophy,
rhetoric, and semiotics etc.
History of Translation Studies
The field emerged as a distinct academic discipline in the 20th century, although the practice of
translation has existed for thousands of years.
In the Middle Ages, translation played a crucial role in the dissemination of knowledge and
ideas, particularly in the Arab world, where Greek philosophical and scientific works were
translated into Arabic and then into other languages. In Europe, translation was used to spread
religious texts, such as the Bible, and to facilitate communication between different countries.
The modern field of translation studies emerged in the 20th century, with the publication of
works such as Eugene Nida's "Toward a Science of Translating" (1964) and Roman Jakobson's
"On Linguistic Aspects of Translation" (1959).
Although translators from the Romans have had much to say about the theory and practice of
translation, it was not until the twentieth century that Translation Studies emerged as a formal
academic discipline. James S Holmes’ 1972 landmark paper entitled The Name and Nature of
Translation Studies was the foundational statement of Translation Studies: it called for the
creation of a distinct discipline with its own system of classification.
The discipline of translation studies has grown alongside the introduction of university schools
and courses, relevant conferences, translation journals, and other translation-related publications.
Careers in Translation
Translation Studies prepares students for various careers. Some graduates choose to start their
own business as a freelance translator. Others become in-house translators or project managers
for translation companies or international businesses. There are also roles in such language
services industries as international publishing, journalism, public relations, and teaching.
Professionals with significant linguistic backgrounds, as well as translators, linguists, and other
language professionals often choose to study a Master of Arts degree or a Ph.D. in Translation
Studies.

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Course Title: Introduction to Translation Studies

Course Code: ELING-00506

 Source Language/Source Text (SL/ST)– the language being translated from

2. What is Translation Studies

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