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to use literal translation and free translation proper?

[INTRODUCTION]

People often discuss literal translation and free translation. We lay stress on how to handle two different kinds of language. And which way of translation is better to use to translation a sentence. Especially, target language must express what source language meams, distortion is not allowed. Literal translation and free translation are two main forms of translation. The y are not repulsive, contrarily, they are complementary. Translation literally,if possible,or appeal to free translation. Literal translation retains original skill. So it is get on for original. When literal translation, encounter some obstades, people often use free translation.
Free translation expresses general idea of the original, and can be accepted by readers. A good translation composition contains literal translation and free translation.

[CONTENT]

1. What is the conception of literal translation and free translation?
2. How to use literal translation properly?
2.1 Translate literally,if possible.
2.2 Literal translation≠word-for-word translation.
2.3 Some sentences should not translate literally.
3. How to use free translation properly?
3.1 If it has some trouble to understand a sentence in using literal translation, use free translation.
3.2 Don not add personal enmotion to the original works.
3.3 Free translation skill needs extensive knowledge and culture of both source language and target language.

[CONCLUTION]

If use literal translation and free translation proper, you will success in translating a composition.

[KEY WORDS]

Literal translation/Free translation/Source language/Targer

language/Word-for-word/Original

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1. What is the conception of literal translation and free translation?
Literal translation and free translation are two basic skills of translation. Literal translation refers to translate a sentence originally, keep the original message form, including construction of sentence, meaning of the original words, metaphor of the original and so on. Translation would be fluent and easy to comprehend by target language readers.

Free translation refers to, according to the meaning of the original, without paying attention to the details and translation would also be fluent and natural. Free translation need not pay attention to the form of the original, including construction of the original sentences,meaning of the original works, matapher of the original and so on . But free translation does not mean to delete or add content to the original and translators must consider the original carefully, know its stress, translate it natually, express the meaning of the original. Free translation is a skill which translators must know the culture of both source language and target language, and must have extensive knowledge.

When translating, should not use literal translation completely or use free translation completely. According to the passage which you are translating, you should use literal translation frequently and use free translation when neccessary.

But what kind of translation is literal translation? And what kind of translation is free translation?

Form the example 1), free translation is better than literal translation. From the example 2), literal translation is better than free translation. But how to use literal translation and free translation? The re is a sentence:"Translate literally,if possible, or appeal to free translation."

2. How to use literal translation properly?

2.1 Translate literally, if possible.

Why translate, if possible? What is the advantage of literal translation?
Generally, rhetoric is often used in a passage to make the passage lively. Literal translation retains the rhetoric of the original, so it is lively as the original. But free translation only expresses the general idea of original, lively rhetoric of the original disappeared. So generally speaking, literal translation is a good choice in translation.

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Free translation of examples 3) and 4), only express the general idea of the original sentences. It is too simple. Metaphor and discribtion of the original sentences hava dissappeared. After free translation, it was inferior and dull. So it is undesirable. But the literal translation of example 3) and 4) is clearer than the free translation. Actually, literal translation is the chief way of translation. It is close to the original, lively and natural. It is acceptable. Acceptableness is very important in translation. From theory of translation angle, translation is a theroy which uses target language to express the idea, content and style of source language.It should accord with the culture and customs of the target language. Translation not only does express the idea and style of the original message, but also need to accord with the culture and customs of the target language, so that the translation can easy be accepted by target language readers. Because the differences of two languages, sometimes it is difficult to retain the idea and style of the source language. The advantage of literal translation is that almostly retain the idea and style of the original. So most of translators like to use literal translation.

From all above, that is the reason of "translate literally, if possible."

2.2 Literal translation≠word-for-word translation.

At first, which kind of translation is word-for-word translation? Word-for-word translation is that: When translating, consider every words. Every words of source language is translated cooridnatly.

6) Many of his ideas are especially interesting to modern youth.


From the example 5) and 6), we know word-for-word translation does not do any changes to source language. The form is close to the original, but it does not express the meaning of the source language. Strictly speaking, it is not translation. Nevertheless, some translation which did some change to source language and the structure of target language is also the same as source language, the translation is smooth, but the meaning and the style are far from the original, usually, target language readers did not know what it said. This is also word-for-word translation.

For example: ④

Translation of 7) and 8) are smooth. But they do not accord with the expressive way of Chinese. It is word-for-word translation.

From all above, word-for-word translation is so starchy, goes after the form of source language that it never think of the effect of target language. Because word-for-word translation does not accord with the expressive way of target language, it is obscure, hard to understand it even makes target language readers did not know what does translator want to express. Word-for-word translation makes target language readers confused. It is unqualified translation.

Literal translation also keeps the general form of source language,and keeps the structure and the metaphor of the original. But literal translation does make some neccessary adjustment, make target language smooth, clean and acceptable. After reading, target language readers can have almost the same feeling as the source language readers. But word-for-word translation only translate word by word, it is stiff and unitelligible. Quality of literal translation is good. Word-for-word translation is inferior. Literal translation and word-for-word translation can give different feeling to target language readers. All translation which is hard to accept, which have bad effect, which message is indistinct, which meaning is far from the original is word-for-word translation. This kind of translation is abortive.

Some translation though that all translation keeps the form of the original is literal translation. That is erroneous. They confuse the conception of literal translation with word-for-word translation. These translators translate like this: first, they look up the meaning of every word of source language in dictionary. Then, they combine the meaning of every word, never do any change. They do not know what translation is, so word-for-word translation emerge. But excellent translators know the meaning of the original. When translating, they do some neccessary adjustment, make target language clearer, smooth and acceptable. They know the difference between word-for-word translation and literal translation. They can use literal translation properly, it is a skill of translatio