REFLECTIVE / LEARNING JOURNAL

AUTHORS: Alexis Ramirez ,Willian Coro, John Illecas, Jorge Salazar,

DATE: July 16th 2015
SESSION 1: TRANSLATION II
HIGHLIGHTS:

Literal translation
Communicative translation
Semantic translation
Adaptation
Transposition
Equivalent

NOTES /SPARKS
Literal translation: this method translates each word from the
source language to target language. Therefore it is produced an
inelegant and inaccurate translation with not clear message. But it is
acceptable to use it when the meaning is not affect or produce an
unnatural expression in the target language. Moreover, in this kind of
translation we can find true and false friends. The first one refers to
words which have similar form and meaning in both languages. E.g.
university: Universidad. The second one refers to words which have
similar form in both languages but the meaning it is different. E.g.
arm: brazo
Communicative translation It is a translation method that is
focused on the reader. This translation method is also the best
translation method because is focused on render the ideas of the text
to give a clear message to the person who is going to read the final
product. In this procedure the sense or the main idea in the source
langue is always there, but in this translation method it is rendered in
the target language to give and understandable message making the
text comprehensible for the person that is going to read the final
product. E.g.: sl: that green car is cheap = tl: aquel automvil verde
es barato.
Semantic translation: it is a translation technique that helps the
translator to render the translation work. It is more complex than
communicative translation method because this method is focused on
transmits the writers ideas. Moreover this method is specifically

used in scientific texts that demand to convey the writers ideas from
source language to target language respecting the syntactic and
semantic structures in both languages.
Adaptation: a translator uses this kind of method when any word is
not clear. In this case he or she uses adaptation to express the same
idea in different way. It must be familiar or appropriate to another
language. Adaptation takes two forms. The first one involves
modifying the concept. The second one is the creation of analogous
situation. It is used in plays, poetry and proverbs. In proverbs is
essential to know how to adapt the words to maintain the meaning.
E.g.
It is raining cats and dogs
Est lloviendo a cntaros
Transposition: In this method the translator expresses the same
idea in many natural way. Here we cant change or distort the
meaning. Transposition is used between English and Spanish because
of the preferred position of the verb in the sentence: This requires
that the translator knows that is possible to replace a word category
in the target language without altering the meaning of the source
text, to express the same idea in a natural way.
E.g.

How are you?

Whats going on?
Whats up?
Hi, How are you doing?
My point of view
According to
He believes that
I think that

Equivalents: there are three kinds of equivalents. Those are:

Cultural equivalent: this procedure changes a source cultural word
by a target cultural word that exists in both languages. As a result it
gets an approximate cultural translation. It is used more in publicity,
propaganda and general texts.
E.g.
SL word: Apple Pie

TL word: tarta de manzana

Functional equivalent: This procedure is used when there is not a
real equivalent in the target language for technical words. Therefore,
it gives a function to technical word to clarify its meaning.
Example:
SL technical word: Keyboard
Function: to insert information through a keyboard.
Descriptive equivalent: This procedure is used when is not a direct
cultural word equivalent in the target language. So the translator
makes a description and gives a function to source cultural word. As a
result it gets a clear meaning of the source cultural word.
Examples:
Machete: (not equivalent)
Description: Latin American heavy instrument
Function: cutting or aggression
REFLECTION
Each unit of the syllabus the different translation methods were
analyzed and studied by the students with the guide of the teacher.
There was a meaningful learning where we created our knowledge
since the books knowledge that allowed us to put it on practice to
discover how it works.