TRANSLATION AS AN ART, A SKILL, AND A SCIENCE

MUHAMMAD SALEH, S.E., M.M., M.Si.

06420140138

FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACADEMY

MOSLEM UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA

Makassar, 1𝑠𝑡 October 2017

 The word translation comes from the Latin translatio, which itself
comes from trans– and fero and when combined mean to carry or bring
across. By definition, translation is a written communication in a second
language having the same meaning as the written communication in a first
language. But is translation a science, an art or a skill?

Some state that it is a skill because you have to know distinct

languages. Some people will tell that it can be a form of art because you
have to be innovative when you do a language translation. Numerous
individuals will tell that it's science as language translation is a step-by-
step approach. Yet have you ever thought that language translation is
definitely an art, skill, and science at the same time? Translation,
therefore, is really a mix of these.

The translator’s role is not a passive, mechanical one, and for such
reason has been compared to that of an artist. Many may argue that
literary translation is an art, not a science. Yet translators in other areas
may consider their work to also be art. Such is the case of N. J. Lynn, a
financial translator, who backs this up with strong arguments in Zen and
the Art of Multilingual Financial Reporting.
Literary translators often believe translation to be as creative an
activity as the initial act of creation, the act of writing. Translation for them
is equated more with a gift for creativity. Others still believe translation to
be a skill, where the skills needed to be able to translate a learned over
the years and honed with experience.

However, Gabr (2001:2) considers translation both a skill and a

science when he writes that "translation being a skill on the one hand,
requires training, i.e. practice under supervision, and being a science on
the other hand, has to be based on language theories". However, claiming
a literary translation to be a device of art, Herzfeld (2003:110) writes that
literary translation used to release the text from its "dependence on prior
cultural knowledge."

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 Being able to read, speak and write a foreign language does not
give anyone license to undertake translation work. Firstly, a translator
must have indepth understanding and knowledge of at least two
languages: a foreign language and a mother tongue. Secondly, translating
is a skill. You must be able to write well and have an excellent command
of the nuances in language use. Being a native speaker of a language
does not ensure or guarantee that that person will be able to translate
adequately. Translation requires discipline, study, and continual practice.

Translation as a Science

Science is both a body of knowledge and a process. In school,

science may sometimes seem like a collection of isolated and static facts
listed in a textbook, but that's only a small part of the story. Just as
importantly, science is also a process of discovery that allows us to link
isolated facts into coherent and comprehensive understandings of the
natural world.

Language translation is a science. Regardless if you are

accomplishing English to Arabic Translation, English to French Translation
or vice versa, translation is a science in the sense that the translator must
have full comprehension of the sentence structure, framework, semantics,
and syntax.

According Wilss and Noss (1982), translation is a transfer process

which aims at the transformation of a written SL text into an optimally
equivalent TL text, and which requires the syntactic, the systematic and
the pragmatic understanding and analytical processing of the SL.

According to Rubén, Rubén supports the “Translation is a Science”

theory, explaining that science is about facts, and relies on accuracy; for

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translators accuracy is the first and most important principle – getting the
translation as exact as possible.

Translation as a Skill

Skill is the knowledge and ability that enables you to do something

well. According to Dunette (1976), skills build knowledge gained through
training and experience with multiple tasks. According to Newmark
(1981:7), translation is a skill consisting in the attempt to replace a written
message and/or statement in one language by the same message and/or
statement in another language.

By my definition it is someone's ability to do something that is

specific, focused but dynamic (self-confident and independent) that takes
a certain time to learn and be proven. Any skill can be learned but requires
a strong dedication to learning such science as the need for a positive
mental, motivational spirit, time and sometimes money.

Translation as an Art

A translator who is in favor of the view of science may face some

difficulties in translating these documents as they hardly find the
equivalent words in target language for the best describe. Why? As they
are product of art or relevant to art, there are "hidden" meaning of words or
something that the author did not say out loud. Hence, the translator has
to be more tactful and creative to translate the author’s idea but not make
the meaning lost.

According Roger T. Bell (1993:5), definition of translation according

to Dubois, states that Translation is the expression in another language (or
target language) of what has been expressed in another, source language,

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preserving semantic and stylistic equivalences.

According to Andréa, Andréa supports the “Translation is an Art”

theory – “No two translators will do the same work ever and that is down to
ability, interpretation, creativity, etc. Translation is most definitely not an
exact science”. Translation often has to render thoughts and ideas that
vary from language to language and culture to culture.

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Conclusion

Translation is a science, an art, and a skill.

 It is a science in the sense that it necessitates complete knowledge of

the structure and make-up of the two languages concerned.
 It is also a skill because it entails the ability to smooth over any
difficulty in the translation, and the ability to provide the translation of
something that has no equal in the target language.
 It is an art since it requires artistic talent to reconstruct the original text
in the form of a product that is presentable to the reader who is not
supposed to be familiar with the original.

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