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 translation. All in all. literal translation is not word-for-word translation. Literal translation is acceptable and nimble. 2.3 Some sentences should not translate literally. Some source language sentences are very difficult to translate literally. It only though of the meaning of surface, translate it literally, the result is unintelligible and indistinct. Some sentences do not accord with expressive way in target language. Different country has different culture,different language, different custom and different way to express the same meaning, different language has different way about metaphors, and has different idioms. In China, people usually use some idioms to describe an event or a person. So do in abroad. But Chinese idioms are unintelligible in western countries. In these suituations, if translate literally, usually, it would have bad effect and be unacceptable. When target language readers read, they could not know the exact meaning of source language. Because the message which target language express was vague. There are two examples: ⑤ From the two examples, literal translation is unintelligible even absurd. But after had translated it freely, translation became cleaner, smooth, acceptable and accord with the culture of target language. But in which suituation translators should not translate literally? How to use literal translation correctly? Any source language which does not accord with the expressive way of target language should not use literal translation. For example: In example 9), "Break out the pot that hole us in", it is an English idiom, it means do something successful. But how to translate it into Chines?There is also an idiom in China. It almost has the same meaning as"Break out of the pot that hold us in". It is "出人头地". So when translating that sentence translators should not use literal translation, translators should use free translation. And how to use literal translation correctly? First, know source language and target language culture as much as possible and translators should have extensive knowledge with the problems which the original wrote or talk about, translators should be conversant. We often have experience like that: Because lake of some knowledge that somebody talking about, even after others explained, we still did not know or understand. So before translators translating some materials, especially some proffessional materials translators must grasp some knowledge about the materials. For example, if translate some materials about economy,translators should know some knowledge about economy; if translate some material about news, translators should know some knowledge about news;if translate some professional materials,translators should know some knowledge about that proffession, or be an export of that proffession. If translator was a man who did not know something about the material which he wanted to translate, his translation would be unqualified. Second, comprehend source language message correctly and thoroughly. It is very important. Translators should not only know the surface meaning of the original and translators should read through the surface, know what does the original want to express. If a translator does only know surface meaning of the original and translate it literally, his translation would be correspondingly. After target language reader read his translation, they would be confuse and have different feeling between the original and the translation or even have erroneous comprehension. |
