Yosh Fix

Equivalence
at Word Level
Created By:
Eka Fajria S. 17211141008
Restu Bumi A. 17211141027
Dharmaning P. 17211141033
THE WORD IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
What is word?
The smallest unit which we would expect to possess individual meaning.
The smallest unit of language that can be used by itself (Bolinger and Sears
1968:43)
Is there a one-to-one relationship between word and meaning?

There is no one-to-one corre- spondence between orthographic words and
elements of meaning within or across languages.
Introducing morphemes
In order to isolate elements of meaning in words and deal with them more
effectively, some linguists have suggested the term morpheme describe the
minimal formal element of meaning in language, as distinct from word,
which may or may contain several elements of meaning.
LEXICAL MEANING
Lexical Unit?
The lexical meaning of a or lexical unit may be thought of as the specific
value it has in a particular linguistic system and the "personality" it acquires
through usage within that system.
According to Cruse, we can distinguish four main types of meaning in words

and utterances (utterances being stretches of written or spoken text):
1. Propositional meaning
2. Expressive meaning
3. Presupposed meaning
4. Evoked meaning
THE PROBLEM OF NON-EQUIVALENCE
The most that can be done in this and the following chapters is to suggest
strategies maybe used to deal with non-equivalence ‘in some contexts’.
Semantic fields and lexical sets - the segmentation of experience:

Semantic fields
The divisions of conceptual fields that consist of words.
lexical sets
The actual words and expressions under each field
Two main areas in which an understanding of semantic be useful to a
translator: Appreciating the ‘value’ that a word has in a given system, and
developing strategies for dealing with non-equivalence.
Non-equivalence at level and some common strategies for dealing with it
Non-equivalence at word level means that the target language has direct
equivalent for a word which occurs in the source text. The type and level of
difficulty posed can vary tremendously depending on the nature of non-
equivalence. Different kinds of non-equivalence require different strategies.
Common problems of non-equivalence:
(a) Culture-specific concepts
(b) The source-language concept is not lexicalized in the target
language.
(c) The source-language word is semantically complex
(d) The source and target languages make different distinctions
in meaning.
(e) The target language lacks of superordinate.
(f) The target language lacks of a specific term (hyponim).
(g) Differences in physical or interpersonal perspective.
(h) Differences in Expressive Meaning
English: homosexuality
Arabic: shituth jinsi (literally: 'sexual pervesion')
(i) Differences in Form

Certain suffixes and prefixes which convey propositional and other types of
meaning in English often have no direct equivalents in other languages.
English suffixes -ish and -able: e.g. conceivable, retrievable, drinkable
Arabic: can be retrieved, suitable for drinking
Affixes: 'Ancient Tobleronism'

(j) Differences in frequency and purpose of using specific items
Even when a particular form does have already equivalent in the target
language, there may be difference in the frequency with which it is used or
the purpose for which it is used.
Example: -ing form in English, German, and Scandinavian language.
(k) The use of loan words in the source text

Example: au fait, Auf Wiedersehen, chic often used as prestige.
Problem: false friends/faux amis
Words or expressions which have the same form in two or more languages
but convey different meaning.
Example: English feminist - Japanesse feminist
Strategies used by professional translator
(a) Translation by a more general word (superordinate)
Source text (Kolestral Super - leaflet accompaniying a hair-conditioning

product:
The rich and creamy KOLESTRAL-SUPER is easy to apply and has a
pleasant fragrance.
Target text (back translated from Arabic):

Kolestral super is rich and concentrated in its make-up which gives a
product that resembles cream, making it extremely easy to put on the hair.
(b) Translation by a more neutral/less expressive word
Source text (China's Panda Reserves):
The panda is something of a zoological mystery.
Target text (Chinese):
The panda may be called a riddle in zoology.
(c) Translation by cultural substitution

Source text (The Patrick Collection - a leaflet produced by a privately owned
museum of classic cars):
The Patrick Collection has restaurants facilities to suit every taste - from
the discerning gourmet, to the Cream Tea expert.
Target text (Italian):
...... to satisfy all tastes: from those of the demanding gastronimist to
those of the expert in pastry.
d) Translation using a loan or loan word plus explanation
Dealing with culture-spesific items, modern concepts, and buzz
Example :
• Source text :
For maximum effect, cover the hair with a plastic cap or towel
• Target text (translated into Arabic)`:
For obtaining maximum effectiveness, the hair is covered by means of
a ‘cap’, that is a plastic hat which covers the hair, or by means of a
towel.
e) Translation by paraphrase using a related word
Is used when the concept expressed by the source item is

lexicalized in the target language but in a different form
Example :
• Source text :
There is strong evidence, however, that giant pandas are related to the
bears.
• Target text (translated into Chinese)`:
But there is rather strong evidence that shows that big pandas have a
kinship relation with the bears.
f) Translation by paraphrase using unrelated words
Is used when the concept expressed by the source item is not
lexicalized at all in the target language
Example :
• Source text :
They have a totally integrated operation from the preparation of the
yarn through to the weaving process.
• Target text (translated into German)`:
The company carries out all steps of production in its factories, from
preparing the yarn to weaving it
g) Translation by omission
 If the meaning conveyed by a particular item is not vital enough to

the development of the text, the translator can do simply omit
translating it.
Example :
• Source text :
This is your chance to remember the way things were, and for younger
visitors to see in real-life detail the way their parents
• Target text (translated into French)`:
Here is the chance to rediscover your youth (who knows?) and for the
younger ones to see how their parents
h) Translation by Illustration
It is used if :
- the word which lacks an equivalent in the target language refers to a
physical entity which can be illustrated
- If there are restrictions on space
- If the text has to remain short, concise and to the point
Example: translating label, tagged, public signs
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Equivalence

Is there a one-to-one relationship between word and meaning?

According to Cruse, we can distinguish four main types of meaning in words

Semantic fields and lexical sets - the segmentation of experience:

(i) Differences in Form

Affixes: 'Ancient Tobleronism'

(k) The use of loan words in the source text

Source text (Kolestral Super - leaflet accompaniying a hair-conditioning

Target text (back translated from Arabic):

(c) Translation by cultural substitution

Dealing with culture-spesific items, modern concepts, and buzz

Is used when the concept expressed by the source item is

 If the meaning conveyed by a particular item is not vital enough to

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