TRANSLATION I

HARRY TAPIA OCT 11, 2011

STRUCTURALISM

In Ferdinand de Saussure's Course in General Linguistics (written by Saussure's colleagues after his death
and based on student notes), the analysis focuses not on the use of language (called "parole", or speech),
but rather on the underlying system of language (called "langue"). This approach examines how the
elements of language relate to each other in the present, synchronically rather than diachronically. Saussure
argued that linguistic signs were composed of two parts:

a "signifier" (the "sound pattern" of a word, either in mental projectionas when one silently
recites lines from a poem to one's selfor in actual, physical realization as part of a speech act)

a "signified" (the concept or meaning of the word)

FUNCTIONALISM

Meaning Functionalism says that understanding the meaning of the word momentum is a functional state.
On one version of the view, the functional state can be seen in terms of the role of the word momentum
itself in thinking, problem solving, planning, etc. But if understanding the meaning of momentum is this
words having a certain function, then there is a very close relation between the meaning of a word and its
function, and a natural proposal is to regard the close relation as simply identity, that is, the meaning of the
word just is that function. Thus functionalism about content leads to functionalism about meaning, a theory
that purports to tell us the metaphysical nature of meaning. This theory is popular in cognitive science,
where in one version it is often known as procedural semantics, as well as in philosophy where it is often
known as conceptual role semantics.

EQUIVALENCE

The condition of being equivalent or equal; equality of worth, value, signification, or force; as, an
equivalence of definitions.

TRANSLATION EQUIVALENCE

Translational equivalence is the similarity between a word (or expression) in one language and its translation
in another. This similarity results from overlapping ranges of reference. A translation equivalent is a
corresponding word or expression in another language.

The comparison of texts in different languages inevitably involves a theory of equivalence. Equivalence can
be said to be the central issue in translation although its definition, relevance, and applicability within the
field of translation theory have caused heated controversy, and many different theories of the concept of
equivalence have been elaborated within this field in the past fifty years.
Roman Jakobson's study of equivalence gave new impetus to the theoretical analysis of translation since he
introduced the notion of 'equivalence in difference'. On the basis of his semiotic approach to language and
his aphorism 'there is no signatum without signum' (1959:232), he suggests three kinds of translation:

Intralingual (within one language, i.e. rewording or paraphrase)

Interlingual (between two languages)

Intersemiotic (between sign systems)

FUNCTIONS

Three Basic Functions are generally noted: there is perhaps nothing more subtle than language is, and
nothing has as many different uses.

The Functions of Language (i.e., its purpose; what it does; its uses)

1. Informative language function: essentially, the communication of information.

a. The informative function affirms or denies propositions, as in science or the statement of a fact.

b. This function is used to describe the world or reason about it (e.g.., whether a state of affairs has
occurred or not or what might have led to it).

c. These sentences have a truth value; that is, the sentences are either true or false (recognizing, of
course, that we might not know what that truth value is). Hence, they are important for logic.

2. Expressive language function: reports feelings or attitudes of the writer (or speaker), or of the subject, or
evokes feelings in the reader (or listener).

a. Poetry and literature are among the best examples, but much of, perhaps most of, ordinary
language discourse is the expression of emotions, feelings or attitudes.

b. Two main aspects of this function are generally noted: (1) evoking certain feelings and (2)
expressing feelings.

c. Expressive discourse, qua expressive discourse, is best regarded as neither true or false. E.g.,
Shakespeare's King Lear's lament, "Ripeness is all!" or Dickens' "It was the best of times, it was the
worst of times; it was the age of wisdom; it was the age of foolishness" Even so, the "logic" of
"fictional statements" is an interesting area of inquiry.

3. Directive language function: language used for the purpose of causing (or preventing) overt action.

a. The directive function is most commonly found in commands and requests.

b. Directive language is not normally considered true or false (although various logics of commands
have been developed).

c. Example of this function: "Close the windows." The sentence "You're smoking in a nonsmoking
area," although declarative, can be used to mean "Do not smoke in this area."