5 Questions
What does the term 'lexical gap' refer to?
A missing piece of information necessary to understand a term
What is 'Translationese' in the context of translations?
Bad, awkward, and word-for-word style translations that are unclear and grammatically poor
How are 'good TL translations' different from 'translationese'?
Good TL translations are clear and unambiguous, while translationese is bad, awkward, and unclear
What is the main difficulty faced by TL readers when dealing with translationese?
Sorting out implicit data and missing details from the translations
How are lexical gaps described in the text?
Gaps of information necessary to understand the term concerned
Study Notes
Lexical Gaps and Translationese
- Lexical gap: a term that refers to a situation where a word or phrase in the source language (SL) does not have a direct equivalent in the target language (TL).
- Translationese: a term used to describe translations that are overly literal, word-for-word, or lack cultural and linguistic nuances, resulting in awkward or unnatural-sounding language in the target language.
- Good TL translations: distinct from translationese, they involve a deeper understanding of the source language and cultural context, producing a translation that is natural, fluent, and conveys the intended meaning.
- Main difficulty faced by TL readers: dealing with translationese, which can lead to misunderstandings, confusion, or even a lack of engagement due to the unnatural language.
- Lexical gaps description: characterized by the absence of a direct equivalent in the target language, requiring the translator to find alternative solutions, such as using loanwords, paraphrasing, or creating new terms to convey the intended meaning.
Test your knowledge of good and bad translations, and their implications on cognitive style. Explore the differences between clear and awkward word-for-word translations, and their impact on the TL readers or audience.
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