Implication of Vinay and Darbelnet’s Model on Wida-e-Jang

Vinay and darbelnet’s model that is also known as classical model is

based on comparative stylistic analysis of French and English but it is

also applicable on other languages.

Themodel proposes two strategies for translation, which are:

Direct translation

Oblique translation

Both are based on seven procedures. Three procedures which come

under direct translation are:

Borrowing

Calque

Literal Translation

The rest of the four procedures which come under oblique translation

are:

Transposition

Modulation

Equivalence

Adaptation

The examples of all of these procedures can be found in Wida-e-Jang,

the translation of A Farewell to Arms.

Direct translation:

Direct translation can also be called literal translation. It covers three

procedures which are as follows:

1. Borrowing

In the procedure of borrowing, a word is borrowed from the source

language and directly transferred to the target language

.

Examples of borrowing are as follows.

Examples

ST TT

Station

x-ray

Surgeon

Gear

Socialist

Spaghetti

seats

Unit

Stock-yard

Railway Stadium 302

Delivery Room 336

Handle 336

Apron 336

Doctor 336

Mask 336

Operation 344

Count 270

Blaired 270

Champagne 270

Train 267

Brandy 252

Canvas 248

Grease 248

Rolls 295

Coffee

Toast

Justification of the above examples

The above examples show that the translator has borrowed the words

from ST and transferred them as it is in the TT. Some words like x-ray

gear, station, operation have been borrowed to fill the semantic gap as

there is no replacement for these words in the target language.

Some words like stock-yard socialist and seats have been borrowed to

convey his message affectively in TT. As he could not have done so if

he had used the corresponding words in target language.

The words like spaghetti, rolls coffee, toast, champagne, brandy and

apron, count have been used not only to fill the semantic gap but also to

give cultural color as these foods belong specifically to the source

culture.

Calque

It is a special type of borrowing in which a word is borrowed from the

SL and translated literally in the TL.

Examples

ST TT

Field hospitals

Metal to metal brakes

Nurses 352

Italian 296

Lire

12

14

American

298

298

British 298

298

Lire

12

14

Buttons 162

monsieur 162

madame 162

Justification of the examples

In the above examples we can see that the translator could have

borrowed these words as it is but he borrowed them and then transferred

the source language expression in to the TL.

Literal translation

The translator takes the words from SL and translate them literally in

TL.

Examples

ST TT

Ambulance

Marble

Nobel

Rotten

Delightful language

Nobel young man

Good man

Good night

Carpe162 162

Priest 14

13

Justification of the above examples

In the above examples we can see that translator has translated these

words literally into the TL so they fall in the category of literal

translation

Oblique translation

It is also referred to as free translation. it includes following procedures

the examples are as follows.

Transposition

According to Vinay and Darbelenet, Transposition includes one part of

speech into the other without bringing any change in the sense.

Example no 1

ST TT

You talk out loud

Justification of the above example no 1

In the above example the verb talk in the source has been translated into

the noun “bol” into the target text but the sense has remained the same

and both are conveying the same meaning in the sentence which is

“speaking out loudly’

EXAMPLE NO 2

ST TT

He slept heavily

Justification of the above example no 2

In the above example the verb slept in the ST has been translated into

the noun “neend” but the sense has remained the same.

Modulation

According to Vinay and Darbelnet, Modulation involves change in

semantic and point of view of the language.

Examples No 1

ST TT

The Austrians were son of bitches

Justification of the above example no1

In the above example the translator has removed the specific slang word

of ST and just informed the reader that the Austrians were abused. By

doing so, he has changed the semantic view of language.

Example no 2

ST TT

I shook hand with the third doctor.

Justification of the above example

In the ST the writer has mentioned “I shook hands with the third

doctor.” But the translator has translated as “I shook hands with every

one turn by turn.” In doing so, the translator has changed the semantic

meaning of the language.

Example no 3

ST TT

We are all friends here

Justification of the above example

In the above example the author in source text said “we are all friends

here” and the translator translated as “No one here is a stranger” inTT.

By doing so he has converted the cause that they are all friends into

effect that no one is a stranger among them. In this way he has changed

the semantic view of the language.

Example no 4

ST TT

I didn’t say anything.

Justification of the above example

In the above example, the author of source text used the expression “ I

didn’t say anything” but the translator translated it as “ I remained quiet”

in TT. By doing so he has converted the cause that he the person didn’t

say anything into the effect that the person remained quiet. In this way

he has changed the semantic view of the language.

Example no 5

ST TT

No one was talking

Justification of the above example

In the above example, the author of source text used the expression “ No

one was talking” but the translator translated it as “There was silence

everywhere” in TT. By doing so he has converted the cause that no one

was talking into the effect that there was silence everywhere. In this way

he has changed the semantic view of the language

Equivalence

According to Vinay and Darbelnet Equivalence means when one

situation is described by different stylistic and structural means in

another language

Example no

ST TT

I said I had killed plenty.

Justification of the above example

In the above example we see that in the ST the narrator has said “I had

killed plenty but in the TT the translator extended the stylistic

description by making the narrate boast his valor and translated it as “I

admitted with humbleness that I had killed plenty of Austrians”

Example no 2

ST TT

It was alright

Justification of the above example

In the above example, the author in ST simply said “it was alright” but

the translator described it with different stylistic features and translated

it as “After suspending all the suspicions, I didn’t have any kind of

doubt”. In this way he has described the statement with different stylistic

and structural features.

Add another example.

Adaptation

According to Vinay and Darbelnet “This involves changing the cultural

reference when a situation in the source culture does not exist in the

target culture.”

Examples

ST TT

I hope to Christ not

Christ, I say its rotten

I say its rotten Jesus

Jesus Christ, ain’t this all a

goddamn war?

Justification of the above examples

In the above examples, the author of ST has used Christ and Jesus in his

text but the translator didn’t mention Christ and Jesus because it is

against our religious beliefs so he just used the word God.

In the last example, in place of goddamn, he used the word” “because

goddamn does not exist in our cultural context

Examples

ST TT

They will shell the hell out of us

200

Justification of the above example

In the above example, the author of ST has used the expression ‘Shell

the hell out of us” but since such expression does not exist in our

cultural context so he has used a local idiom chatikadodh instead

Examples

ST TT

Go to hell 14

13