Suman Pokharel
Fidelity in translation is the most important thing because it helps to maintain naturalness in the work of translation. The maximum effort of the translator should be there to maintain the equivalence of the source language to the target language. Whether the translator is able to give proper meaning to the target language is the major concern in fidelity. Naturalness in the translated text/language is only possible when the translator is able to maintain the original message, style and the tone of the source language text. In that sense, the translator should be faithful towards his work of translation.
It is impossible to maintain hundred percent equivalence in translating source language to the target language but the translator should be aware of maintaining possible nearness through meaning and cultural nuances. Levý (2011) says, “It is therefore also true of a literary work that the sphere of the specific is not entirely commensurable with the specificity of a particular culture, though the two overlap to a considerable extent. Similarly, the sphere of the general is not commensurable with the conceptual meaning” (2011, pp. 84-5). The cultural background of the source text can be different than the target audience, at that time translator should be aware of maintaining closeness in the meaning of the translated text. For that, the translator can use substitution of the word, phrase and even the concept in source text with different but somehow meaningful exchange in the target language.
The translator who closely concentrates on the specific aspect of the source text only can maintain naturalness in target language. The ‘free’ translator who freely moves ahead for translation, for them the translation can be merely the matter of recreation, so; they can distort the meaning, style and the tone of the source text. This type of translation is far away from the real essence of the source text; in this situation, the target language audiences are deprived of getting the originality of test form the translated text, in this sense the translator should be always faithful for their target audience.
If the translator only tries to simplify the meaning and tries to make understand the target language audience, it kills the originality of the source text. Quine (1959) says:
So, if we would isolate empirical meaning, a likely position to project ourselves into is that of the linguist who is out to penetrate and translate a hitherto unknown language. Given are the native’s unconstrued utterances and the ob-servable circumstances of their occurrence. Wanted are the meanings; or wanted are English translations, for a good way to give a meaning is to say something in the home language that has it. (p. 148)
The major task of the translator is to translate the source text to the target language but only translation for simplifying the meaning is not enough in translation. If the translator is faithful in his/her translation, should be aware of providing the empirical meaning with its originality, which helps the target language audience to get naturalness with its originality.
Unique and specific types of works are difficult to translate because they may contain different historical allusions, personal names or the event given in text might have formed in a particular social situation. In this situation translator should think about many more possibilities to maintain the closeness in meaning and structure in the translated work. For this translator can adopt different suitable procedures. Historical/cultural substitution, modulation, functional translation etc. can be the suitable measures in this condition. The translator even can think about the domestic analog or the transcription when the effort of giving meaning is totally absent. Chtatou (2021) says, “In some languages and texts, these requirements can be reconciled, but with others, the differences in language and culture are too great. It can then be difficult, if not impossible, to respect the totality of the meaning of a sentence in the original language, in the translation, while trying to satisfy these two requirements. A certain amount of transposition is therefore necessary, as well as freedom from the form of the text” (2021, p.6). Overall, it is the responsibility of the translator to apply the suitable procedures to maintain nearness with the source text.
The transfer of the local and historical colour of the work through translation is a challenging task for the translator. More emphasis should be given by the translator on the preservation of the cultural and historical nuances of the original source text. Translator should be aware of historical specificity because every language is specific to that society. The translator should have the knowledge of the historical context of a particular time frame and it helps to maintain equivalence in the target language. “Current translation theory insists with growing emphasis on the preservation of the cultural and historical specificity of the original. Although cultural specificity is a historical phenomenon in its own right, a period characteristic may not necessarily be part of this cultural specificity…(Levý, 2011, p. 89). So, just translation of the lexical units without providing the historical context and cultural equivalence makes the work of translation lose its originality and make it unnatural.
Another important thing about the translator is that he/ she should have the broad knowledge of different sectors. “Translator must gain and always acquire encyclopedic knowledge so that they will expand their knowledge not only in one subject, but also in different subjects, like knowledge in music, novels, politics, economics. This will help them in their process of translating” (Rahmatillah, 2013, p. 22). Only the knowledge of words and lexical items cannot make the translator better in translation. If the translator keeps a deep knowledge and understanding of the history, culture, politics, art, etc. he/she can maintain equivalence in target language and it makes the translated text more natural for the readers.
A translator who has good knowledge about the foreign terms like food, clothing and different rituals can maintain more naturalness in the target language. However, there is not always direct equivalence for such foreign terms; in this situation, the translator can use adaption or more explanation while translating. Replacement of the term from the source language to adaptation of suitable examples from the target language can make the text more relatable to the target audience.
Relevance in the time frame of the source text while translating to target language is another important thing to be considered by the translator. If the translator is not clear about the time frame of the source text, it may cause irrelevance in understanding for the target audience. It loses the essence of the original text. Similarly, the political and social context of the text is also another aspect to look after by the translator. “And if clients or receivers can be sure that the translator will consider their communicative needs as well, they may even accept a translation that is different from what they had expected. This confidence will then strengthen the translator’s social prestige as a responsible and trustworthy partner” (Nord, 2006, p. 34). Therefore, the translator should work in such a faithful way that the audiences easily trust him/her and accept what he/she has translated.
The Translator should be aware about the type of text and use of language in the text. If the translator is going to translate literary text, he/she should be clear on how to convey the real essence in target language. If there is the use of rural character, the language can be less formal and if the character is more sophisticated, there should be the use of standard language. “One of the main requirements in any translation work is that the translation (the finished product) must sound natural. Before mentioning the characteristics of the translation naturalness which are proposed by the great translation authorities and then mentioning the types of unnatural translations, it is necessary to distinguish between natural language, ordinary language and basic language” (Fadaee, 2011, p. 201). Therefore, the use of language and the preservation of the tone of source language to target language can help to maintain naturalness.
The translator should observe the text in totality and should maintain the meaning with the original text. What message/meaning is intended to provide in source text, the same meaning should be presented in the target language text. If the translator can maintain this similarity, it is the fidelity of the translator. Chtatou (2021) further says:
The notion of fidelity, on the other hand, has a strong moral dimension ; it is in fact a value rather than an objective criterion. The correspondence is in this case not “objective” but rather based on moral attitudes such as loyalty, attachment or respect for a commitment. Of these three criteria, the respect of a commitment still seems to be the closest to the relationship between the translator and the author of the original, or even between the translation and the original text, two fundamentally different but often confused relationships. (p. 7)
In such a way, the translator should be loyal and committed to his/her work of translation to give the original sense. The original text and the translated text are different in their physical existence but the morality of the translator can make their relationship very close with the similarity in its essence. And, it is the responsibility of the translator.
Translation of lexical items only is not efficient to make the work of translation meaningful and natural. “‘Naturalness’ lies in the area beyond formal and propositional equivalence, blurring imperceptibly at some point with what has been called ‘taste’ “(Rogers, 1998, p. 10). The maintenance of naturalness in translation depends on the wiseness and faithfulness of the translator. Only maintenance of equivalence is not enough for meaningful translation. Performing the formality of translation cannot produce the meaningfulness and naturalness in the translated text. The translator should have knowledge of many translation procedures.
In conclusion, fidelity is the most important aspect to tie the translator in the right way of translation. Use of much freedom in translation can destroy the true essence of the source text and it will just remain as the simplified meaning version of the text. On the other hand, being faithful in translation activity means not merely translating the text with all equivalence. Originality, meaningfulness, smoothness, and the naturalness of the source text should remain in the translated text. It is the prime responsibility of the translator. Therefore, being faithful with possible procedures, the translator can keep the naturalness of the source text. In this sense, fidelity is the way to maintain nearness and naturalness of the source text to the target language text.
References
Chtatou, M. (2021, June 3). Exploring the concept of fidelity in translation. Eurasia Review. https://www.eurasiareview.com/03062021-exploring-the-concept-of-fidelity-in-translation-analysis/
Fadaee, E. (2011). Translation naturalness in literary works: English to Persian. International Journal of English and Literature, 2(9), 200–205.
Levý, J. (2011). The art of translation. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Nord, C. (2006). Loyalty and fidelity in specialized translation. Confluências: Revista de Tradução Científica e Técnica, 4, 29–41.
Quine, W. V. (1959). Meaning and translation. In R. Jakobson (Ed.), On translation (pp. 148–172). Harvard University Press.
Rahmatillah, K. (2013). Translation errors in the process of translation. Journal of English and Education, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.20885/jee.v7i1.4466
Rogers, M. (1999). Naturalness and translation. SYNAPS. Fagspråk, Kommunikasjon, Kulturkunnskap, 2(99), 9–31.
(Pokharel is a research scholar at Nepal Open University)
