This translation is too literal (literal)!
In this case, I have to paraphrase (paraphrase).
I often say these words when looking at translated sentences or texts.
Good translations have good paraphrasing, and awkward translations are sometimes assessed as being too translational.
However, in reality, literal translation and paraphrase do not contain positive or negative connotations.
It's just a type of translation where each use is different. Of course, if you don't use it correctly in each case you need it, “too literal.” or “It's too paraphrased.” You might hear the same thing.
Also, there is “transcendental translation,” which often stands out these days.
So what do literal translation, paraphrasing, and transcendental translation mean, and when are they needed?
✍️ What if you want to entrust me with a translation with good literal translation and paraphrasing?
preferential Literal translation is the faithful translation of a word or text in a foreign language to the meaning of each word It's called.
It literally faithfully conveys the original meaning of the original letter or verse. Usually, when you say “I did a literal translation,” I think of a translation that was awkward or completely misinterpreted by locals due to poor localization, but in fact, there are also translations that require a literal translation. A prime example is the scripture (classical) translation. In the case of scriptures such as Buddhism or the Bible, the direction of understanding may vary depending on who reads them, and misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and distortions may occur in the process, so we try to translate the original text as much as possible. In particular, the scriptures of Christianity and Buddhism in Korea are often translated from China, so it is often difficult to understand without background knowledge. For example, in the case of Exodus (Exodus) in the Bible, “Egypt” transliterates Egypt from China, and what is called Egypt (Egypt) became “Egypt” when it came to Korea. Therefore, translations of ancient texts (ancient texts), such as classical Chinese and Latin, are also based on literal translation. Also, in the case of diplomatic documents and legal documents, we seek a direction where paraphrasing is minimized and the meaning of the original text is not distorted even if it is somewhat awkward. When I see the literal translation as 'word-for-word translation in English, I feel the meaning of the literal translation even more clearly.
If so, what is a paraphrase often used as the opposite of a literal translation? Paraphrasing is translating the meaning of the whole text without being too bound by the words or passages in the original text 5, or refers to such a translation. If you only look at the dictionary meaning, in fact, I think every translation should be paraphrased. This is because paraphrasing is mostly read more naturally by locals when looking at the results alone. Also, paraphrasing means that the translator made a friendly translation considering the readers' ease of understanding and readability.
For example, the <원초적 본능> original title of the movie is “Basic Instinct.” The literal translation would be “basic instinct.”
However, thanks to the translation of “Primal Instinct,” I was able to make better use of the film's atmosphere and image. If so, is paraphrase unconditionally better? Paraphrase in English 'Thought-for-Thought translation
Let's think about it in terms of saying that. Thoughts, or thoughts, are different from person to person. Since the “thoughts” contained in the original text are judged and transferred to another language during translation, the individual subjectivity of the translator is bound to be included. If this subjectivity is commonly understood, readers can accept the translation without antipathy or misunderstanding. However, since everyone thinks differently, there is always room for the meaning of the original text to change even slightly during the paraphrase process. Therefore, if the gap between the original text and the translated text widens, readers may be able to grasp the meaning more naturally by reading the translated text, but they may unwittingly understand it in a different sense from the original text.
It is correct to view literal translation and paraphrase as a type of translation rather than actually being opposite concepts. A literal translation is used when the meaning of the original text must be transferred as accurately as possible, and a paraphrase is used when it is necessary to make good use of the meaning more naturally. If so, what is “transcendental translation,” which has recently been popping up as a neologism?
✍️ Would you like to entrust me with a translation that has transcendental translation?
Transcendental translation is a creative translation that goes beyond creation by more effectively expressing the meaning and feeling of the original text Expressions written after a work7This is it. It's a translation that goes beyond the surface meaning of the letter and feels like a newly created sentence, but the meaning of the original text is alive. In general, it can often be seen in various pop culture content such as movies and games. In general, it's called transcendental translation in the sense that the localization went well. In particular, in the case of games, there are lines that make the middle users shy away, and it also makes people wonder what the original text was and why it was translated like this.
Transcendental translation can be seen as a type of paraphrase in a broad sense. Because it's a translation that focuses on meaning without being bound by the characters themselves, so they can easily reach the locals. However, the difference from paraphrasing is that it reflects the latest local trends and buzzwords, and at the same time makes you admire the moment you know that it is a translated sentence, “I'm translating it like this.” The translation of <기생충> “zapaguri” as “ramdon (ramen+udon)” in the movie can also be understood from this perspective. Thus, Transcendental Translation is a completely new creation. This is because new creations are needed that go beyond the level of translation that anyone can think of when they look at the original text. It's not that easy, and you may have to go through a creative process as painful as the author or developer of the original</기생충> work.
In fact, leaving aside the categories of literal translation, paraphrase, and transcendental translation, the translation itself can be viewed as a creation. It's about reinventing one language into another, and no matter how many literal translations are used, there will always be differences between people. They also say that there is no perfect literal translation or perfect paraphrase. Even when it comes to literal translation, the translator's thoughts are bound to be included to some extent, and that is why individual subjectivity is so important. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude the translator's subjectivity as much as possible, paraphrase must maintain subjectivity close to the meaning of the original text, and transcendental translation should maximize the translator's subjectivity and background knowledge based on the meaning of the original text. So wouldn't it be possible to have a more accurate and deeper understanding if you look at the translated text while considering the diversity of these translations?
✍️ Do you want to entrust me with a live translation process?
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1 Standard Korean Dictionary
2 Translate a word or text that has been translated once into another word or text. (Standard Korean Dictionary)
3 This is the second book in the Pentateuch of Moses. The events of the Israelites escaped from Egypt, where they were slaves under the guidance of Moses, and reached Mount Sinai (Mount Sinai) are recorded. The Ten Commandments are also recorded here. (Standard Korean Dictionary)
4 Also known as literal translation.
5 Standard Korean Dictionary
6 Also known as liberal translation.
7 [Dictionary of neologisms] Transcendental translation - The power of translation that surpasses the original text, Asian economy
*This content has been transferred from Gicon Studio to Letterworks.
