Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process
It is argued that translation is a complex process: meaning is “created” by decoding the source text on several levels (for instance, grammatical; structural; literary; and socio-cultural levels). This “meaning” must then be encoded into the target language by means of the linguistic, literary, and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2002-06-01
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| Series: | Acta Theologica |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/1597 |
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| _version_ | 1823858259850690560 |
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| author | J. G. van der Watt Y. Kruger |
| author_facet | J. G. van der Watt Y. Kruger |
| author_sort | J. G. van der Watt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
It is argued that translation is a complex process: meaning is “created” by decoding the source text on several levels (for instance, grammatical; structural; literary; and socio-cultural levels). This “meaning” must then be encoded into the target language by means of the linguistic, literary, and cultural conventions of the target language. These different aspects (grammar, structure, etc.) combine in an interactive process and result in meaning. Atomisation or compartmentalisation of the various aspects distorts communication. It is also argued that it should be assumed that what can be said in one language can be said in (translated into) another language, but not necessarily by combining the relevant linguistic, literary and cultural aspects in the target language in the same way as they were combined in the source language. This is because languages do not overlap in their use of words, structures, genres, and social conventions. This inevitably leads to the realisation that a translation could and would never be an exact “copy” of the original.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4aabb6ee2760477bac1a200feca89437 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1015-8758 2309-9089 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2002-06-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Theologica |
| spelling | doaj-art-4aabb6ee2760477bac1a200feca894372025-02-11T12:35:32ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892002-06-01210.38140/at.v0i2.1597Some considerations on Bible translation as complex processJ. G. van der Watt0Y. Kruger1University of PretoriaUniversity of Pretoria It is argued that translation is a complex process: meaning is “created” by decoding the source text on several levels (for instance, grammatical; structural; literary; and socio-cultural levels). This “meaning” must then be encoded into the target language by means of the linguistic, literary, and cultural conventions of the target language. These different aspects (grammar, structure, etc.) combine in an interactive process and result in meaning. Atomisation or compartmentalisation of the various aspects distorts communication. It is also argued that it should be assumed that what can be said in one language can be said in (translated into) another language, but not necessarily by combining the relevant linguistic, literary and cultural aspects in the target language in the same way as they were combined in the source language. This is because languages do not overlap in their use of words, structures, genres, and social conventions. This inevitably leads to the realisation that a translation could and would never be an exact “copy” of the original. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/1597Bible translationMeaningDecodingEncodingSocio-cultural ecologyGenre |
| spellingShingle | J. G. van der Watt Y. Kruger Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process Acta Theologica Bible translation Meaning Decoding Encoding Socio-cultural ecology Genre |
| title | Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process |
| title_full | Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process |
| title_fullStr | Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process |
| title_full_unstemmed | Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process |
| title_short | Some considerations on Bible translation as complex process |
| title_sort | some considerations on bible translation as complex process |
| topic | Bible translation Meaning Decoding Encoding Socio-cultural ecology Genre |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/1597 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jgvanderwatt someconsiderationsonbibletranslationascomplexprocess AT ykruger someconsiderationsonbibletranslationascomplexprocess |