A bird's eye view of the notion of translation

Abstract EN

Translation is a very comprehensive area.

It has been viewed differently by theorists of translation.

The main reason behind that is that there are many factors that affect its notion.

Among these factors are: (1) to whom we translate,(2) from whom we translate,(3) what is the intention of the speaker or the writer or the addressor? (4) what are the needs of the receivers, or the addressees, or the readers ?(5) are we after didactic purposes for knowing the similarities and differences between languages in question or are we after communicating other communities or nations? (6) are we after transferring the meaning conveyed by the speaker or writer or sender? (7) or are we after the force of the text(pragmatically speaking) ? ,among so many questions that can be raised about this comprehensive living notion.

As is well-known, translation has been defined in terms of finding equivalence, and in terms of transference of meaning.

It has also given so many notions such as process, product, horizontal, vertical, linear, lineal, semantic, communication, interlingual, intra-lingual, inter-semiotic, literary, non-literary.

This paper will give an explanation to the notion of translation and answer the questions that have been raised so as to arrive at removing the ambiguities of such comprehensive notion of translation.

Then, in the light of the findings and conclusions, the paper will give some recommendations for the translators and interpreters.