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Stylistic Problems

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What’s Style

Style is a collection of grammatical and lexical choices made by the author or the writer within a language system

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Two Views of Style

Traditional View:

Style is a molding or a frame of the message … the dress of meaning

(secondary to meaning)

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Two Views of Style

Functional View:

Style is: inseparable from meaning an important part of the message Contributes either slightly or considerably

to the message

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Do we translate Style?

YES!

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What’s Stylistic translation?

Translation which stresses the overlapping between message and style

Requirements: Style which is faithful to that of SL Style which is appropriate to the TL

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Stylistic equivalence

It is the proper choice of the style of the TL text (e.g. Arabic) derived from that of the SL text (e.g. English) , unless available the TL.

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Types of Problems

Many problems faced by students while translating from English into Arabic and vice versa.

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Style of Formality vs. Informality

Joos (1962) suggested a scale of five tones of English which is general but widely acceptable:

.1Frozen formal Be seated اجلس 2. � جدا فصيح

3. Formal Have a seatبالجلوس تفضل فصيح

4. Informal Sit down\, pleaseفصيح سمحت غير لو اجلس

5. Colloquial Feel at home عامي راحتك خذ.6VulgarSit bloody down

مكانك 7. في اقعد سوقي

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Style of Formality vs. Informality

The 5 styles are sometimes reduced to 2 main ones only, for ease of classification & comprehension:

Frozen formal Formal

Informal Colloquial Vulgar

Formal

Informal

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Example:You can’t paint watercolours without knowing how to lay a wash, though anyone can learn the knack if they are willing to go a bit of trouble. People have their own fads about the drill, but my method seems to work as anyone’s

The informal features of the English text:

a. The use of the second person pronoun style. “you”b. The use of the contraction “can’t”c. The use of words like”knack” (i.e. special skill” “a bit of” and “fad>d. The use of simple common words and simple, easy sentence structure throughout the whole text.

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Style of Fronting

Definition:

to move a word, a phrase or a clause from its original place in the middle or at the end of a sentence to the beginning (front position) of that sentence. E.g.

Allah she worshiped. (fronted)

She worshiped Allah. (normal)

In my room he slept

He slept in my room

Round a centrally-placed coffee-table there are three armchairs. To the left of the fireplace is an alcove with built-in bookshelves. To the right, a table carrying a television set. Against the wall facing the fireplace stands an upright piano”

, ثالثة يوجد الوسط في متمركزة صغيرة طاولة حولفيها. فجوة الموقد من اليسرى الجهة الى كراسي . . تلفاز جهاز عليها طاولة اليمنى الجهة الى كتب رفوف

عمودي بيانو ينتصب الموقد مقابل الحائط على

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Style of Fronting

Function:

Fronting is a stylistic device used to show Emphasis and surprise + ImportanceAs he had been caught red-handed, he was sentences to death. (fronted clause)

. باالعدام عليه حكم ،� متلبسا عليه قبض ألنه � نظرا

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Style of Fronting

Fronting is used both at the sentence level and the text level.

Translate “If you apologize, I will forgive you”

“

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Style of Parallelism

Definition:

Two structures or more are identical to one another.

E.g. My father is ill. My mother is sad. My sister is worried. (parallel structures)

. . قلقة أختي حزينة أمي مريض أبي . . أختي وكذلك حزينةعليه أمي لذا مريض أبي

عليه قلقة , والقلق ألمي الحزن سبب مما مريض أبي.ألختي

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Style of Parallelism

Function:Parallelism is important to meaning.Why?

It implies a balance between two or more messages.ConclusionI t should be translated in Arabic to reflect the same function.

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Style of Parallelism

Text for translation in class

Today we have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less common sense; more knowledge, but less judgment. We have more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get to angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too often, and pray too seldom.

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Style of Ambiguity

DefinitionIt is lack of clarity of language at different lexical,

cultural, or syntactic levels: word, phrase or sentence,

Example:The shooting of the hunters is extraordinary

للعادة خارق الصيادين صيد“Shooting” has two meanings:1. Killing the hunters الصيادين قتل2. Killing the birds الطيور قتل

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Style of Ambiguity

Function Achieving complicated meaning Hiding the truth Avoiding straightforward expression of

opinion Reflecting the nature of a character, a

person, an idea, etc.

© Amira Kashgary – Lecture Notes 22

Style of Ambiguity

Function Achieving complicated meaning Hiding the truth Avoiding straightforward expression of

opinion Reflecting the nature of a character, a

person, an idea, etc.

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Style of Ambiguity

How to translate ambiguous sentences (Idioms)Example:

I smell a rat in what you say!Look for an indirect equivalent :

تقول فيما عبي في الفأر يلعبOr resort to equally unclear phrases:

مكيدة رائحة اشتمOr use direct phrases:

الشكوك تساورني أشك،

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Complex vs. Simple Style

Complexity is displayed through a single sentence composed of several interconnected fronted subordinate clauses, followed by the main clause in a final position. (syntactic complexity)

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Complex vs. Simple Style

Function

1. To accumulate information and reasons which justify the action

2. To have impact on meaning

3. To give information

© Amira Kashgary – Lecture Notes 26

Style of Short Sentences

Functions

1. It heightens the tempo of action

2. It accelerates events and arouses suspense

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Style of Long Sentences

FunctionsStrong unity of the topicReflection of a boring subject matterEmphasis or non-emphasis of a subject, a phrase or a clausePortrayal of a special sceneAvoidance of a any shade of ambiguityAddition of extra thing to the text (legal text)

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Passive vs. Active Style

Both styles are used in all types of texts (English and Arabic)

Active style in English is used as a straightforward, sharp, provocative, candid and aggressive style

It is used to imply an invitation to some kind of action to be taken

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Passive vs. Active Style

Both styles are used in all types of texts (English and Arabic)

Active style in English is used as a straightforward, sharp, provocative, candid and aggressive style

It is used to imply an invitation to some kind of action to be taken

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Passive vs. Active Style

Passive is used for:

1. Concentrating on the result of the action and the action itself

2. Hiding the identity of the doer

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Passive vs. Active: Translate

“The Zionist soldiers killed five Palestinian children yesterday”

“Five Palestinians were killed yesterday”

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Style of Repetition and Variation

It is the repetition of important words or phrases over and over again

Function

To reflect something important to the whole message 249

Football is the game my friend loves. Football is the sport he watches on the

television. Football is his favorite hobby. As a child, his dream was to play football as a professional player. Here he is now a great

football player. . الرياضة هي القدم كرة صديقي يحبها التي اللعبة هي القدم كرة

. . المفضلة هوايته هي القدم كرة التلفاز على يشاهدها التي . ذا هاهو محترف كالعب القدم كرة يلعب أن أمله كان وكطفل،

كبير قدم كرة العب االن . التي الرياضة انها صديقي يحبها التي اللعبة هي القدم كرة . هوايته هي العالم في األولى اللعبة التلفاز على يشاهدها

. االن. ذا هاهو الشعبية اللعبة يلعب أن أمله كان وكطفل، المفضلةالكبير الجماهير محبوبة 33العب

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Style of Redundancy

The use of unnecessary, extra words to express something for the purpose of (Emphasis and Contrast)

Examples:

“As a matter of fact, to say the truth, I have to say it frankly, I’m not interested in your offer”.

1. بعرضك مهتم غير أنا األمر حقيقة . في

2. أقولها أن علي الحقيقة في األمر، حقيقية فيبعرضك مهتم غير أنا .بصراحة،

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“The economic policy of the new government is un acceptable completely, categorically and in part in toto”

غير الجديدة للحكومة االقتصادية السياسةبرمتها مقبولة

غير الجديدة للحكومة االقتصادية السياسةوتفصيال وجملة ومطلقا كلية مقبولة

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Style of Nominalization vs. Verbalization

Nominalization: the use of nouns

Function: to inject texts with abstraction, fixity and some kind of authority

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Style of Nominalization vs. Verbalization

Verbalization: the use of verbs

Function: indication of subjectivity, mobility and normality

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Registration at the university is the start of a long path into the unknown future. The feeling of security in life is the main aim of many students. Also, the holding of a university degree and the consideration of its holder among the highly educated, is a valuable moral end for a great number of students.

To register at the university is to start a long path into a future you do not know. To feel secure in life is what many students mainly aim at. Also, to hold a university degree and to consider its holder among the people who have high education is what a great number of students take as a valuable, moral end.

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