Translating Figures Of Speech
Comparative descriptive translation studies are used to analyze translations, usually from a different language to another. In the play Romeo and Juliet, translation is done from the Turkish language to other languages across several cultures of the world. The evidence underlying these translations may. This paper looks at translations of figures of speech in Romeo and Juliet and examines the problems related to its translation.
Shakespeare, in his play Romeo and Juliet, used several figures of speech, including similes, metaphors, and hyperbole. In the play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare used hyperbole in the description of Juliet’s appearance by Romeo, “Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven” Romeo also make an insist over Juliet’s eyes, put in hyperbole, “The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars.” This being just an example of a figure of speech may be associated with problems in its translation. Such issues are generalized to other various figures of speech.
Literature Review
Several problems are encountered in the translation of figures of speech. Such issues have been known through various research works conducted in the world. Abdelaal (no date) indicated that translating idioms may seem difficult to multiple translators due to cultural differences, arising from the source language and source language. In a more explanation, Abdelaal opined that there lack of equivalence in the translation of idioms since they are culture-specific. Culture and style, therefore, go hand in hand and demand when translating to the targeted languages. A phrase set in a specific culture may pose a different meaning to other cultures due to different meanings given to similar words contrasted to the cultural significance of a specific word.
Another challenge associated with idiom translation is that, in its second language, idioms have both idiomatic senses and literal sense at the same time. Idioms interplay in meaning in different languages, thus in its translation, translators may find themselves adopting the contrary meaning as used in the first source. To overcome these challenges, translators take several strategies. The idiomatic translation may involve translators paraphrasing the idiom and then putting it into the other context, omit an idiomatic play or the expression.
Alternatively, translators to figures of a narrative may use, for instance, idioms similar in meaning while taking a different form or of the same kind. However, it is a more significant challenge in its translation when phrases in the source language are borrowed in its translation (Fadaee, 2011). Figures of speech and multi-word expression are the most significant challenge that translators face. Fadaee (1984) provided that theories of translating figures of speech and techniques are different and limited to each. In the case of translation of figurative speeches in the play Romeo and Juliet, it would be difficult for translators to succeed in the work since it involves a variety of them, such as metaphors, similes, analogy, sayings, and many more.
Shakespeare, in his play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, showed the conflict existing between love by the protagonist and its power of transformation. Conflict is depicted to result from long time family’ strangles characterized by hatred and selfishness. Romeo and Juliet are teenage lovers that Shakespeare uses to represent people at relationships who are faced with various problems. Conflicts, betrayal, disobedience, and hostility have been viewed to arise within family setups. Shakespeare also uses the play to bring forward the importance of observing gender and social roles. Shakespeare also used the play to show how teenagers are bound to social roles, which many break.
Both Romeo and Juliet had been trapped in social roles. For instance, being a young man, the high expectation from Romeo is chasing women. Romeo chose Rosalin, who promised to remain a virgin. Romeo’s talk about Rosaline implies that he is a role player. Shakespeare showed how love dwells within the principles of revenge and conflicts between the two. There is an excellent force from their family feuds that override the pure love of teenage lovers.
William Shakespeare (nicknamed Bard of Avon) was born in 1564. He was a poet, Playwright, and Actor. He is prominent for his great work written in the English Language. Shakespeare wrote over 153 sonnets, 34 plays, and two long narratives expressed in poetry. Top plays by Shakespeare include Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Macbeth, and King Lear. In the play ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Shakespeare wanted couples to have an appreciation of their love together. What drives the author to write is complain made by many on how they do face problems that terminate their relationships and later causing their separation. Romeo and Juliet, therefore, has been used by Shakespeare to explain the far worse that couples can find themselves in a while in relationships.
Contextualization Of Figurative Speech Problems
In the context of establishing problems in translation of figurative speeches, it can be summed up that its translation from the first source to the second language is a great challenge translators face. Idioms, Metaphors, similes, analogy, and so on, have their interpretation mainly challenged by culture differences and complexities in expression languages (Khasanah, 2015). Abdelaal (no date), for instance, confirmed through research that lack of idiomatic equivalence gives authors a great challenge before translating it into the second language.
In most of a case, translation of metaphors may end up uttering the first meaning of such phrases considering the various definitions and interpretation by cultures (Astuti et al. 2019). Figurative speeches may have, at some points, counterpart in another language. Idioms in their first language may look similar in the surfaces while its meaning is remaining so different. Baker (2018) adds that the convention of idiomatic use in discourse that has been written, contexts that they can be used, and use frequency as to be different in the initial and the target language.
It is important to note that for translators to effectively make a meaningful translation of such related phrases (figurative speeches; metaphors and similes), it is vital to get versed with the language of the first interpretation.
Literature survey
References
Abdelaal, N., & Alazzawie, A. Translation strategies in the translation of idioms in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Astuti, F., Rahmat, A., Hidayat, R. S., & Adiansha, A. A. (2019). Translation of Personification Majas in the Poetry of Indonesian Language into English (Analysis of Contents of 5 Poems in June Rain by Sapardi Djoko Damono in Before Dawn by John H. McGlynn). American Journal of Educational Research, 7(1), 64-68.
Fadaee, E. (2011). Poetry in translation: A comparative study of Silverstein’s monolingual and bilingual (English to Persian) poems. International Journal of English and Literature, 2(3), 75-82.
Fadaee, E. (1984). Translation techniques of figures of speech: A case study of George Orwell’s “1984 and Animal Farm”.
Khasanah, D. U. (2015). The English Translation of Figurative Language in Iwan Setyawan’s 9 summers 10 autumns. Sastra Inggris-Quill, 4(2), 100-112.