Metaphrase

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Metaphrase is a term referring to literal translation, i.e., "word by word and line by line" [1] translation. In everyday usage, metaphrase means literalism; however, metaphrase is also the translation of poetry into prose. [2] Unlike "paraphrase," which has an ordinary use in literature theory, the term "metaphrase" is only used in translation theory. [3]

Metaphrase is one of the three ways of transferring, along with paraphrase and imitation, [4] according to John Dryden. Dryden considers paraphrase preferable to metaphrase (as literal translation) and imitation.

The term "metaphrase" is first used by Philo Judaeus (20 BCE) in De vita Mosis. [4] Quintilian draws a distinction between metaphrase and paraphrase in the pedagogical practice of imitation and reworking of classical texts; he points out that metaphrase changes a word, and paraphrase, a phrase: a distinction that is also followed by Renaissance scholars. [3]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Dryden</span> English poet and playwright (1631–1700)

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Transcreation is a term coined from the words "translation" and "creation", and a concept used in the field of translation studies to describe the process of adapting a message from one language to another, while maintaining its intent, style, tone, and context. A successfully transcreated message evokes the same emotions and carries the same implications in the target language as it does in the source language. It is related to the concept of localization, which similarly involves comprehensively adapting a translated text for the target audience. Transcreation highlights the translator's creative role. Unlike many other forms of translation, transcreation also often involves adapting not only words, but video and images to the target audience.

Sense-for-sense translation is the oldest norm for translating. It fundamentally means translating the meaning of each whole sentence before moving on to the next, and stands in normative opposition to word-for-word translation.

Juncture, in linguistics, is the manner of moving (transition) between two successive syllables in speech. An important type of juncture is the suprasegmental phonemic cue by means of which a listener can distinguish between two otherwise identical sequences of sounds that have different meanings.

Translating <i>Beowulf</i> Challenges of translating the Old English poem Beowulf

The difficulty of translating Beowulf from its compact, metrical, alliterative form in a single surviving but damaged Old English manuscript into any modern language is considerable, matched by the large number of attempts to make the poem approachable, and the scholarly attention given to the problem.

References

  1. Ovid's Epistles, Preface by John Dryden, London: Jacob Tonson, 1681, cited in Baker, Malmkjær, p. 153
  2. Andrew Dousa Hepburn, Manual of English Rhetoric , BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2008, ISBN   0-559-76232-1, p.18
  3. 1 2 Baker, Malmkjær, p. 154
  4. 1 2 Baker, Malmkjær, p. 153

Sources