© Amira Kashgary – Lecture Notes 1 Lecture Notes Dr. Amira Kashgary September 2008

© Amira Kashgary – Lecture Notes 1

Lecture Notes

Dr. Amira Kashgary

September 2008


Stylistic Problems

Dr. Amira Kashgary

Department of English

King Abdulaziz University

September 2008


What’s Style

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


Two Views of Style

Traditional View:

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

(secondary to meaning)


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


Importance of Style

Shape of the text: Poetry vs. Prose Rhythmical Language has different effect Colloquial words vs. Formal words etc.


Do we translate Style?

YES!

Retain it for functional purposes

Change it for TL requirments


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


What's stylistic translation ?

Requirements:

Style which is appropriate to the TL

Style which is faithful to that of SL

Translation which stresses the overlapping between message

and style.


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.


Types of Problems

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


Style of Formality vs. Informality

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

1. Frozen formal � جدا فصيح2. Formal فصيح3. Informal فصيح غير4. Colloquial عامي5. Vulgar سوقي



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

Frozen formal Formal

Informal Colloquial Vulgar

Formal

Informal



Give examples (from book p. 224-5, and by students)

Usually only four styles in Arabic: Classical Arabic (the language of Quran) Modern Standard Arabic ((MSA) (e.g. the written

Arabic of today) Colloquial Arabic (the language of conversation) Vulgar (slang) Arabic (very local, unkind and bad

language)


Style of Formality

Vs. Informality

Informal Formal

Frozen Formalجدا فصيح

Formalفصيح

Informalفصيح غير

Colloquialعامي

Vulgar (slang)سوقي


Examples and Assignment

1. See Page 227 for more examples.

2. Examine translated text No 1 from handouts. Translate the text twice, first into formal Arabic and second into informal Arabic.

3. Make a short report summarizing the main points discussed in the lecture.

4. Prepare the next four stylistic problems


Stylistic Problems

Formality vs. Informality

Fronting Parallelism AmbiguityComplex vs. Simple style


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)


Style of Fronting

The fronted words or clauses have a more

important than the other parts of the sentence .

Function Fronting is stylistic device useful to slow Emphasize

and surprise + Importance


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


Style of Fronting

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

See examples P231

Translate “The Impact of Muslim Civilization on Europe”


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



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. More Examples: See P 232



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.


Style of parallelism

(My father)S-)is( V- )ill( C

(My mother )S- (is) V-(sad) C

(My sister )S- (is) V-(worried) C

Definition: Two structures or more are identical to one the text level.


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 ألمر الصيادين قنص إن“Shooting” has two meanings:1. Killing the hunters الصيادين قتل2. Killing the birds الطيور قتل


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.


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.


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،


Style of Ambiguity

Functions

Ambiguity is unclarity. It is a major stylistic

device,

Avoiding straight forward

expression of opinion.

Hiding the truth.

Complicating meaning

Unclarity of message .

Reflecting the nature of a character, a

person, an idea.


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)

Example: Knowing how popular Robin Hood was among the common people (sub.clause) and how he could always slip quietly away into Sherwood forest (sub.clause) where his pursuers would be hampered by their ignorance of the terrain and their inability to adapt to the conditions of guerrilla warfare (sub.clause), the sheriff decided to take no immediate action (main clause).



عامة ” بين شعبيا هود روبين كان كم عارفابهدوء ينسل أن دائما استطاع كيف و الناس،مطاردوه سيتعثر حيث شيروود غابة في � بعيدامع التأقلم عن عجزهم و بالمنطقة بجهلهميتخذ أال البوليس قرر العصابات، حرب شروط

فوري إجراء “أي

Keep the complexity, don’t simplify!!



Function

1. To accumulate information and reasons which justify the action

2. To have impact on meaning

3. To give information

Study more examples PP 238-241


Complex vs. simple style

Complexity of style can be dominant in a text to have a function of some kind, which has impact on meaning. The same kind of style can render the same function and effect

in Arabic translation. Otherwise, meaning will be incomplete

Complexity of style is because the whole text is one single which composes of several interconnected

fronted subordinate clauses, followed by the main clause in final position.


Style of Short Sentences

Functions

1. It heightens the tempo of action

2. It accelerates events and arouses suspense


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)


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



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



Passive is used for:

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

2. Hiding the identity of the doer


Passive vs. Active: Translate

Depression can be beaten in more than two-thirds of patients, but it takes time and trying several combinations of treatments, US researchers reported on Tuesday.

The “real-world” study of 3,671 patients with major depression showed that no one drug or class of drugs works any better, the researchers said. The right combination must be found for each individual patient. “The good news is that two-thirds of people can be relieved of their depression if they can hang in there for up to four treatment steps. That’s pretty significant for a tough illness,” said Dr. A. John Rush, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who led the study.

But the bad news, he said, is that until patients are completely symptom-free, they risk relapse.


Passive vs. Active: TranslateAll the patients started on the same drug — Forest Laboratories

Inc.’s Celexa, a drug in a class called SSRIs, for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. This drug sent 37 percent of patients into remission.

Patients who did not get completely well were randomly assigned to take other SSRIs or Wyeth’s Effexor, a drug in a similar class called selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors or SNRIs.

Patients could also add cognitive therapy — a type of psychological counseling — and this second step helped an additional 31 percent of patients.

Those who were still not cured went to one of four treatments: nortryptyline, an antidepressant in an older class called tricyclics; Remeron, also known as mirtazapine, which is a

noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant; lithium; or T-3, a thyroid hormone


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

(see examples pp 249-251)


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،


Style of Show of Muscles


Style of Nominalization vs. Verbalization

Nominalization: the use of nouns

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


Style of Nominalization vs. Verbalization

Verbalization: the use of verbs

Function: indication of subjectivity, mobility and normality


Style of Irony

Documents

© Amira Kashgary – Lecture Notes 1 Lecture Notes Dr. Amira Kashgary September 2008