# 4.3 Semantic vs communicative translation part 3

Newmark argued that the vast majority of texts require a communicative rather than a semantic translation. He suggested that the communicative approach is to be adopted for most non-literary writing, textbooks, technical writing, popular fiction, propaganda, whereas the semantic approach is to be adopted for texts ‘where the specific language of the speaker or writer is as important as the content’. Indeed, for Newmark, ‘any important statement requires a version as close to the original lexical and grammatical structure as is obtainable’ (Newmark, 1981, p. 44). The example he provides is of Charles de Gaulle’s 18 June 1940 broadcast and adds that autobiography, private correspondence and any personal effusion requires ‘semantic treatment’ since the ‘intimate flavour of the original is more important than its effect on the reader’ (1981, p. 45).

## Activity 6

In the following table, rephrase each of the semantic translations into English into a more appropriate communicative one. Even if you do not understand the source language, you should be able to understand the semantic translation sufficiently to be able to produce a workable communicative version:

##

Source text | Semantic translation | Communicative translation
--- | --- | ---
Bissiger Hund! | Dog that bites! | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Défense de marcher sur le gazon | It is forbidden to walk on the turf | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Attention / Glissant | Attention / Slippery | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Frisch gestrichen! | Recently painted! | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Hombres trabajando | Men working | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Al salir tengan cuidado de no introducir el pie entre coche y andén | When you leave, take care not to put your foot in between the train and the platform | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
一箭双雕 | One arrow for two birds | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
软硬兼施 | Soft and hard measures combined | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Vietato l’ingresso | Entry forbidden | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Si prega di non disturbare | You are asked not to disturb | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

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### Answer

##

Source text | Semantic translation | Communicative translation
--- | --- | ---
Bissiger Hund! | Dog that bites! | Beware of the dog!
Défense de marcher sur le gazon | It is forbidden to walk on the turf | Keep off the grass
Attention / Glissant | Attention / Slippery | Caution / Slippery when wet
Frisch gestrichen! | Recently painted! | Wet paint!
Hombres trabajando | Men working | Men at work
Al salir tengan cuidado de no introducir el pie entre coche y andén | When you leave, take care not to put your foot in between the train and the platform | Mind the gap
一箭双雕 | One arrow for two birds | To kill two birds with one stone
软硬兼施 | Soft and hard measures combined | The carrot and stick approach
Vietato l’ingresso | Entry forbidden | No entry
Si prega di non disturbare | You are asked not to disturb | Do not disturb

Which approach you choose to adopt will undoubtedly depend on the translations you have to deal with. Often as a first draft, it feels natural to work semantically, e.g. from the smaller units and then build up into something more communicative, but there are many ways of tackling material for translation. At times, you might want to spell things out more literally and then a semantic approach might be more appropriate.

Now, if you would like to try the activity the other way round, it will enable you to practise doing both a semantic and a communicative translation into any language you speak. For each expression in the English source text in the first column, do a semantic translation (i.e. translate it word for word) into your other language. Then, in the communicative translation column, see if you can think of a more idiomatic way to say it in that language. If you are not sure, you can look it up online!

##

Source text | Semantic translation | Communicative translation
--- | --- | ---
Beware of the dog! | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Keep off the grass | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Caution / Slippery when wet | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Wet paint! | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Men at work | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Mind the gap | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
To kill two birds with one stone | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
The carrot and stick approach | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
No entry | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)
Do not disturb | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.) | (A text entry box would appear here, but your browser does not support it.)

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OpenLearn - Translation as a career
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