Techniques Flashcards

In the source-target sentence 'He swims well' becoming 'He is a good swimmer', which technique was used?

Answer: Transposition

The adverb-verb structure shifts to noun-adjective, a classic transposition.

Rendering 'don't forget to' as 'remember to' illustrates which technique?

Answer: Modulation

Switching from a negative to a positive framing of the same idea is modulation.

When the English idiom 'it's raining cats and dogs' is rendered with the target language's own heavy-rain idiom, the technique is:

Answer: Equivalence

Idioms are best handled with an equivalent expression natural to the target language.

Which technique risks producing 'false friends' errors if applied carelessly?

Answer: Borrowing or literal translation of similar-looking words

Words that look alike across languages but differ in meaning (false friends) trap literal or borrowing approaches.

Generalization, where a specific source term is rendered by a broader target term, is a form of:

Answer: Modulation by changing level of specificity

Choosing a more general term (e.g., 'vehicle' for a specific car model) shifts specificity, a modulation strategy.

Particularization is the technique of:

Answer: Using a more specific target term than the source

Particularization narrows meaning by choosing a more precise term than the original.

Which technique best preserves register when translating formal legal text?

Answer: Established equivalence using standard target-language legal terminology

Legal translation relies on recognized equivalent terms to maintain accuracy and register.