Language and Culture in Translation: Competitors or Collaborators

Interrelatedness of Language and Culture in Translation

The interrelatedness of language and culture is undeniable. In fact, language is itself an expression of culture. The notion that being bilingual is criterion enough to be a translator can be limiting if the cultural dimension is not considered. Cultural understanding can assist a linguist to translate better, as it deepens their understanding and appreciation of the grammar, semantics, idiom, and pragmatics of either language.

Literal and Functional Translations

Regular translation is seen at the linguistic or literal level. Functional translation on the other hand focuses on idiomatic and pragmatic transference. We don’t transfer words. We recreate the effect and communicative function of the source text. 

Take for example the sentence:

“Congratulations! You have done a great job! “

At the face of it, and its literal sense, it conveys a meaning of appreciation.

Adding a greater context, we have the same sentence in the below text:

Last night my friend who lives in the floor above me crashed into my party uninvited, drunk, and aggressive. My guests left and the party was a failure. I kept silent.

Next morning, our paths crossed in the park.

I said to him:

“Congratulations, you have don’t a great job! “

Now if we had to translate this sentence in another language, we are not sure if the sarcasm operates in the same way in the target language, as it does in English. So would a literal translation serve the same as would a conceptual or free translation, which is based on functional approach, which in turn is dictated by cultural transference, and not purely linguistic?

Cultural Translation

Apart from pragmatic differences, there are purely cultural differences between languages. When translating between languages, especially between languages from vastly divergent cultural backgrounds, there can be challenges in accurately conveying cultural subtleties. This can sometimes create a dialectic between remaining true to the original text and the need to make the translation culturally relevant and accessible to the target audience.

On the other hand, language and culture can also be viewed as collaborators in the process of translation. A skilled translator not only understands the linguistic aspects of the source and target languages but also possesses cultural competence to effectively navigate the cultural context of the text. Through collaboration between language and culture, translators can bridge the gap between different linguistic and cultural worlds, facilitating cross-cultural communication and understanding. Translators often engage in a dynamic interplay between language and culture, drawing on their knowledge of both to produce translations that are faithful to the original while also resonating with the target audience.

Despite their apparent conflict, both language and culture and their respective “conversions” are interdependent, and used together, they form a vital combo of tools to achieve a “good” translation.

This aspect is especially important in the translation of books, literary translation, and e-learning conversion.