1.1.2. The Translator's Linguistic Knowledge
The linguistic knowledge of two or more languages is what is
generally thought to be equivalent to the concept of ability to translate.
In the next sections, however, evidence will be provided about the
incorrectness of this received belief. Yet, it may be useful to say that this
belief would never exist if linguistic knowledge were of minor importance to
translation. Still, what is generally ignored is the extent to which a
translator's linguistic knowledge must be deep.
The translator's task includes, among other things, deep
comprehension of a source text (ST) and the production of a target text
(TT). What has been so far advanced suggests that profound
differences exist between languages. This gives a clear idea of the complex
operations the translator has to carry out. These involve problem solving,
decision making and responsibility taking. Given this, one can easily imagine
how wide and how subtle the translator's linguistic knowledge should be.
Consequently, a good translator should be more than a good
linguist (Mounin, 1962). All what concerns the languages on which the
translator works should be of interest to him. Language is a changing system,
as a multitude of factors constantly contribute to its shaping and reshaping.
It is, to borrow Schleiermacher's expression (1999), "a historical being".
This implies that the translator's linguistic knowledge should extend to
include every contributory factor in its mode of functioning. This is in order
for him to be able to deeply understand the source language and effectively
produce in the target language.
Moreover, it should be mentioned that what precedes concerns
both knowledge of the foreign language and that of the translator's native
language. As unexpected as it may seem, the translator's competence in his
native language should never be taken for granted.
1.1.2.1. Knowledge of the native language
It seems obvious that the translator already masters his
mother tongue, so all what is left is to work on its perfection through some
final improvements. This is not necessarily the case. Darbelnet (1966) asserts
that this is an illusion emerging from the fluency with which people speak
their native languages. However, once one tries to draw up one's ideas,
difficulties and hesitations arise, which is intolerable to a translator.
The case of Algerian students of translation is even more
concerned by this illusion. Although Arabic is considered, in the context of
the Translation university course, as the students' native language, reality is
significantly different. Classical Arabic, which the students must learn to
translate from and into, is not the language they use in everyday life. This is
why the students' knowledge of Arabic should not be taken at face value
(Hardane, 2000).
In fact, in order to master one's mother tongue, one has to
observe and reflect on linguistic events. Darbelnet (1966) goes further to say
that the translator should know his native language better than does a writer.
Indeed, this latter chooses what to write, whereas what the translator should
write is imposed on him. The following quotation illustrates this
perception:
"Le traducteur ne choisit pas le sujet à traiter.
Quelqu'un l'a déjà choisit pour lui, et il ne sait jamais
à quelles ressources de la langue d'arrivée il devra faire appel
pour rendre une pensée qu'il n'a pas conduite à sa guise mais
qu'il reçoit toute faite."
(p. 5)
(see translation 7, Appendix B)
Similarly, Mounin (1957) quotes two famous French writers
highlighting this underestimated requirement. The first is Marcel Brion (1927)
who wrote in his Cahiers du Sud:
"C'est dans sa propre langue que le traducteur trouve le plus de
difficultés."
(p.19)
(see translation 8, Appendix B)
The second is André Gide (1931) in his "Lettre à
André Thérive":
"Un bon traducteur doit bien savoir la langue de l'auteur qu'il
traduit, mais mieux encore la sienne propre, et j'entends par
là :
non point être capable de l'écrire correctement mais
en
connaître les subtilités, les souplesses, les
ressources cachées."
(p. 19)
(see translation 9, Appendix
B)
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