The types of translation can be singled out depending on the predominate communicative function, the form of speech involved in translation process. So we can distinguish between literary and informative on the one hand and oral and written on the other. Of course there exists machine translation, the latest development in modern translation practice.
Literary translation deals with fiction or poetry whose main function is to make an emotional and aesthetic effect upon the reader, which should be preserved in translation. Literary works fall into a number of genres, subdivided into that of prose, poetry and drama.
Informative translation is rendering non-literary text the main purpose of which is to convey a certain amount of ideas to inform the reader. We can single out translation of
- Scientific and technical texts;
- Newspaper materials, advertisements;
- Documents, official papers, speeches, etc.
According to the translation mechanism there are the following types: oral and written.
According to the condition of the translator’s work, oralinterpretation is divided into: -simultaneous,
-consecutive.
-whispered interpretation/chuchotage.
Consecutive starts after the original speech or part of speech, recording, radio or TV interview has been completed.
Simultaneous is going on while the speaker is producing the original message.
Interpreting is an oral translation of oral discourse. As for chuchotage, it is a kind of simultaneous interpreting without equipment. Interpreters sit next to the people (1 − 3) who do not understand the working language and whisper the translation to them. This is a demanding task as they should control the pitch of their voice.
There are a number of variations and combinations of written and oral translation. Written translation can be made of the original audio/video recordings that can be replayed as many times as is necessary for the translator to grasp the original meaning. The translator can dictate his/her translation of a written text to the typist or a short-hand writer.
Oral translation of a written text is called sight translation or translation-at-sight.
Media/screen translation is a combination of written and oral translation activity used in translating movies and television programs, including subtitling and dubbing.
Liaison interpreting is work of an interpreter who accompanies an individual or delegation around. It usually includes interpreting short passages and may be either formal (translating an interview or a business talk) or informal (translating private talks).
Localization is quite a recent type of translation which includes adaptation of software or other products to a different culture. It is the translation of documents, dialogue boxes, etc., as well as linguistic and cultural changes to make the product appropriate to the target country. It is used in translating advertisement scripts, film scripts; software and homepages.
Translation can be
1) the written from a written matter translating;
2) the oral from an oral matter interpreting;
3) the oral from a written matter interpreting;
4) the written translating from an orally presented matter.