TRANSLATION IN LANGUAGE TEACHING CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS

By İpek Serengil

COVER SHEET

Teacher’s name : İpek SERENGIL

Class : METU, FLE, 3^RD year students

Course : Turkish-English Translation

Subject : Güzel Havalar by Orhan Veli KANIK

Number of students : 15 ( Foreign students whose mother tongue is not Turkish do not have to

Take this course, however, an Albanian, three Greek, and one Indian

Student have been taking this course.)

Ethnic composition : Mostly Turkish, Three Greeks, one Albanian and one Indian student.

Linguistic Comp. : All of the students are proficient in Turkish and English.

Materials : The poem, blackboard, OHP, dictionary, and thesaurus.

Methods : Free and personal translation method, no direct translation is desired.

Pre- learning : In the previous three weeks, students translated two articles of about

500 words. During these classes the instruments and aims of translation

are studied and practiced.

Problems : The students tend to use direct dictionary equivalents in translation

When they come across an unfamiliar word, which they do not use

In daily speech or sometimes even for the projects.

Aims : 1- Students will revise their knowledge of translation.

2- Students will analyze the feeling and the atmosphere of a sample

Poem again by Orhan Veli KANIK.

3- Students will create many different translations of the sample poem.

4- Students will translate the subject poem into English.

5- Many variations of the poem will be written and read by the

students.

6- The bests will be chosen through open election by the class.

Students will feel more confident.

LESSON PLAN

Time: 40 minutes

*Greetings

WARM UP

· A list of what to do and what not to do in translation will be shown on OHP.

· The class will discuss the issues and if there is any they will declare their ideas about the rules.

· The instructor will announce the subject: translating a poem.

· A wishes session will be held: which poet would you like best to study in this particular class.

PRESENTATION

· Orhan Veli Kanık will probably be among the most wanted poets. The instructor will hang a shining sun picture, a photo of İstanbul, and she will show a miror and a cımbız, a packet of cigarettes. Then the students will, for sure, guess that the poet under translation is Orhan Veli.

· The class will talk about Orhan Veli and his poems, whether they adore or hate! And etc.

· The teacher will announce the students that they will have a practice session with a short poem by Orhan Veli.

· The sample poem will be shown on the OHP.

· The students will make suggestions for the theme, main points, feelings it arouses, the atmosphere and may be the aim of the poet.

PRACTICE

* The instructor will ask the students to suggest a translation for this little and very nice poem suggested above “ Cımbızlı Şiir”. The students will make groups of three and try their skills .

· The translations of volunteering groups will be read aloud. The instructor will give positive feedback and make suggestions if necessary.

· After this little practice study the teacher will announce the subject poem to the class.

· The poem will be shown on OHP and the instructor will play “Spring” symphony by Vivaldi in very low tones.

· The students will make groups or they will work alone on their personal choices. I beleive that everyone should feel at ease, so there is no need to force anyone to group work.

PRODUCTION

· The groups or the individuals will create their own poems. They will not only translate but also transform the poem into its most meaningful and acceptable reproduction.

· Each group or student will read their production or productions, if they want they will explain their reasons for using a particular word. Sometimes students come out with most surprising words and ideas hidden behind them. This of course leads to curiosity. For example, a student translated “elma” into “cheeks”, although the poet really meant an apple. These are uncommon, but nice.

· The best three translations will be chosen through open elections. The students will vote for the poems, the owners of a transformed poem may also vote for their own productions.

· The instructor will again give positive feedback, and she will ask the students to give feedback to her. They will talk about the lesson and what else they may do. The students name the poets thgey want to study, and translate.

· The class is dismissed with good deeds.

Appendix 1

THE RULES OF AUTHENTIC AND GOOD TRANSLATION

What to do

1. Try to get the aim of your poet. Define his reasons: Does he want us laugh to death or cry histerically?

Try to find the power words: Is there a word which is the core of the poem? How does he assure its place in the poem?
Try to give the meaning the poet aimed at. You can use irrelated or unexpected words which fit better than any other word.
Try to see a word’s connections.
Try to adapt the cultural elements that are absent in their culture, only when it is essential. For instance: a certain type of dish which is not known abroad. You may put an asterix and explain it seperately.
Bear in mind that different nations formed different cultures and languages derived from these seperate cultures.
Choose the best idioms that fit into the poem, and those are the closest to the desired meaning. For instance: “Komşunun tavuğu komşuya kaz/ Sen bu sözü aklına yaz” can be translated: “The neighbours chick is goose to the other/ Bear this idiom in your mind”. This is not a wanted translation. There can be other translations like: “ The other side of the hill is always greener/ This idiom is for you to remember”. Always seek perfection(!)

B. What not to do

1. Do not try to use too complicated patterns in order to seem competent or interesting, just flow between the lines.

2. Do not try to find exact equivalents, because there are not.

3. Do not stick to the correct sentence sequence, break the lines when necesarry or vice versa.

4. Do not even attemp to change the meaning. You are allowed to use any word to assure the desired meaning.

5. Do not add explanations or your personal ideas to the poem. You are not allowed to insert your feelings.

6. Do not use words with positive connotations, when you have to use a negative. Be careful about these. Do not try ton illuminate the atmosphere. You can not add a little sun shine into a lament for a lost wife.

Appendix 2

THE SAMPLE POEM

CIMBIZLI ŞİİR

Ne atom bombası

Ne Londra Konferansı ;

Bir elinde cımbız,

Bir elinde ayna;

Umurunda mı dünya?

(This paper will be shown on OHP)

Appendix 3 For the sample poem

Explanations:

1- The students define the tone of the poem. They all state many different ideas; appreciating, criticizing, angry, adoring, in love, unhappy, etc.

2- The students suggest the aim of the poet.

a. He is trying to attract our attention to poitical issues.

b. He wants us to consider the destiny of the world and our country.

c. He means that all our wonders and anxiety are useless.

d. Just live!

e. Do what you like.

f. Woman are to dress and wear make up.

g. The poet loves blondes!

...

3- The students work in groups to translate this very little and entertaining poem. There may come countless different versions, thus, I can not include them. Also this is an imaginary class, I can not create for fifteen people!

Appendix 4

THE SUBJECT POEM

GÜZEL HAVALAR

Beni bu güzel havalar mahvetti

Böyle havada istifa ettim

Evkaftaki memuriyetimden.

Tütüne böyle havada alıştım,

Böyle havada aşık oldum;

Eve ekmek ve tuz götürmeyi

Böyle havalarda unuttum;

Şiir yazma hastalığım

Böyle havalarda nüksetti.

Beni bu güzel havalar mahvetti.

Orhan Veli KANIK

( This paper will be shown on OHP, these will be copied on tranparents for an actual class)

References:

Bir Garip Orhan Veli, Remzi Kitabevi, İstanbul,6. Baskı-Ocak 1992.
METU; FLE, Translation Course-304- Class notes, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Meral ÇİLELİ.

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