Inter-Lingual Translatability of Figurative Expressions A Case Study of English and Tera in Gombe State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT 

This research was carried on Translation titled, Interlingual Translatability of figurative expressions with reference to Tera language spoken in Gombe State, Nigeria as receptor language. The research tries to investigate and identify firstly some existing obstacles in the process of inter-lingual translation of idiomatic expressions, and then suggests some weighty theoretical strategies to overcome such difficulties. In line with Baker’s (1992) classification of difliculties and the related subcategories, the present study makes an effort to analyze such classifications and practically apply them largely for some English and the equivalent Tera pairs. However the research methodology provides for expert translation of the expressions, and then test was conducted on Tera bilinguals both on translating plane English language and idiomatic expressions into their mothertongue, Among the participants were; Lawyers, administrators, ‘teachers and some students from various tertiary institutions in Gombe metropolis. The selected institutions comprises of Gombe State University, F.C.E.T. Gombe and Goni Muktar polytechnic. Findings show that there are a number of factors to be considered in order to translate idiomatic expressions correctly. The most important of such factors include cultural aspect, linguistic and stylistic considerations. And this study went ahead to investigate Tera specific problems such as Hausa language interference with other meta-lingual sub problems.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION A .11

DECLARATION B Ii

DECLARATION C

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

TABLE CONTENTS

ABBREVIATIONS

ABSTRACT

CHAPTER ONE 1

INTRODUCTION OP THE STUDY 1

1 .0 Introduction 1

I. I. Background of the Study 1

I . I . I Historical Perspective 2

I .2Theoretical Perspective 10

I 1.2. I Equivalence Theory 10

I .2.2 The Relevance Theory 10

I. I .3 Conceptual Perspective 11

1.1 .4 Contextual Perspective 14

I .2 Statement of the Problem 14

I .3 Purpose of the Study 15

1.4 Objectives 15

1.5 Research Hypotheses 15

1.6 The Scope of the Study 15

1.7 Significance of the Study 16

CHAPTER TWO .17

LITERATURE REVIEW 17

2.0 Introduction 17

2. 1 Theoretical Review 17

2.1.1. EquivalenceTheory 17

2. 1.2 Relevance Theory 24

2.2. Conceptual Framework 25

2.3 Related Literature 28

2.3.1 English Specific Literature 28

2.3.1 . I Scholars verdicts on Translation 28

2.3.1 .2 Translation Competence Models 30

2.3.1 .3 Translation Theories 34

2.3.1.3.1 Philological Theories 35

2.3.1 .3.2 Philosophical Theories 35

2.3.1 .3.3 Linguistic Theories~ 36

2.3.1.3.4 Functional Theories 37

2.3.1.3.5 Sociolinguistic Theories 40

2.3.2 Tera Specific Literature 40

2.4Summary of gap 45

CHAPTER THREE 46

METHODOLOGY 46

3.0 Introduction 46

3.1 Research design 46

3.2 Sampling lrocedure 46

3.2. I Research population 46

3,2.2 Sample Size 46

3.3 Data collection

3.4 Data gathering procedure 49

3.5 Data analysis 50

3.6 Ethical considerations 50

3.7 Limitation of the study 50

CHAPTER FOUR 51

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTRPRETATIQN 51

4,0: Introduction 51

4. I Objective one: assessment of the respondent ability to recognize English idiomatic expressions tioni the plane language 57

4.2 Objective two: Idiomatic expressions test 59

4.3. Objective Three 61

4.3.1 General problem of Translation 61

4.3.1 .1 An idiom or fixed expression may have no equivalent in the target language 64

4.3. 1.2 An idiom or fixed expression may have a similar counterpart in the target language, but its context of use may be different’ 64

4.3.1.3 An idiom may be used in the source text in both its literal and idiomatic senses at the same time’ 64

4.3.1.4 The very convention of using idioms in written discourse, the contexts in which they can be used, and their frequency of use may be different in the source and target language 65

4.3.2 Tera specific problems 67

4.4 Discussion of interview result 67

CHAPTER FIVE 68

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 68

5.0 Introduction 68

5.1 Summary of the Findings 68

5.1.1 Tera Native Bilingual’s Ability to Recognize Idioms from non-idioms 68

5.1.2 Tera bilingual native’s ability to translate English idioms into Tera language 69

5.1.3 Translation problem 69

5.2 Conclusion 69

5.2.1 To assess the capacity of Tera bilingual’s ability to recognize English idioms~ 69

5.2.2 To test the Tera bilinguals on the ability to translate English into Tera language 69

5.2.3 To identify problems on the process of idioms translation from English into Tera 70

5.3 Recommendations 70

5.3. 1 The Translation general problem 71

5.3.2 Inability of youths to speak Tera 71

5.3.3 Borrowing 72

5.3.4 Nigerian Government on Language Policy 72

5.3.4.1 In Education 72

5.3.4.2 In Culture 72

5.3.4.3 In Communication and Information 72

5.3.4.4 In Science 72

5.4 Suggestion for Further Study 73

REFERENCES 74

APPENDICES

NAMES OF THE TRANSLATORS 82