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Originally Posted by Hebe
Excellent topic Exx !!
I think it all depends on the text you are working on.
In the case of legal documents, the best policy is to be as faithful as possible. In fact, I would even say that a literal (accurate) translation is a must in this case (because of the legal implications) : However even in such cases, one must always keeping in mind the natural trends of the target language; after all the main goal is to convey the message across in a way that it can be understood by those who rely on the translation.
Yet, translation of poetry and texts filled with similes and other literary figures simply cannot be literal, because the beauty of the written composition (one of the most essential objectives of the writer) would be inevitably lost. Same goes for slangs: If someone says in Spanish “Lo atraparon con las manos en la masa” (a colloquial expression in my country) and I produce a literal translation; nobody in the English speaking world will understand what the person meant to say; whereas if I choose an expression which conveys the same meaning (such as “he was caught red handed”); I will get the message across more efficiently.
This is my personal viewpoint; I’ll be looking forward to reading comments from other colleagues.
Best regards
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What else can be said that hasn't been already said by my dear friend Hebe? I completely agree with you... Legal or technical translations are more accurate, that's true.... I love literary translation... sometimes they are a real challenge for the translator, because you have to express exactly the same the author wants to transmit to the reader, trying to find beautiful words or idioms in your own language... don't you think?