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Difficulty: HardPoints of Agreement

The following dual passages discuss theories of literary translation.

Passage A
In the realm of literary translation, the prevailing dogma favors 'domestication'—a strategy that aggressively smooths over linguistic idiosyncrasies to yield a text that reads fluently in the target language. This ethnocentric approach, however, inflicts a profound disservice upon the source culture by erasing its distinct textual markers. The conscientious translator should instead adopt a 'foreignizing' methodology. While this does not imply a simplistic, one-to-one transliteration—which typically devolves into incomprehensible syntactic rubble—it does demand that the translator deliberately strain the conventions of the target language. By accommodating the alien syntax and culturally specific discourses of the original, the translation proudly signals its derivative status, thereby forcing readers to traverse linguistic boundaries rather than comfortably assimilating the foreign work into their own cultural paradigm.

Passage B
The true measure of a literary translation lies in its capacity to evoke in the target audience the same cognitive and aesthetic responses that the original text elicited from its native readership. To achieve this 'dynamic equivalence,' the translator must deploy immense creativity, guided by a nuanced comprehension of both the source and target cultures. Because semantic and syntactic frameworks rarely exhibit perfect structural correspondence between languages, a literal, verbatim rendering is not merely inadequate; it actively subverts the original work by stripping it of its rhythm, tonal subtleties, and emotional resonance. To faithfully recreate the original's impact, the translator is often compelled to dismantle the source text's formal structure, substituting target-language idioms for source-language ones. A truly successful translation affords a seamless reading experience, capturing the animating spirit of the original without encumbering the reader with awkward, imported phrasings.

Based on the passages, which of the following statements represent points of agreement between the author of Passage A and the author of Passage B? (Select all that apply)

  1. A strictly mechanical, word-for-word substitution is an inadequate method for producing a successful literary translation.Answer
  2. Translators of literary works frequently encounter linguistic structures that lack exact, symmetrical equivalents in the target language.Answer
  3. C
    A translation should strive to conceal its derivative nature by providing a perfectly fluent reading experience.
  4. D
    The primary ethical duty of a translator is to preserve the linguistic 'otherness' of the source text.
  5. E
    The process of translation inevitably results in a target text that is aesthetically inferior to the original work.

Answer

The correct statements are that a strictly mechanical, word-for-word substitution is inadequate, and that translators encounter linguistic structures lacking exact equivalents in the target language.
Despite their fundamental disagreement over what makes a translation successful, both authors explicitly reject the extremes of the methodology spectrum. They both state that a purely literal, word-for-word approach is a failure ('syntactic rubble' in Passage A, 'subverts the original' in Passage B). Furthermore, both authors base their respective methodologies on the shared premise that languages do not map cleanly onto one another, meaning structural asymmetries inevitably force the translator to make interpretive choices.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Passage A to determine the author's core thesis and specific claims.
Passage A advocates for 'foreignizing' translations that preserve the 'otherness' of the source text, explicitly rejecting both overly fluent 'domestication' and crude 'one-to-one transliteration.'
Understanding the precise boundaries of the author's argument is necessary to evaluate potential points of agreement.
2
Analyze Passage B to determine the author's core thesis and specific claims.
Passage B advocates for 'dynamic equivalence,' arguing that translators should prioritize the target audience's aesthetic experience by substituting idioms and avoiding 'literal, verbatim rendering.'
Comparing this stance with Passage A reveals the primary point of contention: Passage A wants the translation to feel foreign, while Passage B wants it to feel seamless and native.
3
Evaluate the given options to find statements supported by both texts, despite their overarching disagreement.
Both authors agree that purely literal translation is a failure (Passage A: 'syntactic rubble'; Passage B: 'subverts the original work') and that languages do not map perfectly onto one another.
In comparative reading questions, points of agreement often lie in shared premises or shared rejections of extreme methodologies, even when the authors' ultimate conclusions are diametrically opposed.

Key Concept

Identifying shared premises or shared rejections in dual passages with opposing main arguments.
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Points of Agreement

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