Translation fallacy

Translation fallacy

In linguistics, the translation fallacy is the concept that essentially no word, phrase, text or speech in one language can be reliably translated into another language without loss, addition or other change of meaning. [ [http://www.angelfire.com/ks2/fallacies/falltext.htm Errors in textual interpretation methods ] ]

Examples

Chinese

The phase Kung Hei Fat Choi (literally "congratulate happy grow rich", used by the Chinese as a greeting in Chinese New Year), can never be translated accurately into English due to fundamental difference in grammar between the 2 languages.

German

For example the sentence "I am eating." in English, is translated into German as "Ich esse". ("lit. "I eat") because German lacks a continuous present tense. The translation fallacy is demonstrated here because "I eat" can be considered a generalised statement of fact ("I also eat from time to time"), and has gained a new meaning.

This could be clarified by writing, in German, "Ich esse jetzt" ("lit. "I eat now"), but this then becomes ambiguous as it could be considered to mean that the speaker is eating at this point in time, is about to eat or (although it is illogical) has never eaten before but eats "these days".

Translation fallacy in popular culture

*Lost in Translation (film)

References

See also

* Cognitive bias
* Historian's fallacy
* List of cognitive biases
* Lost in Translation (film)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Historian's fallacy — The historian s fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when one assumes that decision makers of the past viewed events from the same perspective and having the same information as those subsequently analyzing the decision. It is not to be… …   Wikipedia

  • Lost in Translation — could refer to: * Literally, a phrase referring to puns or cultural references that lose their significance during translation from one language to another (see also translation fallacy).Literature * Lost in Translation (novel), a 1999 novel by… …   Wikipedia

  • Pathetic fallacy — The pathetic fallacy or anthropomorphic fallacy is the treatment of inanimate objects as if they had human feelings, thoughts, or sensations. The pathetic fallacy is a special case of the fallacy of reification. The word in this use is related to …   Wikipedia

  • Chinese translation of crisis — The Chinese word weiji ( translated as crisis ) is often said to be composed of the characters for danger and opportunity ; the implication being that in Chinese culture, a crisis is regarded not merely as a danger, but also as an opportunity.… …   Wikipedia

  • Guru Granth Sahib — The Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji ( pa. ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ, IAST|gurū granth sāhib ), or Guru Granth Sahib, is the eleventh and eternal Guru of the Sikhs.cite book last = Keene first = Michael title = Online Worksheets publisher = Nelson Thornes date =… …   Wikipedia

  • Late medieval logic — Paul Vincent Spade I Medieval logic encompassed more than what we call logic today. It included semantics, philosophy of language, parts of physics, of philosophy of mind and of epistemology. Late medieval logic began around 1300 and lasted… …   History of philosophy

  • René Guénon — Infobox Philosopher region = Western Eastern philosophies esotericisms era = 20th century philosophy color = lightsteelblue image size = 250px image caption = A 1925 studio photo portrait (age age|1886|11|15|1925|7|1). name = René Jean Marie… …   Wikipedia

  • Propositional calculus — In mathematical logic, a propositional calculus or logic (also called sentential calculus or sentential logic) is a formal system in which formulas of a formal language may be interpreted as representing propositions. A system of inference rules… …   Wikipedia

  • literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… …   Universalium

  • Scientific method — …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”