CONTEXTUAL FACTORS IN TRANSLATION: SEMANTIC IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

This paper discusses the semantic implications of contextual factors in translation. It is of the view that in translation, the meaning of a text or utterance is of cardinal importance as opposed to the structural resemblance of the source text to the realized version. It argues that context plays a vital role in deciphering the meaning of a text, which in turn ensures the achievement of fidelity and exactitude which are the hallmarks of translation. It points out that context which could be seen as all the factors that play a role in producing and understanding utterances could be divided into three typologies which include immediate context which has to do with the inter-relationship which exists between the keyword and the neighboring lexical items in a sentence. This inter-relationship in turn contributes immensely in alleviating the problems posed by polysemous words. The second is the wider or enlarged context which has to do with the idea or meaning that comes to mind with the expansion or widening of the discourse and lastly situational context which is perceived as all forms of extra-linguistic factors which in one way or the other affect the determination of the meaning of a text or utterance. In consideration of the above, the paper counsels that contextual factors ought to be given adequate attention in the practice of translation.