Contents introduction 2 I. The meaning and purpose of translation

Literal translation: The SL grammatical constructions are converted to their nearest TL equivalents but the lexical items are again translated out of context. As pre-translation process, it indicates problems to be solved. Literal translation can also denote a translation that represents the precise meaning of the original text but does not attempt to convey its style, beauty, or poetry. There is, however, a great deal of difference between a literal translation of a poetic work and a prose translation. A literal translation of poetry may be in prose rather than verse, but also be error free. Charles Singleton's translation of the Divine Comedy is regarded as a prose translation. "Literal" translation implies that it is probably full of errors, since the translator has made no effort to (or is unable to) convey correct idioms or shades of meaning, for example, but it can also be a useful way of seeing how words are used to convey meaning in the source language.

Faithful translation: Faithful translation, typically considered the type of translation that is desired, attempts to reproduce precise contextual meaning as given within the original text, but within the grammatical structures of the target language. This type of translation transfers cultural words while preserving the degree of grammatical and lexical deviation from the original language norms. Overall, this type of translation attempts to be faithful to the intentions of the original text and writer, but in the target language. Newmark states that a faithful translation attempts to reproduce the precise contextual meaning of the original of SL grammatical structures. It attempts to be completely faithful to the intentions and the text-realization of the SL writer. It is usually used for text related to technical, law, or medical.

Semantic translation: It differs from faithful translation only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the SL text, compromising on meaning where appropriate so that no assonance, word play or repetition jars in the finished version. It does not rely on cultural equivalence and makes very small concessions to the readership. While ‘faithful’ translation is dogmatic, semantic translation is more flexible. Semantic translation is the process of using semantic information to aid in the translation of data in one representation or data model to another representation or data model. Semantic translation takes advantage of semantics that associate meaning with individual data elements in one dictionary to create an equivalent meaning in a second system. An example of semantic translation is the conversion of XML data from one data model to a second data model using formal ontologies for each system such as the Web Ontology Language (OWL). This is frequently required by intelligent agents that wish to perform searches on remote computer systems that use different data models to store their data elements. The process of allowing a single user to search multiple systems with a single search request is also known as federated search. Semantic translation should be differentiated from data mapping tools that do simple one-to-one translation of data from one system to another without actually associating meaning with each data element. Semantic translation requires that data elements in the source and destination systems have "semantic mappings" to a central registry or registries of data elements. The simplest mapping is of course where there is equivalence. There are three types of Semantic equivalence:

•