Loss of Meaning in Translation: A Case Study of Basain

Abstract

The thesis entitled ‘Loss of Meaning in Translation: A Case Study of Basain’ is an attempt of the researcher to find out the cases of cultural meaning loss in the translation of novel Basain. It further aimed to explore the causes of loss of meaning in translation. Furthermore, it aimed to analyze the ways that can be used to compensate the meaning gap in translation as well. Only the secondary sources of data were used in the study. Descriptive and analytical study design along with qualitative data were used. Twenty two different cases of meaning loss in the translation of the novel Basain were found. The study explored causes of the loss of meaning to occur in translation. Some of the major causes were pointed out as-cultural gap, deletion, negligence of the translator, lack of functional equivalence, lack of co-cultural and socio-cultural knowledge (of the SL) of the translator, over generalization of the meaning, carelessness of the translator, incomplete linguistic knowledge (of the SL) of the translator, transliteration and so on. It has also been found that the quality of translation is determined by the selection and the application of the appropriate translation techniques. It also depends upon how competent and familiar the translator is with the SL culture and the message to render into the TL. Maintaining cultural gap with cultural equivalence, avoiding deletion, use of addition and elaboration, searching for functional equivalence, in depth study of the source language grammar and content, avoiding the use of transliteration etc. are found as some of the ways used to compensate the meaning loss in translation.

The thesis has been divided into four chapters. The first chapter contains the introductory part which deals with the theoretical analysis of the study. The second chapter contains the methodology which deals with the detail description of the methodology applied in the study. The third chapter includes the analysis and interpretation of the data obtained from the field. It includes the transliteration of the SL text, their target language equivalence and the instance of loss of meaning. After their general presentation, the causes of meaning loss have been analyzed along with the analysis of possible ways to over come such meaning loss in translation. As the collected data were qualitative in nature, they are analyzed and interpreted descriptively in a narration. The fourth chapter contains the findings and recommendations of the study.