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Translation Shift

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The Translation Shifts
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Translation shift refers to the changes that occur during the process of translating from one language to another. These shifts occur at all level whether the lower level of language or the higher thematic level of text. According to Catford (1978:73) he says translation shift is the change from the formal correspondence to the target text. He has divided translation shifts into two categories and that is rank and category translations shift. Rank translation shift is where there is a change from grammar to lexis whereas category is the change from formal correspondence.
The existence of a translation shift in any kind of translational activity has become an unavoidable phenomenon as translation is a process. It never stops with the evolution of time and the knowledge of mankind. Translation has never and will never reach completion or perfection. It is where our practice makes perfect. Translation shifts normally occurs when the source language is different from the target language and these are normally due to differences in word order, types of tense used grammar used parts of speech applied etc. In the case of translating English to Arabic there occurs a translational shift because English belongs to the Indo-European family and Arabic is a Semitic language. The disparity makes the shift to come out. It is always important for one to understand that translation shift helps to reduce literal translation of the target language.
Translation shift resulting from English to Arabic
This is the most common linguistic change that is when English is translated to Arabic. In English there is an order that follows subject+ verb+ the rest of the sentence while in Arabic it is different as it is verb+ subject+ rest of the sentence and so when one is translating these languages from English to Arabic or

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