A Study of Communication Miscarriage in News Translations

Authors

  • Muhammad Aliyu Sajo Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto – Nigeria
  • Muhammad Zayyanu Zaki Usmanu Danfodiyo University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46991/TSTP/2023.3.2.070

Keywords:

translation of messages, communication miscarriage, English-Hausa news, distortion of meaning

Abstract

Translation of messages from one language to another has been a daunting task to translators. There has been observed problems in communicating messages through translation especially from English to Hausa on the broadcast media in Sokoto, Nigeria where the electronic media (radio and television) mostly use the two languages to transmit messages to diverse audiences. Such audiences rely heavily on the translated news messages to respond to certain issues contained in the messages. The aim of this paper is to study some English-Hausa news translations on the Rima Radio Sokoto medium. The objectives are to: determine whether or not there is communication miscarriage in news translation in the radio medium, examine the nature of the translation in the medium, and determine how translation errors if any, can be addressed. Qualitative research method was employed via identification, description and interpretation of ten (10) extracts of news translation from English into Hausa, which form the data for the study. Among the findings of the study were that: there were numerous errors in the translation as identified in the data analysed and that, the errors identified were those of misrepresentation of forms, poor vocabulary and use of direct translation method where it was inappropriate. From the findings, it was recommended that the errors of communication miscarriage can be addressed through training and retraining of translators. It can therefore, be concluded that application of various theoretical concepts to the study of translation appears relevant in assessing translation as well as in carrying out better translation of messages to avoid communication miscarriage.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Aliyu Sajo, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto – Nigeria

PhD, Senior Lecturer at the Department of English and Literary Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria. His areas of specialisation and research interests are in stylistics, human communication and applied linguistics; holder of Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Language from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria as well as a PhD degree in English Language at University of Ilorin, Kwara State; holder of a Higher Diploma in Mass Communication, Certificate in Radio Journalism and a Professional Diploma in Education. Prior to joining the University as a lecturer in 2012, his active journalism practice spanned up to 13 years in radio, television and print media between 1997 and 2010 where he rose through the rungs of the profession from a reporter to a director, News and Current Affairs at Rima Radio and Rima Television, Sokoto as well as a production editor, Sokoto Newspaper Company, “The Path”; author of up to 18 publications to his credit which were published in various journals at national and international levels.

Muhammad Zayyanu Zaki, Usmanu Danfodiyo University

Doctor in Translation Studies with his areas of specialisation and research interests lying in the areas of translation technology, machine translation, linguistics and cultural shifts; lecturer of translation studies in the French Department, Faculty of Arts, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria; holder of a Bachelor’s degree in French Language and a Master’s degree in Translation Studies from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria as well as a PhD degree in Translation Studies at University of Nigeria, Nsukka; holder of a Diplôme d’Étude de la langue Française (DELF B1). He has attended academic conferences, workshops and seminars, and has published widely in Hausa, English, and French with more than twenty-five (25) reputable journals locally and internationally with impact factors (many of which are on translation studies and translation technology).

References

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Published

2023-12-25

How to Cite

Sajo, M. A., & Zaki, M. Z. (2023). A Study of Communication Miscarriage in News Translations. Translation Studies: Theory and Practice, 3(2 (6), 70–79. https://doi.org/10.46991/TSTP/2023.3.2.070

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2 (6) (2023)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2023 Muhammad Zayyanu Zaki, Muhammad Aliyu Sajo

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.