Zafar Ullah
NUML, Islamabad, Pakistan
Comparative and Linguistic Insight into Machine and Human Translations of Allama
Iqbal’s Six Verses from Poems ‘SHIKWA’ and ‘JAWAB E SHIKWA’
Apparently, it seems that though machine and numerous translation softwares as well as
online translation websites have facilitated and accelerated speed of translation from any source
language to target language, yet this mechanical process is replete with many subtle and delicate
semantic, stylistic, register, metaphoric errors which sometimes produce faulty, deviated context,
superficial and ludicrous translation. Previously, most of the researches revolved around analysis
of either machine or human translation solely but study in hand focuses on comparison of
machine and human translation with perspectives of discussion about tenor, field and mood;
cultural incompatibility, deficiency of linguistic elements; exploration of errors for instance
wrong word order, missing words, inflection errors, incorrect word usage, extra words etc;
This research will address questions about appropriateness of language used in machine
and human translations; various errors; wrong use of register; presentation of metaphor;
transmission of cultural values; misleading message exhibited in translation; production of better
translation is by machine or human beings and whether machine can replace human translator or
not. To answer these queries, Halliday (1985)’s model will be applied and it defined register as
“a variety of language, corresponding to a variety of situation.” Mood can be named as a
medium, so thoughts and ideas are communicated aptly to audience with the help of medium.
Secondly, field refers to topic and it corresponds ideational metafunction. Third point is tenor
which indicates towards those who utilize language in a particular context.
Specifically, six verses will be taken from Pakistani national poet Iqbal’s two poems titled
‘SHIKWA’ and ‘JAWAB E SHIKWA’ from his poetic book ‘Bang e Dara’. Its literary
translation and machine translation by google translate will be juxtaposed in order to analyse
pros and cons of both machine and human translations. This paper argues that machine
translation can provide a list of synonyms etc and facilitate translator to some extent but
complete reliance as well as blind trust on machine translation can cause erroneous linguistic
misconceptions and distortion of original and desired message, hence, human translation is more
reliable for transfusion of maximum bona fide message along with cultural shades and other
features of core message. To conclude, after having analysis of both human and machine
translations, this study sheds new light on preference and utility of human translation which is
almost original, more accurate, precise and complying with cultural transmission.
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