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FILOLOGIJA 2010 (15) ISSN 1392-561X
UNDERSTANDING SLANG IN TRANSLATION
-2/$17$/*$8'$,7
Jytauto Dia:iofo Universitetas
f.legauaaitehmf.vau.lt
Keywords: slang phenomenon, softening, stylistic compensation, airect trans-
fers.
My interest in the topic was particularly stimulated by the Iact that the transla-
tion oI slang causes problems Ior the translator because this phenomenon can not
be translated word by word but the equivalent in meaning should be provided in the
target language. So what is slang ? Due to the painIul experience in the past, which
could have led to the loss oI the language, Lithuanian linguists and linguistic asso-
ciations are very worried about the purity oI the language. Thus, linguists preIer dis-
cussing how people should use language to describing how they use it in everyday
liIe. Every non-traditional variety oI the language has been criticised and regarded
as tarnished speech, deviating Irom the language standards (Kniksta 1994, 5). Con-
sequently, slang has been considered as something taken Irom the dump oI language
(Pikcilingis 1975). Nevertheless, some Lithuanian scholars do have positive views
on the use oI slang. Jakaitien (1980, 76) and Vosilyt (1991, 24), Ior instance, desc-
ribe slang as emotive, expressive and colourIul, though diIIerent Irom the standard
language, and Pikcilingis (1975, 143) states that using slang is showing preIerence
Ior the words that express distinctive inIormation and subjective evaluation. Thus,
to understand slang and its origins I will reIer to English scholars. The word slang
is oI uncertain origin. As Iar as the etymology is concerned, its frst occurrence is
dated 1756 in The Oxfora English Dictionary, where it is defned as the special vo-
cabulary used by any set oI persons oI a low or disreputable character; language oI
a low and vulgar type`, but its ultimate source remains unknown (1989, VOL. X,
651). The meaning oI slang was much clearer in the old times, when it was used by
British criminals to reIer to their own special language` (Andersson & Trudgill 1990,
77). Later, slang gradually acquired the Ieatures oI sub-cultural speech (Allen 1998).
Today, there is no clear defnition oI slang to be detected either in the dictionaries or
the literature. Every eIIort to defne slang as a kind oI vocabulary has Iailed. Dictiona-
ries describe slang by its inIormality, metaphors, playIulness, and unconventionality.
Slang is a place Ior cheeky new words and phrases. Slang words may enter standard
usage, e. g. English movies, friage, cra:y, maths, or remain slang Ior years, e. g Lit-
huanian sul school`, klifa supervisor`, fuksas frst year student`, moka teacher`
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kabakas caIe` and English super, aago, lag, lam. Some oI these words just circu-
late Ior a while, and when they are Iound redundant, go back to their sub-cultural
origins, while others disappear.
It is evident that slang terms exist on a continuum and that one person`s slang
may be another person`s colloquial lexical item. Thus, the intersperse between slang
and colloquial words is very close. Eble describes slang as an ever changing set oI
colloquial words and phrases` (1996, 11), but though colloquial terms tend to share
inIormality with slang, they are not associated with group identity. Normally, slang
items are short-lived, particularly the ones associated with peer groups. It is that
portion oI the vocabulary which changes most Ireely` (Gleason 1961, 6). They lose
their connotations oI slanginess iI they have been in use Ior some time, while others
vanish entirely. Other slang words show no signs oI Iading. As a result, they enter
the lexical stock oI mainstream English and put pressure on sub-group members to
invent a new code. According to the characteristics presented above slang is a non-
standard variety with the power to strengthen the Ieeling oI togetherness between
speakers.
The discussion so Iar shows that slang is a variety oI language which is used Ior
social and psychological purposes to oppose, play or gently tease proper` society
and its standard linguistic Iorms. However, there is no standard test that will decide
what slang is and what it is not, and Spears goes as Iar as saying that `expressions
that are identifed as slang are sometimes little more than entertaining wordplay, and
much slang is little more than an entertaining, alternative way oI saying something`
(1991, iii). Most people recognise slang when they hear it or see it written, but the
defnition oI slang and which terms should or should not be included continues to be
the subject oI debate. As we have seen, part oI the problem with defning slang is that
the term is based on a set oI characteristics. Andersson & Trudgill (1990) characteri-
se slang as a relative concept which moves Irom slang into neutral and even Iormal
language. This enables slang to change and vary not only Irom place to place but
Irom dialect to dialect. As slang is typical oI inIormal situations, which are not fxed
and change through time and place, it is typical oI spoken language. Slang is a highly
inIormal register oI speech, which diIIers Irom standard usage and shares boundaries
with other inIormal levels oI vocabulary. 'Slang is a style category within the langua-
ge, which occupies an extreme position on the spectrum oI Iormality (Thorne 1997,
2). But it is an extremely slippery concept, and the idea oI popular speech` oIIered
by Allen (1993) via a broader concept that includes slang, is preIerred by many lin-
guists (1993, 6). Popular speech` is to be understood as words and phrases that are
below the level oI standard and Iormal speech, related to street speech. Allen points
out that slang is part oI the liIe oI modern cities, or more correctly today, oI modern
society in general` (1993, 6). This emphasises that slang is social rather than a linguis-
tic term and is used to mark social and cultural diIIerences.
Since slang is a psychosocial and cultural phenomenon, the main problems oI
slang translation arise because oI the diIIerences in language systems and cultures.
What is more, the translation oI slang is infuenced by such Iactors as the diIIerence
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in the writing traditions oI cultures and the role oI censorship. According to Nida
(2001) the translation might be determined by the linguistic and cultural distance
that occurs because oI the diIIerence in the way the message is expressed. When cul-
tures and languages are closely related, the translator Iaces minor problems during
the translation process. However, when cultures are parallel but languages diverge,
the translation process becomes suIfciently complicated. Thus, when the diIIerences
between languages and cultures are extremely great, the translator should be ready to
perIorm various shiIts during the process oI translation as well as to choose the right
translation strategy. I would like to admit that the choice oI a translation strategy also
shows the kind oI the society the translator belongs to. Nida states that 'diIIerences
between languages cause many more severe complications Ior the translator than do
diIIerences in language structure (2001, 130). The translator should be aware that
his/her translation corresponds to certain culture, readership and conveys the proper
meaning. The great attention should be also paid to the translation oI sensitive texts
since it is culture that determines iI a text is sensitive. Thus, the text which is accep-
table by a source audience when translated into another language may be unacceptab-
le to the target language reader because oI diIIerent cultural norms, diIIerent social
reality and diIIerent language. Sapir claimed that 'the network oI cultural patterns oI
civilization is indexed in the language which expresses that civilization. Language
is a guide to social reality` (Sapir in Lung 2003, 257). In accordance with Lung
translators should be conscious about the cultural values encompassed in language
cultures. However, John Schmitz believes that 'translators have no right to improve
the original and they 'should be IaithIul to the vulgarity and crudity oI the original
(Schmitz in Lung 2003, 255).
The correctness oI the language usage both spoken and written is strictly control-
led by censorship. According to Allan, the main purpose oI the language censoring is
to protect the reader Irom the moral harm as well as to preserve the language purity.
The censorship oI slang is not so strict and the use oI slang on some occasions is
treated as a stylistic device oI the language. CrisaIulli states that the inIormal kind
oI language, such as slang words, 'may have both a propositional meaning (relating
to the message conveyed) and an expressive one (which reveals the attitude oI the
speaker/writer) (1997, 248). There are several opinions about the use oI slang in lite-
rature: some linguists view slang as an inappropriate kind oI language that should be
avoided because oI its negative eIIect, others describe slang words as a stylistic devi-
ce which helps to create the atmosphere oI the text making the tone oI the text more
specifc, expressive and even lively. However, we should admit that the meaning oI
slang words is oIten slightly diIIerent in the language and it is hard to fnd the equi-
valent oI it in the target language (TL), nevertheless slang should be translated into
the TL directly or other appropriate linguistic item should be chosen to preserve the
style oI the source text (ST). Thus, the translator must have a good perception oI the
language in which she translates the text and be acquainted with cultural peculiarities
that are related to the text. The appropriate translation methods oIten chosen to solve
the problems that arise when translating slang are softening, stylistic compensation
and airect transfers.
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Method oI softening is closely related to aynamic equivalence and is Iocused on
the perception oI the target text (TT) reader, how s/he would understand the transIer-
red message. In other words, the language oI the TT should be Iormulated in such a
way that it would sound natural Ior the reader. Special attention must be paid to the
translation oI slang words at the semantic level, where problems are caused by such
a phenomenon as slang. Apart Irom this, the use oI slang in the text might not Iulfl
the expectations oI the TT readers and could sound unnatural or rude to them. The
omission oI slang words is necessary in a certain type oI discourse, but iI the degree
oI omitted or soItened slang is too high in the TT, the style oI the text is distorted.
Thus, the translator should be aware oI the Iact that the stylistic standards Ior various
types oI texts diIIer across the languages. The purpose oI soItening eIIect is to soIten
the rudeness and vulgarity oI slang when it carries negative connotations or its usage
is inappropriate in the translation, Ior this reason the other word with the proper me-
aning is chosen. Such method is 'a Iairly typical attempt to accommodate slang to
vary literary language which may allow native origin slang units (Zauberga 1994,
142). The examples to illustrate slang translation Irom English into Lithuanian are
taken Irom Tony Parson Man ana Wife (2005) translated by D. Zaikauskien; Irvine
Welsh Trainspotting (1993) translated by D. Staciokas and Melvin Burgess Junk
(1997) translated by A. Patiomkinas. Consider the Iollowing examples:
Source Text Target Text
|1| Ana aont start telling my EORNH hes messing
arouna with my best friena, okay, Mister Man?
|2| After a bit the pigs got borea, or they aeciaea
wea OHJJHGLW.
|3| The last thing this FRSSHU wantea was to turn
up at the station with a kina on a charge of QLF
NLQJ from skips.
|4| Always trying to make sure Jerry eats his YHJ
JLHV.
|5| I like to breathe in a little VPDFN
|6| Ia haa a little GDE out of my packet earlier.
|7| Im coming aown, Im GRLQJ FROGWXUNH\.
|8| I WRRNDVZLJ of my arink ana I thought, Shit
|9| Ive been a little SURVVLH for a half an hour.
|10| :KLWWKHIXFN happenea...
11| %HWWHUJHDU, usually.
|12| I know that with things they are between us,
sooner or later youre going to meet some little
IXFNEXGG\
||13| Youre going to get EXWWIXFNHGE\IDWH.
|14| You cant make an omelette by keeping your
GLFN in your trousers.
|1| Ir nepraakit paistyti, fog mano vaikinas ka:-
k isaarinfa su mano geriausia arauge, suta-
riam, pone Zmogau?
|2| Po kurio laiko farams atsiboao. O gal fie nu-
sprena, kaa pasprukom.
|3| Policininkas tikrai neturfo aiaelio noro vestis
nuovaa vaik:o, apkalatinto vagyste is siuksli
konteinerio.
|4| Ji visaaa tikrina, ar D:eris valgo aar:oves.
|5| Mgstu kvptelti heroino.
|6| Kiek anksciau truput pamiau is savofo pa-
kelio.
|7| Man bloga, nebegaliu istverti.
|8| Sribtelfau is stiklins. Saas, pagalvofau.
|9| Pusvalana buvau smulkia prostitute.
|10| Po galais, kas atsitiko...
|11| Paprastai al geresns preks kokybs.
|12| Zinau, kaa kai ms tokie santukiai, anks-
ciau ar vliau susirasi koki mergu:l.
|13| Sukurtas taip, kaa likimas tave sulamayt.
|14| Tu nenulaikai savo gaia:iuko kelnse net om-
let kepaamas.
The examples above clearly demonstrate that the softening effect was employed
to neutralize slang words and expressions in the ST Ior the reason to conIorm with
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the rules oI writing in the TT. This translation strategy is particularly useIul in the
translation oI dirty slang words, denoting sex and swearing, since they are especially
censored in the translations oI the TL. Furthermore, slang items were replaced by
appropriate standard words with the purpose to avoid the over usage oI slang in the
language and keep to the literary norms oI the TL. The translation oI slang is great-
ly infuenced by the common view held by many linguists in Lithuania that slang
should be avoided in the literary text and only in very Iew cases slangy expressions
may appear in the text as stylistic devices.
According to Harvey Stylistic compensation is a translation method that is def-
ned as 'a technique which involves making up or the loss oI a source text eIIect by
recreating a similar eIIect in the target text through the means that are specifc to the
target language and/or text (Harvey 2001, 37). By the use oI stylistic compensation
methoa, it is possible to use slang in the TT and achieve similar eIIect to the ST, but iI
it is not possible to do, the translator can choose other options that are oIIered by this
translation strategy. Usually this technique is used to solve the problem oI the tran-
slation loss and try to achieve the eIIect oI the target text that is similar to the source
text. Stylistic compensation method helps to solve the language and culture specifc
problems that occur in the translation oI slang, but the translator should decide whet-
her it is worth to translate a certain linguistic item and s/he should try to keep to the
proper style oI the text as much as possible. The examples oI stylistic compensation
are exhibited in the table below.
Source Text Target Text
|15| It fust goes to show what this countrys come
to if the villains go ana tell the police what theyre
aoing, so they can be left alone to get on with it.
|16| No one ever usea to think of stealing whole
houses... ana without even having to move them,
either.
|17| If you have money, theyll hne you.
|18| You have to ao these things bit by bit.
|19| Great.
|20| I coulant believe it.
|21|...Someone you can have uncomplicatea sex
with.
|15| tai puikiausias pavy:ays, kuo virsta sita sa-
lis, feigu tie nieksai papraso IDUDRQ neturkdyti
fiems airbti savo aarbeli.
|16| Ar kas kaaa nors svafofo QXGLDXWL vis na-
m, ir netgi... nepafuainaamas fo is vietos.
|17| Tursi ODPDQLSULSDL\VEDXG.
|18| 1XOLSWL QXR DGDWRV gali tik :ingsnelis po
:ingsnelio.
|19| DNV.
|20| As DSDNDX
|21| ...Koki nors, su kuria JDOWXPWLHVLRJSDVL
GXONLQWL.
Stylistic compensation was applied to the translation oI the analyzed examples
Ior the purpose to compensate the linguistic loss that occurred because oI the diIIe-
rences in cultures. This method enabled the translators to use more slang words in
the TT and establish the suitable style and tone oI the text. The aisplacea compen-
sation type is the most common in the translation oI slang words Irom English into
Lithuanian as the translators try to translate the ST by the use oI slangy expressions
in the TT in those places oI the text where the TL has the expression with very simi-
lar or the same meaning. In addition, this method oI translation helps to preserve the
specifc style oI language that is used in the ST as well as to convey almost the same
eIIect oI the TT on its readers as the ST does.
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Direct or literal translation method reIers to the action when words oI the ST
are translated straightIorward into the TT. According to Vinay and Darbelnet (2000,
86) literal translation is 'the direct transIer oI a SL text into a grammatically and idio-
matically appropriate TL text in which the translator`s task is limited to observing
the adherence to the linguistic servitudes oI the TL. Fawcett reIerring to the literal
translation methoa indicates that it is 'the rare but always welcome case when a text
can go Irom one language into another with no changes other than those required
by the target-language grammar (1997, 36). We should admit that it is appropriate
to translate words literally whenever it is possible to fnd the equivalents in the TL.
However, the direct or literal translation is commonly used in translations iI the
ST and the TT languages belong to the same Iamily or they share the same or very
similar cultures. Furthermore, this method oI translation may be appropriate in the
translation among the European languages some oI which share the concepts oI the
culture and the civilization, have certain kind oI similarities in the way oI thinking or
structuring the language patterns. The use oI this method oI translation is becoming
more widely used in the case oI slang translation. Slang can be translated into the TT,
iI only its equivalent is available. ThereIore, the style oI the TT has to be kept close
to the ST as much as it is possible and iI it is not, the other translation strategy should
be chosen. Consider the examples below:
Source Text Target Text
|22| Superglue for bigger EXFNV.
|23| )DJ"
|24| I still haa that KXQGUHG quid I thievea from
aaas cash cara.
|25| Theya paia for all the fooa. Jonny ana Jerry
haa even been keeping me in FLJJLHV
|26| ...ana ah fear nothing (except not VFRULQJ)
|27|.but ah neea tae EHSLWWLQPDVNDWHVRDQ.
|28| Ye goat the JHDU thair?
|29| Arent you gonna beDMXQNLH with us?
|22| Klifai u: aaugiau EDNV.
|23| Nori FL]R?
|24| Tebeturfau is tcio sskaitos nusvilpt LP
WLQ.
|25| ... fie aprpinaavo, Jon ir D:eris mane netgi
vaisinaavo FL]DLV.
|26| ...ir as nebifau nieko (tik grsms nepagauti
NDLIR)
|27| ... bet man reikia XVLGWLVDYRSDLDV.
|28| Ar turi cia kokio SURGXNWR?
|29| Tu nenori bti QDUNDDV kaip mes?
The examples oI slang demonstrate how the items were translated directly into
the TT. Although the meaning oI some words is slightly diIIerent in the TT due to
the cultural and linguistic diIIerences, the ST messages were revealed properly in
the TT. The translation method oI direct transfers can be evaluated positively with
respect to slang usage as a stylistic device which makes the language more specifc,
expressive and lively. Moreover, slang serves as means to reveal the attitude oI the
speaker or the writer as well as to create the specifc atmosphere and the style oI the
text.
The translation oI slang is a diIfcult task Ior every translator since this language
phenomenon is closely knit with the culture and society oI the source language. The
three methods discussed in the translation oI slang help much to perIorm the action
oI translation, however, the translator should achieve such translation which is lin-
guistically correct and acceptable to the reader oI the target language.
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References
Allen Irving Lewis. The city in slang. New York life ana popular speech. New York: OxIord
University Press, 1993.
Allen Irving Lewis. 1998. Slang: Sociology. In: J. Mey & R. Asher (eds). Concise Encyclope-
aia of Pragmatics. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1998. P. 878883.
Andersson Lars & Peter Trudgill. Baa Language. OxIord: Basil Blackwell Ltd., 1990.
CrisaIulli, Edoardo. Taboo Language in Translation. In: Perspectives. Stuaies in Translatolo-
gy (Vol. 5:2). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 1997.
Eble Connie. Slang ana Sociability: In group language among college stuaents. London: Uni-
versity oI North Cardina Press, 1996.
Fawcett Peter. Translation ana Language. Linguistic Theories Explainea. Manchester: St.
Jerome Publishing, 1997.
Gleason H. A. An introauction to aescriptive linguistics. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Wins-
ton, 1961.
Harvey, Keith. Compensation. In: M. Baker (ed.) Routleage Encyclopeaia of Translation Stu-
aies. London and New York: Routledge, 2001.
Jakaitien Evalda. Lietuvi kalbos leksikologifa. Vilnius: Vaga, 1980.
Kniksta Pranas. Apie nukrypimus nuo kalb norm. Kalbos kultra. Vilnius: Mokslo ir
enciklopedij leidykla, 1994.
Lung Rachel. Translating Sensitive Texts. In: Perspectives. Stuaies in Translatology.
(Vol. 11:4) Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, 2003.
Nida Eugene. Principles oI Correspondence. In: L. Venuti (ed.) The Translation Stuaies Rea-
aer. London and New York: Routledge, 2000.
Pikcilingis Juozas. Lietuvi kalbos stilistika. Vilnius: Mokslas, 1975.
Spears Richard S. Contemporary American slang. Illinois: NTC Publishing Group, 1991.
Thorne Barrie. Genaer-play. girls ana boys in school. New Brunswick: Rutgers University
Press.
The Oxfora English Dictionary. 1989. OxIord: Clarendon Press, 1997.
Vinay, Jean-Paul and Jean Darbelnet. A Methodology Ior Translation. In: L. Venuti (ed.) The
Translation Stuaies Reaaer. London and New York: Routledge, 2000.
Vosilyt Klementina. Paukst pazinsi is balso. eima, 9, 1991.
Zauberga Ieva. Pragmatic Aspects oI the Translation oI Slang and Four-letter Words. In: Per-
spectives. Stuaies in Translatology. Vol. 2:2. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing
Company, 1994.
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1olanta Lgaudait
SLENGO SUPRATIMAS IR VERTIMAS
Santrauka
Pagrindiniai zodziai: slengo fenomenas, susvelninimas, stilistin kompensacifa, tiesio-
ginis vertimas.
Lingvistai ne visada sutaria dl rasomosios ir snekamosios kalbos skirtum. Slengas,
kaip nebendrins kalbos elementas, prisideda prie snekamosios kalbos painumo. Ilgainiui
skirtumai tarp bendrins ir nebendrins kalbos ryskja priklausomai nuo rasomosios kalbos
stabilumo. Lietuvi kalbotyroje daug dmesio skiriama taisyklingam kalbos vartojimui, jos
grynumui, ir nors slengas yra laikomas zargonu ir nukrypimu nuo bendrins kalbos norm,
labai svarbu analizuoti ir vertinti, kaip slengas yra verciamas is angl lietuvi kalb, pa-
lyginti slengo vartojimo kokyb ir jo dazn originaliame ir isverstame tekste. Slengas yra
vartojamas vairiose pasaulio salyse, kuri kalbos ir kultros skiriasi, nes slengo Ienomenas
apibdina socialines grupes ir j vertybes, todl rasti tinkamos reiksms zod verciant tekst
yra sudtinga. Vertimo metodai, kurie galt padti issprsti vertimo problemas, verciant
sleng is angl lietuvi kalb ir padaryt tekst lingvistiskai tinkam, taip pat ir priimtin
skaitytojams, islaikant originalo kalbos kultr, yra susvelninimas, stilistin kompensacija ir
tiesioginis vertimas.
1olanta Lgaudait
UNDERSTANDING SLANG IN TRANSLATION
Summary
Keywords: slang phenomenon, softening, stylistic compensation, airect transfers.
In Lithuanian linguistics, there has been a tendency to study the most salient aspects oI
language use. Over time, the diIIerences between standard and non-standard varieties may
become quite considerable due to the conservatism oI the written Iorm. Lithuanian linguists
and linguistic associations are very worried about the purity oI the language and though slang
phenomenon has been criticized and regarded as tarnished speech, deviating Irom the langua-
ge standards, it is very important to fnd out and analyze how slang is translated Irom English
into Lithuanian, identiIy its eIIect on the language and compare its quality and its Irequency
in the target text. Slang items are used all over the world in diIIerent societies and characteri-
ze social groups and their values, thus, it is not always possible to fnd the exact equivalent
oI slang and render it into the target language due to the diIIerences in cultures between the
languages. The translation methods that are mainly used in the translation oI slang are soIte-
ning, stylistic compensation and direct transIers.