DI: Lesson - Notes on Translation
Notes on Translation
Download the Translation Project handout. Use the steps below to help you when working on the translation.
Before moving ahead in the course, please review some of the basic guidelines for translation.
It's important to work on several skills to improve your translation ability. We have already practiced sight reading and reading comprehension in this course. The next step is to attempt producing a literal Latin translation of a passage. Translation is a key way to demonstrate your understanding of all the grammar covered in our course and is essential to understanding the author's exact meaning within the lines of Latin text. You have been practicing translation throughout our course.
Start with the basics
It is key when translating to know how to start translating.
The first thing to do: read the line of Latin aloud. Romans read everything aloud - it was the main method of reading in ancient times. There is also some value to hearing, even if it is your own voice, the line of Latin. If it is a longer passage, hearing the full passage can be very useful: every sight passage, and several of the Latin passages from the assignments also have an audio recording. Please take the time to listen to these recordings.
Now that you have either listened to the passage or read the line aloud yourself, it is time to investigate the Latin carefully for three specific features:
- Overall Structure
- Is this a simple sentence (one independent clause)?
- Is it compound (two independent clauses, connected by a conjunction)?
- Is it complex (two or more clause, with one clause being subordinate)?
- Just knowing the basic structure of a line will help you to isolate and identify the most important parts of each clause.
- Main verb/subordinate verb(s)
- The verb in the Latin sentence is the core of the sentence. Remember the five main characteristics: person, number, tense, voice and mood. In Latin I, those first three were especially necessary for a proper translation. Person, number and tense will help you to fully understanding how a sentence is set up. In Latin II, we are working on exploring some of the more complex aspects of verb usage, like voice and mood.
- Subject (main subject/subordinate clause subject)
- Not every Latin sentence contains an expressed subject (in other words, there will not always be a subject written out for a Latin sentence). However, if there is a written subject, it will be a noun or pronoun in the nominative case. It will agree with the verb in number. If there is no written subject, the subject of the sentence is being expressed in the person and number of the verb ending.
After you locate and correctly identify these features, the rest of the sentence becomes a set of specialized pieces which may or may not be present. Identifying and analyzing these pieces becomes a much clearer task if you already understand the subject and verb.
Sentence Patterns
Your knowledge of common Latin sentence patterns and word order will help you to identify and translate correctly. We have learned that often action verbs are found at the end of Latin sentences. Direct objects proceed verbs. Linking verbs are found in the middle of sentences linking subjects with predicate nominative or adjectives. While Latin has flexibility with word order, it’s helpful to note common patterns. Consider the examples below, noting the differences between Latin word order and the English translation.
| Common sentence pattern in Latin | Latin Example - English Translation |
|---|---|
|
Subject - Linking verb - Predicate (nominative or adjective). |
Marcellus est iuvenis. Marcellus is a young man. |
|
Subject - Direct object - Verb. |
Poeta fabulam narravit. The poet told a story. |
|
Direct object - Verb. |
Cenam parabat. He was preparing a meal. |
|
Prepositional phrase - Verb. |
In triclinio cenaverunt. They dined in the dining room. |
| Subject - Indirect object - Direct object- Verb. | Mercator feminae panem monstraverat. The merchant showed bread to the woman. |
| Subject - Indirect object - Direct object - Possessive genitive - Verb.* | Iuba magistro librum Marcelli dedit. Juba gave Marcellus' book to the teacher. |
Nota bene
- *The genitive case is more flexible in position than the other cases. Because it is used to show additional information about a particular noun (the daughter of the queen - of the queen is providing more information about the daughter), it will usually follow the noun it modifies. In the example, the genitive is adding information about the direct object, so follows that particular noun (the book of Marcellus = Marcellus' book).
Context and reading aloud
The final step to producing a literal translation is to consider the context of the sentence within the entire passage. Be sure to read aloud your English translation and listen for comprehension. Does the passage make sense? It may sound simple, but just asking this question can lead to recognition of an error: if it does not sound right in English, there is likely a mistake in the translation.
Note about developing translation skills
As your instructor grades your literal translations, each word, phrase and sentence will be evaluated for grammatical correctness. Did you translate the subject as singular or plural? Did you recognize the tense of the verb? Did you identify the direct object of the sentence? By applying the translation strategies above, you are carefully examining the Latin text and determining the detailed meaning the author intended. Developing precise and accurate translation ability is an essential skill for beginner and intermediate Latin study. Remember to avoid rushing through your translation and always edit your work for errors.