why does the etruscan language present such a problem for translators?course hero

What is the Etruscan language called today?

Written By: Etruscan language, language isolate spoken by close neighbours of the ancient Romans. The Romans called the Etruscans Etrusci or Tusci; in Greek they were called Tyrsenoi or Tyrrhenoi; in Umbrian and Italic language their name can be found in the adjective turskum. The Etruscans’ name for themselves was rasna or raśna.

Is it possible to translate the Etruscan Records?

Despite many attempts at decipherment and some claims of success, the Etruscan records still defy translation. While the possibility always remains that an imaginative conjecture or a brilliant inferencewill suddenly provide the key to the mystery, this now seems remote.

Why is the Etruscan alphabet important?

The Etruscan alphabet. Etruscan is written in an alphabet probably derived from one of the Greek alphabets. It is of very great importance that Etruscan is written in a recognizable alphabet related to the Greek and Semitic because sound values can be assigned with some degree of precision to each symbol.

Where did the Etruscans live?

The Etruscans lived in Italy in the region of modern Tuscany, in an area bounded by the Arno River on the north, the Tiber River on the southeast, and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west.

What is the Etruscan language?

Etruscan language, language isolate spoken by close neighbours of the ancient Romans. The Romans called the Etruscan s Etrusci or Tusci; in Greek they were called Tyrsenoi or Tyrrhenoi; in Umbrian and Italic language their name can be found in the adjective turskum.

Where did the Etruscan language originate?

The Etruscan language is known mainly from epigraphic records originating in the Tuscan area and dating from the 7th century bc to the first years of the Christian Era. There are some 10,000 of these inscriptions, mainly brief and repetitious epitaphs or dedicatory formulas, as well as votive or owner’s inscriptions on paintings in tombs and accompanying engraved figures on small artifacts such as metal mirrors. There are, however, some remarkable exceptions to the general brevity of the inscriptions, and there are important differences in their origins. The longest single text, of 281 lines (about 1,300 words), now in the National Museum at Zagreb, is written on a roll of linen that had been cut into strips and used in Egypt as a wrapping for a mummy; a clay tablet found at Capua contains some 250 words; a stone slab from Perugia has two adjacent sides elegantly engraved with an inscription of 46 lines (some 125 words); a bronze model of a liver found at Piacenza, which probably represents the Etruscan microcosm in a form used for instruction in divination, has some 45 words; and a heavy rectangular block found on the island of Lemnos in the northern Aegean has an engraving of what is probably a warrior with one inscription of perhaps 18 words surrounding the head and another of 16 words in three lines on an adjacent side. In 1964 two inscriptions on gold tablets, one in Phoenician and the other in Etruscan, were unearthed at Pyrgi.

Why is the Etruscan alphabet important?

It is of very great importance that Etruscan is written in a recognizable alphabet related to the Greek and Semitic because sound values can be assigned with some degree of precision to each symbol. Etruscan writing proceeded from right to left and in earliest times had no word division or punctuation.

Where did the Etruscans rule?

At one time they controlled most of an area extending south from Milan through Marzabotto and Sarsina to the Adriatic Sea north of Ancona, and to the southwest their rule extended as far as Capua, Naples, and Pompeii. For the history of the Etruscans and Etruria, see ancient Italic people.

Is the Etruscan language related to the Mediterranean language?

It is unlikely, therefore, that the Etruscan language is genetically related to any language or language family existing in an area remote from the Mediterranean. On the other hand, it does not follow that Etruscan must be related to a language or language fragment that can be found in the Mediterranean area.

What languages are written from right to left?

It is also about the layout of the website, especially with languages such as Arabic and Hebrew which are written from right to left or some Asian languages: the display has to be adapted accordingly. It is part of the translator’s job to meet these specific conditions for an efficient and successful.

What is literary translation?

For books, literary translations are about transmitting feelings, emotions and transcribing metaphors to make the fiction travel in an adapted yet accurate way. It is often hard to keep the writing style intact, which is another challenge translators have to deal with.

How to be a translator?

To turn translation challenges into opportunities and make efficient, accurate translations, translators should: 1 Not be literal: adapt the translation to transcribe accurately the meaning of the message and use the proper expressions 2 Know about the industry, its technical vocabulary, its procedures: specializing in specific industries, fields 3 Be able to do some research, as doubts can always occur 4 Have good communication skills: to transcribe a message without altering its purpose and keep its actual meaning

What is the purpose of translating a document?

For marketing documents, translators have to translate but also to adapt the message to the target market’s culture, society and lifestyle. For example, when translating a simple slogan, the sentence has to be adapted in another language where the rhymes won’t necessarily be the same if translated literally.

What is a dialect?

Dialects are specific forms of languages spoken in particular regions or social groups. The interesting aspect of these subsets is that within the same language, different populations can speak in a completely different way, with words that have diverse uses and sounds which are pronounced completely differently.

What is the cultural context of a country?

The cultural context of the country each language comes from has to be taken into account. In some cultures, people communicate very implicitly and you have to read between the lines, while in some others people are much more direct and explicit. This can also be a source of misunderstandings.

Can you transcribe a joke in a foreign language?

For example, a funny joke in one language can lose all its meaning when translated to another, so if you’re trying to transcribe a joke in a foreign language, your interlocutor might not actually get your sense of humour. This, especially within the business and marketing environments, can be potentially dangerous.

What is the challenge of translating?

Translation demands a deep understanding of both grammar and culture. Translators need to know the rules of a language as well as the habits of the people who speak it. And even for the most experienced professionals, confusion and frustration are familiar feelings. Some of the most common challenges of translation include:

What is missing name in translation?

Missing Names In Translation. A language may not have an exact match for a certain action or object that exists in another language. In American English, for instance, some homeowners have what they describe as a “guest room.”. It is simply a space where their invited guests can sleep for the night.

Should publishers limit idiomatic expressions?

Ideally, publishers should try to limit the number of idiomatic expressions contained in content they hope to translate. But if they insist on keeping these potentially confusing phrases, cultural familiarity must be a priority in translator recruitment.