The process of musical translation : composing a Maltese festa band march from Libyan ma’luf music

Abstract

Current studies in language translation call attention to the fact that “the translation product per se only constitutes a mere surface manifestation of an entire dynamic array of conscious and unconscious mental processes that occur during the act of translation” (Garcia Alvarez 2007:139). In line with this, Holmes advocates further research into what happens in the translator’s mind “as he creates a new, more or less matching text in another language” (2000:177). One assumes that what occurs in the translator’s mind in the course of translation is very much dependent on factors that go beyond sheer competence; among these, one might mention the translator’s experience, his or her assimilation of and interaction with the “source” and “target” languages, and any other cultural insights that would definitely serve as the basis for an accurate translation. All this may lead translators, among others, to adopt particular approaches and modes of thinking that they feel are more appropriate to the task at hand, while avoiding others.