Munday - Chapter Two | Take the Quiz

A detailed illustration of historical translation methods, featuring ancient texts, scholars like Cicero and St Jerome, and elements representing various languages and cultures.

Translation Theory Quiz

Test your knowledge of Western translation theory with our engaging quiz! Delve into the contributions of prominent figures like Cicero, St Jerome, and Martin Luther, and explore the complexities of translation methods and challenges.

11 thought-provoking questions
Multiple choice format
Ideal for students and enthusiasts of translation studies

11 Questions3 MinutesCreated by TranslatingWord97

1. In Western translation theory, what was the contribution of Cicero?

A. He consolidated the word-for-word translation method popular in Ancient Rome

B. He translated the speeches of Greek orators in a word-for-word fashion

C. He introduced the technique of creative imitation

D. He invented a translation method to help scholars read the original Greek

2. “I did not translate them as an interpreter, but as an orator”. In this statement made by Cicero, the interpreter refers to the --------- translator.

A. faithful

B. free

C. literal

D. semantic

3. In Western translation theory, what translation method did St Jerome say he was using?

A. He preferred word-for-word over sense-for-sense translation

B. He preferred sense-for-sense over word-for-word translation

C. He preferred word-for-word over sense-for-sense translation except in the translation of Greek orators

D. He preferred sense-for-sense over word-for-word translation except when translating the Septuagint

4. In Dao’an’s writing about the translation of the Buddhist sutras into Chinese, which of the following does he note as difficulties?

A. Flexibility of Sanskrit syntax

B. Phonological problems

C. Repetition in the source text

D. The special status of the source text

5. What was a key difficulty for the Arab translators of Greek scientific texts in the Abbĝsid period?

A. Changing the purpose of the text

B. To ascertain the truth of the source texts

C. To ensure stylistic consistency across translations

D. Whether to translate, borrow or explain technical terms

6. What was the importance of the translation method of Martin Luther?

A. He interspersed German with Latin and thereby raised the profile of German

B. He translated into a highly formal German and thereby helped to strengthen the German language

C. He translated into everyday German and thereby helped to strengthen the German language.

D. His approach was adopted by later German theorists such as Schleiermacher

7. Dryden proposed three methods of translation. Which corresponds best to literal or word-for-word translation?

A. Imitation

B. Metaphrase

C. Paraphrase

D. None of the above

8. Which of the following is the most important of Tytler’s ‘laws’ of translation?

A. Accuracy to the source text content

B. Naturalness of target language expression

C. Preservation of the author’s way of writing

D. None of the above

9. Only ONE of the following statements is TRUE. Which one?

A. Dolet recommends scrupulous imitation to keep the ease and spirit of the original.

B. Dryden’s description of translation is TL-reader oriented.

C. Tytler believes that translators should adopt the very soul of the author.

D. Tytler defines a good translation in author-oriented terms.

10. What was Schleiermacher’s preferred translation strategy?

A. To find a balance between writer and reader

B. To move the reader towards the writer

C. To valorize the foreign text

D. Naturalisation and domestication

11. Which British scholar does Munday accuse of devaluing and marginalizing translation and why?

A. Francis Newman - because he emphasized the foreignness of the work by a deliberately archaic translation

B. John Dryden - because he “endeavoured to make Virgil speak such English as he would himself have spoken, if he had been born in England”

C. Matthew Arnold – because he told people to put their faith in scholars

D. Tytler - because he tried to reduce translation to a series of laws

Munday - Chapter Two

Translation Theory Quiz

More Quizzes