Diliçi Translation

Intralingual translation is the transfer of a text produced in one language into different manifestations of the same language. According to Roman Jakobson’s 1959 classification, this type of translation is defined as “the interpretation of verbal signs by means of other signs of the same language” or “rewording.” It involves replacing a sign with its synonyms, explanations, or more comprehensible expressions.

History

Intralingual translation has been used throughout human history as a method for transmitting texts to future generations. One of its most important examples in Western literature is the centuries-long process of rewriting the Bible. In Turkish literature, making works written in Ottoman Turkish comprehensible during the Republican era and afterward has become one of the core functions of intralingual translation. Particularly, the language simplification movements beginning in the Tanzimat period, the Language Revolution of the 20th century, and the translation of Ottoman Turkish novels into modern Turkish from the 2000s onward are prominent examples of this process.

Theoretical Framework

Jakobson’s approach distinguishes intralingual translation from interlingual translation. However, subsequent research has emphasized that intralingual translation is also a form of interpretation and recoding, and thus shares significant similarities with interlingual translation. Functional and descriptive translation theories evaluate intralingual translation within a cultural context, treating it not merely as a linguistic transfer but as an act that sustains cultural memory and adapts to social needs.

Place in Turkish Literature

In Turkish literature, intralingual translation is particularly evident in the transfer of texts written in Ottoman Turkish into contemporary Turkish. This process involves more than merely simplifying vocabulary; it also requires the restructuring of the text’s style, rhythm, context, and meaning. Thanks to intralingual translation practices, older texts have become accessible to new generations, ensuring the continuity of literary heritage. The linguistic rupture created by the Language Revolution during the Republican era rendered intralingual translation virtually necessary. Since the 2000s, publishing houses’ efforts to translate Ottoman Turkish works into modern Turkish represent contemporary examples of this practice.

Application Areas

• Updating historical texts: Translating works written in Ottoman Turkish into modern Turkish,
• Simplification: Making dense, complex, or high-register texts more comprehensible,
• Adapting local discourse: Converting texts containing dialectal or regional elements into standard language,
• Stylistic transformation: Reorganizing texts with rhythmic, artistic, or elaborate styles to suit different reader audiences.