Translation and Functional Communication Skills
The translation section tests equivalence, not word-for-word transfer. You must keep the meaning, the register and the natural word order of the target language.
Principles
- আক্ষৰিক অনুবাদ is acceptable only for technical terms; ভাৱানুবাদ is the default.
- Recast syntax: English Subject–Verb–Object becomes Assamese Subject–Object–Verb, and prepositions become postpositions (of → ৰ, in → ত, with → ৰ সৈতে).
- Keep register: 'you' addressed to a superior is আপুনি, never তই.
- Transfer idioms, do not translate them: to beat about the bush → ঘূৰাই পকাই কোৱা.
- English passives usually become Assamese impersonal actives with হোৱা: was done → কৰা হ'ল.
Worked example
Source: The meeting was postponed because of heavy rain, and the members were informed by letter. Draft: বৰ বৰষুণৰ বাবে সভাখন পিছুৱাই দিয়া হ'ল আৰু সদস্যসকলক চিঠিৰে জনোৱা হ'ল। Reasoning: (1) because of → ৰ বাবে; (2) both passives become হ'ল constructions, the idiomatic Assamese equivalent; (3) by letter is instrumental, hence চিঠিৰে, not চিঠিৰ দ্বাৰা; (4) the order follows the sequence of events in the source.
Functional communication
Notices, invitations and applications use set formulas: জনাই সুখী হ'ব, অনুৰোধ কৰা হৈছে, বিনীত. Learn these as whole units.
Traps
- Rendering every 'and' as আৰু where Assamese prefers a participle (কৰি, হৈ).
- Leaving English order intact: মই ভাল পাওঁ চাহ is wrong; write মই চাহ ভাল পাওঁ.
- Translating kinship terms literally; মামা is not 'uncle' in every context.