Abstract   The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in The Economist in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.                       Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.                       The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.                       Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.   Keywords: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging       Abstract   The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in The Economist in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.                       Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.                       The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.                       Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.   Keywords: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging       Abstract   The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in The Economist in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.                       Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.                       The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.                       Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.   Keywords: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging       Abstract   The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in The Economist in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.                       Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.                       The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.                       Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.   Keywords: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in <em>The Economist</em> in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.</p><p>                      Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.</p><p>                      The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.</p><p>                      Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging      </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in <em>The Economist</em> in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.</p><p>                      Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.</p><p>                      The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.</p><p>                      Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging      </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in <em>The Economist</em> in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.</p><p>                      Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.</p><p>                      The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.</p><p>                      Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging      </p><p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The following essay is an analysis of the translation process from English into Swedish of four articles about the oceans of the world, printed in <em>The Economist</em> in December 2008. This publication claims to be using a language characterised by "clarity, style and precision", wherefore these concepts provide the focus for the analysis. "Clarity" was looked at in terms of metaphors, "style" in terms of quotes and allusions present in headlines, leads and subheadings and "precision" was studied in terms of hedging.</p><p>                      Metaphor is employed as a clarifying device in scientific discourse. The 36 occurring metaphors were classified as either 'dead', 'cliché', 'stock' or 'original'. Dead metaphors, 50% of all, turned out to be highly effective in scientific discourse and therefore the term 'fixed metaphors' would be preferred. The original metaphors used give evidence to the writer's literary ambitions. The translation strategy applied was in most cases literal translation.</p><p>                      The publication makes frequent use of quotes, allusions and aestheticizing devices in headlines, leads and subheadings. The origins of those stylistic elements are not always transparent and had to be identified. In case of existing recognized translations those were kept; when not available, original translations were attempted. Adopting the house-style by taking balance, metre, rhyme and alliteration into consideration during the translation process was time-consuming, indicating that a fully translated edition on a weekly basis is not feasible. Literal translation was rarely possible, instead equivalence was aimed at.</p><p>                      Hedging is a means for increased precision in scientific discourse. The main reason for using epistemic hedging with a proposition is face-saving, i.e. the writer avoids responsibility for the truth value of the proposition. 62% of the sentences were found to include at least one hedged instance. The instances of hedging of numerical data and quantifiers were almost equal to the number of hedges referring to the writer's personal stance. Literal translation was adequate for the translation process.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: translation strategies, scientific discourse, metaphors, stylistic devices, hedging      </p><p> </p>

Nuo žiniasklaidos pasirenkamos kalbinės raiškos priklauso jos vartotojų kalbinė raiška. Žurnalo kalbinės raiškos savitumą lemia taisyklingi ir netaisyklingi kalbos vienetai. Taisyklingos žurnalo stiliaus priemonės: 1) vediniai; 2) leksiniai sinonimai; 3) sintaksiniai sinonimai; 4) stiliaus figūros – leksinės semantinės, sintaksinės. Deminutyvai – stilistiškai žymėtieji darybiniai vediniai, turintys ne tik maloninį, bet pajuokiamąjį, pašiepiamąjį atspalvį. Populiariausia žurnalo deminutyvų priesaga – -ukas, (-ė). Dažniausiai vartojamos semantinės figūros – metaforos ir metonimijos. Taisyklingos kalbinės raiškos priemonės analizuojamos pragmatinės lingvistikos požiūriu. Netaisyklinga žurnalo kalbinė raiška: 1) barbarizmai – nevartotinos naujosios svetimybės; 2) barbarizmai – neteiktinos svetimybės ir jų dariniai; 3) daliniai barbarizmai – hibridai; 4) netaisyklingi naujadarai; 5) žargonybės. Žurnale daug slavų, anglų kilmės barbarizmų. Vakarų kalbų skoliniai plinta kartu su naujomis technologijomis, prekėmis, paslaugomis. Barbarizmai tiriami semantinės ir funkcinės analizės metodu, keičiami lietuvių kalboje tinkamais vartoti žodžiais. Svarbi žiniasklaidos vadovų nuostata, susijusi su jų pačių kalbos kultūra. / Linguistic expression used by the media influences the linguistic expression of its users. The peculiarities of the linguistic expression used by the media are determined by correct and incorrect units of the language. Correct stylistic means used in the magazine: 1) derivedes; 2) lexical synonyms; 3) syntactical synonyms; 4) stylistic devices – lexical semantic and syntactical. Diminutives – stylistically marked derivedes used to convey not only a degree of endearment but also irony and mockery. The most common suffix of diminutives in the magazine is -ukas, (-ė). The most commonly used semantic devices are metaphor and metonymy. The correct means of linguistic expression are analysed in terms of pragmatic linguistics. Incorrect linguistic expression used in the magazine: 1) barbarisms – unacceptable new loanwords; 2) barbarisms – non-recommended loanwords and their derivatives; 3) partial barbarisms – hybrid words; 4) incorrect neologisms; 5) slang. Barbarisms used in the magazine are mainly of Slavic and English origin. The borrowings from Western languages have spread together with the new technologies, products and services. Barbarisms are examined using the method of semantic and functional analysis and are replaced with appropriate Lithuanian words. The attitude of the media leaders towards their own language culture is also a significant factor.

The paper focuses on the analyses of stylistic peculiarities in newspaper headlines. It provides an overview of stylistics, functional styles (newspaper style in more detail), and features of headlines. Also stylistic devices are reviewed and classified. In the empirical part 150 headlines are analyzed while 56 of them are provided as illustrative examples and analyzed in greater detail. Stylistic devices found in the newspaper headlines are allocated to the group they belong to and where it is possible classification of a stylistic devices is provided. / Darbo paskirtis - stilistinių ypatybių analizė laikrščių antraštėse. Yra pateikiama teorinė medžiaga apie stilistiką, funkcinius stilius (laikraštinis stilius aptariamas smulkiau) ir antraščių savybės. Taip pat apžvelgtos stilistinės priemonės ir pateikta jų klasifikacija. Empirinėje dalyje yra išanalizuota 150 antraščių ir 56 pateiktos kaip pavyzdžiai ir išanalizuoti detaliau. Stilistinės priemonės rastos laikraščių antraštėse priskirtos grupei kuriai jos priklauso ir kur yra įmanoma, pateikiama stilistinės priemonės klasifikacija.

The principal objective of this study was to explore what rhetorical strategies and stylistic devices Presidents Dalia Grybauskaitė and Barack Obama use in their political speeches and how these devices help them to gain the audience’s attention and render the message. The speeches of the two Presidents Dalia Grybauskaitė and B. Obama were analyzed in order to highlight the patterns of the usage of rhetorical strategies and to investigate the stylistic devices which are aimed at making speech more emphatic, expressive and persuasive. The method chosen for the study was content analysis including generalization and evaluation of the results. The results of the research showed a significant contribution of stylistic means to persuade the listeners on an emotional level or even to manipulate them. The next step of the study must be conducted to determine stylistic means which can influence rhythmical feature of the speech. / Magistro darbo tikslas- išryškinti retorinių strategijų modelius, ištirti stilistines priemones, kurios yra naudojamos prezidentų Dalios Grybauskaitės ir Barako Obamos politinėse kalbose ir kaip jos padeda įgyti auditorijos palankumą, iškelti svarbias problemas ir kartu įtikinti visuomenę savo idėjomis emociškai manipuliuojant. Analizuojant kalbas buvo atliktos lyginamoji, turinio, diskurso, taip pat apibendrinimo ir vertinimo analizės. Gauti rezultatai patvirtina, kad prezidentai, siekdami savo tikslų per politinę retoriką, bando manipuliuoti auditorijos įsitikinimais ir taip paveikti visuomenės veiksmus. Kitas žingsnis turėtų būti atliekamas siekiant nustatyti tas stilistines priemones naudojamas kalbose, kurios turi įtakos kalbos ritmiškumui.

The study adopts a theory of Descriptive Translation Studies to undertake a comparative analysis of stylistic devices in Shakespeare’s two plays, Julius Caesar and Macbeth and their Xitsonga translations. It contextualises its research aim and objectives after outlining a sequential account of theory development in the discipline of translation; and arrives at the desired and suitable tools for data collection and analysis.Through textual observation and notes of reading, the current study argues that researchers and scholars in the discipline converge when it comes to a dire need for translation strategies, but diverge in their classification and particular application for convenience in translating and translation. This study maintains that the translation strategies should be grouped into explicitation, normalisation and simplification, where each is assigned specific translation procedures. The study demonstrates that explicitation and normalisation translation strategies are best suited in dealing with translation constraints at a microtextual level. The sampled excerpts from both plays were examined on the preference for the analytical framework based on subjective sameness within a Skopos theory. The current study acknowledges that there is no single way of translating a play from one culture to the other. It also acknowledges that there appears to be no way the translator can refrain from the influence of the source text, as an inherent cultural feature that makes it unique. With no sure way of managing stylistic devices as translation constraints, translation as a problem-solving process requires creativity, a demonstration of mastery of language and style of the author of the source text, as well as a power drive characterised by the aspects of interlingual psychological balance of power and knowledge power. These aspects will help the translator to manage whatever translation brief(s) better, and arrive at a product that is accessible, accurate and acceptable to the target readership. They will also ensure that the translator maintains a balance between the two languages in contact, in order to guard against domination of one language over the other. The current study concludes that the Skopos theory has a larger influence in dealing with anticipating the context of the target readership as a factor that can introduce high risk when assessing the communicability conditions for the translated message. Contrariwise, when dealing with stylistic devices and employ literal translation as a translation procedure to simplification, the translator only aims at simplifying the language and making it accessible for the sake of ‘accessibility’ as it remains a product with communicative inadequacies. The study also concludes by maintaining that translation is not only transcoding, but the activity that calls for the translator’s creativity in order to identify and analyse the constraints encountered and decide on the corresponding translation strategies. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

The study adopts a theory of Descriptive Translation Studies to undertake a comparative analysis of stylistic devices in Shakespeare’s two plays, Julius Caesar and Macbeth and their Xitsonga translations. It contextualises its research aim and objectives after outlining a sequential account of theory development in the discipline of translation; and arrives at the desired and suitable tools for data collection and analysis.Through textual observation and notes of reading, the current study argues that researchers and scholars in the discipline converge when it comes to a dire need for translation strategies, but diverge in their classification and particular application for convenience in translating and translation. This study maintains that the translation strategies should be grouped into explicitation, normalisation and simplification, where each is assigned specific translation procedures. The study demonstrates that explicitation and normalisation translation strategies are best suited in dealing with translation constraints at a microtextual level. The sampled excerpts from both plays were examined on the preference for the analytical framework based on subjective sameness within a Skopos theory. The current study acknowledges that there is no single way of translating a play from one culture to the other. It also acknowledges that there appears to be no way the translator can refrain from the influence of the source text, as an inherent cultural feature that makes it unique. With no sure way of managing stylistic devices as translation constraints, translation as a problem-solving process requires creativity, a demonstration of mastery of language and style of the author of the source text, as well as a power drive characterised by the aspects of interlingual psychological balance of power and knowledge power. These aspects will help the translator to manage whatever translation brief(s) better, and arrive at a product that is accessible, accurate and acceptable to the target readership. They will also ensure that the translator maintains a balance between the two languages in contact, in order to guard against domination of one language over the other. The current study concludes that the Skopos theory has a larger influence in dealing with anticipating the context of the target readership as a factor that can introduce high risk when assessing the communicability conditions for the translated message. Contrariwise, when dealing with stylistic devices and employ literal translation as a translation procedure to simplification, the translator only aims at simplifying the language and making it accessible for the sake of ‘accessibility’ as it remains a product with communicative inadequacies. The study also concludes by maintaining that translation is not only transcoding, but the activity that calls for the translator’s creativity in order to identify and analyse the constraints encountered and decide on the corresponding translation strategies. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Postkolonial teori har skiftat intresset från västerländska diskurser till frågor som ideologi, ojämlika maktförhållanden och etik. I samband med översättningsvetenskapens kulturella vändning på 1980-talet, började översättningsvetare ifrågasätta översättningsstrategier som antingen assimilerar (domesticering) eller stereotypiserar (exotisering) källkulturen. Newmark (1981) föreslår en semantisk, källtextorienterad översättningsprincip och menar att så länge den åstadkommer en likvärdig effekt, är en ordagrann översättning inte bara den föredragna, utan den enda godtagbara översättningsmetoden. Denna uppsats är en kommentar till min egen översättning av de första 17 kapitlen i romanen Welcome to Lagos, skriven av den nigerianska författaren Chibundu Onuzo. Källtexten har översatts med hjälp av en semantisk översättningsstrategi. Kommentaren fokuserar på tre aspekter som krävde särskild uppmärksamhet under översättningsarbetet, eftersom de utgör betydande utmaningar för semantiska överföringssätt: kulturspecifika begrepp, stilfigurer och talspråksmarkörer. I kommentaren framförs att den semantiska översättningsstrategin fungerade bra på den övergripande textnivån; även om specifika översättningsproblem ibland fick angripas med ett mer kommunikativt förhållningssätt för att åstadkomma en idiomatisk måltext med likvärdig effekt i målkulturen. / Postcolonial Studies shifted the interest from Western discourses to issues of ideology, power inequality, and ethics. As a consequence of the cultural turn in translation studies in the 1980s, scholars started questioning translation strategies that either assimilate (domestication) or stereotype (exoticization) the source culture. Proposing a semantic, source-text oriented translation principle, Newmark (1981) argues that as long as an equivalent effect can be achieved, literal translation is not just the preferred, but the only acceptable procedure. This paper comments on my own translation of the first 17 chapters of the novel Welcome to Lagos, written by Nigerian writer Chibundu Onuzo. The source text was translated using a semantic translation strategy. The commentary focuses on three key aspects that demanded particular attention during the translation process, due to the fact that they present significant challenges to semantic transfer methods: culture-specific items, stylistic devices, and spoken language markers. As the commentary suggests, the semantic translation strategy worked well on the global text level; occasionally, however, specific translation problems had to be dealt with using a more communicative approach in order to produce an idiomatic target text with an equivalent effect in the target culture.