The theoretical and methodological aspects of translation

Lecture1

The theoretical and methodological aspects of translation

1. Translation as a notion and subject. Interpretation. 2. The object of translation theory, the problems which the translation… 3. Interrelation with other disciplines.

Translation as a notion and subject. Interpretation.

Translation as a term and notion is of polysemantic nature. The first common and most general meaning is associated with the action or process of… No less ambiguous is also the term “interpretation” which is synonymous to… There are some other terms in the theory of translation. These terms are: faithful translation, faithfulness of…

The object of translation theory, the problems which the translatology studies.

The science of translation is concerning both with theoretical and applied aspects of translation. Theoretical research is to discover what… The theory of translation provides the translator with the appropriate tools… The translatology studies the problems:

Interrelation with other disciplines.

Many aspects of translation have been covered by other disciplines, such as: linguistics, the study of literature, sociology, philosophy (especially it is concerned with methodological aspects of translation. The question on interrelation of philosophy and translation was developed by G. Gachecheladze). Of course translatology is related to history, to history of translation, psychology, exact sciences (mathematics, theory of information, cybernetics).

 

Stages of translation process.

-understanding (1); -verbalization (2). 4.1. The translator understands the content of ST, first reading the passage selected for translation, and analyzing…

Types of translation.

Literary translation deals with fiction or poetry whose main function is to make an emotional and aesthetic effect upon the reader, which should be… Informative translation is rendering non-literary text the main purpose of… - Scientific and technical texts;

Pragmatic adaptation.

A great role is played by difference in customs and living conditions. It stands to reason that the natives of a tropical island can hardly be…

Linguistic and extralinguistic aspects.

Basically, replacement of ST by TT of the same communicative value is possible because both texts are in human speech governed by the same rules and… Communication is made possible through a logical interpretation by the users… Extralinguistic factors also include the conditions of translator’s work, the recipient for whom is the translation…

Context.

The linguistic context is made up by the other SL units. It can be microcontext – involving a phrase, macrocontext - sentence or passage,… The situational context includes the temporal, special and other circumstance… It is, only by assessing the meaning of SL units in ST against the linguistic and situational context that the…

The earliest mentions of translation, the translation development during ancient times until 500AD.

Interpreters and translators of the Persian and Indian languages are known to have been employed in Europe in the 4th century by Alexander the Great… The history of European translation, however, is known to have started as far… The next best known translation of the Old Testament into Greek was performed this time sense-to-sense (200 BC).…

Translation and interpretation during the Middle Ages.

The first approach of word-for-word translation was practiced in the Toledo school in Central Spain (12-13th AD). Among the works translated there…  

Translation during the Renaissance period.

Certainly the greatest achievement of the Renaissance period was the translation of the Bible into several West European national languages. The…

Translation during the period of classicism and Enlightenment.

1) the word-for-word translation of ecclesiastic and philosophic works. The basic principles were undermined by Luther’s and Tyndale’s translations… 2) free translation introduced by Horace and Apuleius, which had strongly… 3) the Cicero’s principles of regular sense-to-sense translation without reductions or additions to the works.

The Kyiv Mohyla Academy and revival of translation activities in Ukraine.

The first decades of the 18th century were marked by unbearable terror imposed on the Ukrainian people by Peter I. With the enthroning of Catherine… The first parts ofI. Kotlyarevskyi’sfree adaptation of Virgil’s Aeneid in 1797… Much more successful were free interpretations of P. Hulak-Artemovskyi“The Landlord and His Dog” (1818).

Lecture 3

Lexicological aspects of translation.

Methods and ways of translating various proper names.

 

1. Rules and methods of Romanization of different Ukrainian proper nouns.

2. The main rules of conveying English sounds in Ukrainian translations of proper names.

3. Conveying the names of companies, corporations, firms, publishing houses, news agencies, newspapers, journals, magazines, streets, squares, public bodies; political parties, trade unions, names of theatres, cinemas, hotels.

Literature used and recommended

1. Aжнюк Б.М. Українські власні назви (антропоніми й топоніми) в англійському написанні. Мовознавство, 1993. - № 1.

2. Карабан В.І. Посібник –довідник з перекладу англійської наукової і технічної літератури на українську мову. Ч. І. І-ІІ. – К. : Політична думка, 1997, 1999.

3. Корунець І.В. Теорія і практика перекладу. –К.: Нова книга, 20011. – 446 с.

4. Корунець І.В. Принципи і способи передачі українських назв англійською мовою. // Мовознавство. -1993. - № 3.

5. Редько Ю.К. Довідник українських прізвищ / За ред. І.В. Марченка. К., 1969.

 

Methods and ways of translating various proper names.

Rules and methods of Romanization of different Ukrainian proper nouns.

  Ukrainian Romanization Ukrainian Romanization 1. Aa Aa 18. Нн Nn

The main rules of conveying English sounds in Ukrainian translation of proper names.

[٨] - a, y, o. Ulrica- Алріка, Улріка; Ulster- Ольстер, Doug- Даг. [u:] [ju]-. у,ю. Cooper- Купер, Judy-Джуді, Muriel-М’юріель, Ouse-р.Уз,… [ð] - is substituted for т, д, з: Caruthers-Карудерс, Карузерс, Brothers- Бразерс, Carmarthenshire-…

Lecture 4

Units of international lexicon and ways of rendering their meaning and lingual form.

1. Identification of international lexicon units.

2. Ways of conveying the lexical meaning of genuine internationalisms. Pseudo-internationalisms.

3. Translating of loan internationalisms.

 

Literature used and recommended

1. Акуленко В.В. "Англо- русский словарь ложных друзей переводчика".

2. Граур А. Научно-техническая революция и задачи интернационализации научно-технической терминологии. Интернациональные элементы в лексике и терминологии. - Харьков: Высшая школа, Изд-во при Харьковском ин-те, 1980.

3. Карабан В. І. Посібник- довідник з перекладу англійської наукової і технічної літератури на українську мову. Частина І-ІІ. - К.: Політична думка, 1997, 1999. − с.150-155.

4. Карабан В.І.Translation from Ukrainian into English.- B.: Nova Knyha, 2003.-606 c. − c.47-70.

5. Корунець І. В. Теорія і практика перекладу. − В.: Нова книга, 2001.− 446 с.

6. Povey J., Walshe I. An English Teacher's Handbook of Educational Terms. 2nd Rev. Ed. - M.: Vyssaja Skola, 1982.

 

Identification of international lexicon units.

International may be not only words and phrases, but also morphemes-prefixes, suffixes and even inflexions. The most occurring affixes in English… 1. prefixes: anti-/анти-, ех-/екс-, inter-/iнтep-, trans-транc-, ultra-/… 2. suffixes: -ar/-ap, -er/-ep, -ist/-ист, -іст; -ssion/-ciя, -tion/- ція, etc as in actor - актор, volunteer -…

Ways of conveying the lexical meaning of genuine internationalisms.

2.1. Literal translating of genuine internationalisms. - letter-to-letter translation, but a letter may be dropped or added іn the TL (dentist,… 2.2. Translating via transcribing (conveying the sounding structure). This kind of translating provides the rendition of the lexical meaning of a lot of internationalisms originating from…

Translating of loan internationalisms.

International loan units can be rendered into Ukrainian in one of the three ways:

- by direct translation of the componental parts without changing considerably their structural form: coefficient of efficiency - коефіцієнт корисної дії, compound nominal predicate - складений іменниковий присудок.

- with the help of componental translation and some replacements, omissions or substitutions arising from the national peculiarities of the TL: foreign trade - зовнішня торгівля (не іноземна), living standard - життєвий рівень (не стандарт).

- with the help of descriptive translation: digital computer - цифрова обчислювальна машина, pluralia tantum - іменники, що вживаються тільки в множині.

Lecture 5

Units of nationally biased lexicon and ways of their translation

 

1. Units of nationally biased lexicon.

2. Ways of rendering the meaning of nationally biased units of lexicon:

a) by transcription or transliteration exclusively;

b) by transcription or transliteration and explication;

c) by descriptive explaining (explication only);

d) by translation of componental parts and additional explication of units of the nationally biased lexicon;

e) by ways of word-for-word or loan translation;

f) translating by means of semantic analogies.

Literature used and recommended

2. Зорівчак Р.П. Фразеологічна одиниця як перекладознавча категорія. - Львів: Вища школа, Вид-во при Харків. ун-ті, 1983. 3. Карабан В. І. Переклад англійської наукової і технічної літератури-Ч. ІІ. -… 4. Карабан В.І. Translation from Ukrainian into English. – В.: Нова книга, 2003. –607 с.

Units of nationally biased lexicon and ways of their translation

Each nation in the course of its historical development acquires a great number of features characteristic of the nation only and not pertained to… - religious traditions expressed through proper names (Івана Купала, Ireland’s… - elements in governmental, election systems, monetary system (penny, dollar, hryvnia)

Ways of rendering the meaning of nationally biased units of lexicon.

2.1. By transcription or transliteration exclusively. The units, whose meanings are rendered at the phonological level, usually belong to genuine… Нові тарифи на рекламу в гривнях за слово в газеті "Київ Пост". Andrew put out some bottled beer and asked to prepare sandwiches –

Lecture 6

Translation of idiomatic / phraseological and

Stable expressions.

1. Idiomatic or phraseological expressions, stable (set) expressions.

2. The ways of faithful rendering the idiomatic / phraseological expressions.

3. Transformation of some idioms in the process of translating.

 

Literature used and recommended

2. Зорівчак Р.П. Фоазеологічна одиниця як перекладознавча категорія. – Львів: Вища школа, вид.- во при Харків. ун-ті, 1983. 3. Карабан В. І. Посібник - довідник з перекладу англійської наукової і… 4. Карабан В.І., Борисова О.В. Попередження інтерференції мови оригіналу в перекладі, В.: Нова книга, 2003.

Transformation of some idioms in the process of translating.

There must be acknowledged at least 2 main levels of translating the national idioms: 1) the level of the interlinear rendering, i. e., sense-to-sense translation… 2) the literary /artistic level, which not only the sense but also the expressiveness, the vividness and the…

Lecture 7

Ways and means of expressing modality

In English and Ukrainian

1. The lexico – grammatical expression of modality through modal verbs.

2.English modal verbs having not always modal verb equivalents in Ukrainian.

3. Ways of conveying the meaning of subjective modality.

4.Grammatical modality and means of expressing it. Optative, incentive, subjunctive modality.

Literature used and recommended

1. Карабан В.І. Translation from Ukrainian into English. – В.: Нова книга, 2003. –607 с.

2. Комиссаров В.Н. Теория перевода - М.: Высшая школа, 1990.

3. Корунець І.В. Теорія і практика перекладу. - К.: Нова, 2001 - 446 с.

4. Федоров А.В. Основы общей теории перевода. - М.: Высшая школа, 1983.

5. Швейцар А.Д. Теория перевода. -М.: Наука, 1988.

6. Gentzles E. Contemporary Translation Theories. - London and New York. Rout

ledge, 1993.

Ways and means of expressing modality in English and Ukrainian.

Modality as an extralingual category expressing the relation of content to reality has common in both 1anguages means of realization:

phonological means (stress and intonation). They have an identical realization in both 1anguages, though in Ukrainian modal particles (аж, хоч, би, і, -но, -то, саме, таки) and modal adverbs (авжеж, адже, певне, все ж, мов, ніби) are mostly preferred here. Jane is sure to be at the party - неодмінно, обов'язково, напевно-таки, напевно ж.

lexico-grammatical means (modal verbs)

lexical means (modal words and expressions) conveying subjective modality;

grammatical means (mood forms of the verb) conveying grammatical modality.

 

The lexico-grammatical expression of modality through modal verbs.

1.1. Can / could. Can / could expressing physical or mental ability is translated with the help… Не could hardly take his eyes off her - Нe міг очей відірвати від неї.

Must expresses strong obligation, duty, necessity -

a) мусити (weaker meanings повинен, треба, sometimes we resort to the обов'язково повинен, треба). And you must tell your father for me. The translator may suggest 3 possible equivalents:

1) І ти мусиш сказати це за мене батькові (duty, obligation)

2) І ти повинна (necessity)

3) І тобі треба (presumptive obligation)

b) When expressing assumption must may have a contextually fitting translation. - That fellow must be made of steel. He's never tired. – Той хлопець певне / як залізний. Він ніколи не втомлюється.

What must you have thought of me? - Що ти міг тільки подумати про мене?

Come, you must see. - Ходіть-но, подивіться.

c) Must used with the perfect infinitive is rendered with the help of можливо, очевидно, мабуть, напевно, певно: They must have known. - Вони ,певне, знали.

Have to

have to - corresponds to the verb мати. I have to tell you smth. - Я маю вам щось сказати.

Have to may become close to повинен, мусити, треба, потрібно, необхідно.

In some context the meaning of have to may be very close to must -мусити, повинен. I have to leave you here - Я змушений / повинен покинути тебе тут.

То be (to)

When expressing inevitability of some action or event - мати. If the thing was to happen it was to happen in this way. - Якщо вже це мало скоїтись,… То be (to) may express треба. It was to be expected happen in this way. -… When expressing possibility, to be (to) is translated as можна, мати, можливо: There is a good training to be had…

Need

Need is known to have 2 forms of realization, that of a defective verb and a regular verb with modal meaning. The double nature of need does not influence in any way its translation of треба, потрібно, необхідно. That needs a bit of thinking - Над цим треба ще трохи подумати.

Semantic transformations are observed when rendering resolute / negative advice or indignation. Why need we defend it? - Навіщо / чого це нам захищати це?

Need - бути повинним / мусити. Well, nobody needs know about it - Але ніхто не повинен знати про це.

Dare

a) Dare like verb need may function as a modal verb and as a regular finite verb. The translation remains the same - сміти, наважуватися, насмілюватися. She daren't come here when I was alone. - Вона не насмілювалася / сміла заходити сюди, коли я був сам.

b) In colloquial English the verb dare is used often in dare say / daresay. - вважаю, допускаю, смію сказати, не без того, щоб. І dare say - Наважусь стверджувати, що.

 

English modal verbs having not always modal verb equivalents in Ukrainian.

These modal verbs are: shall, will, would and partly should.

Shall

through the verb хотіти, or through the logical stress: Shall I tell you? - Розповісти вам ?(Хочете, щоб я розповів вам?)

expressing warning, threat or resolute demand through the imperative verb form. I shall want your account of how this happened. - Вимагаю звіту про те, як ви таке допустили.

In other cases the meaning of shall may coincide with that of the modal verb dare.

Will may coincide with would

Will expressing volition, demand, assurance through the corresponding verb and logical stress. "I will be another kind of president " - "Я буду/ обіцяю бути зовсім іншим президентом."

Will as assurance and promise - обіцяю

Determination, perseverance or promising threat - future tense.

I will prosecute you myself - Я сам вас судитиму

Polite request. When would / will you like to come over? - Коли б ви хотіли зайти?

Supposition - Ukrainian modal verb or by means of the subjunctive mood. This will be the place where they reposed - Це, напевне , і є те місце, де вони перепочивали.

Resistance to an action referring to the present or to the future, which is observed only in English. Help him. The door will not unlock. - Допоможіть, двері ніяк не відмикаються.

Preference choice and other meanings as in the set expressions – I’d rather / I’d sooner - by the subjunctive mood forms and краще, ліпше. Mother said she would much rather watch him fish and not try to fish herself. Мати сказала, що вона радніше спостерігала б, як він вудить , ніж самій вудити.

Will, would are used in many set expressions: You’ d make a saint swear - Ти навіть святого виведеш / вивів би з рівноваги.

Should

Should as a modal verb is often used in reference to present and to future.

Obligation, necessity. What do you think he should do?

Regret, sorrow, grief. I shouldn't have said that.

Advice, recommendation, admonition.

Supposition, suggestion. Perhaps I should introduce... - Може,б мені представити... Мабуть, представлю … Може, бодай представити...

Surprise, indignation or pleasure (with the indefinite or perfect infinitive following the verb should) God forbid that I should ever say a good word for you. - Боронь Боже мені сказати хоч одне добре слово за тебе.

Reproval, protest, disappointment - Треба, слід, потрібно.

 

Ways of conveying the meaning of subjective modality.

The speaker conveying the event or action mentioned as assumptive or suggestive, as likely or unlikely to take place. That is why this type of modality is referred to as “subjective modality”.

Modals which have a hypothetical meaning: perhaps, maybe, evidently, scarcely, no possibility – певно, напевно, десь-то, навряд, справді.

Subjective evaluation by the speaker. Modals: certainly, of course, surely, definitely, indeed, naturally, no doubt, in fact. Surely he is mad - Він і справді з глузду з’їхав.

 

Grammatical modality and mean of expressing it.

Mean of expression in English and Ukrainian of optative (wishful), incentive, subjunctive modality. Way of expressing the meaning of optative modality. (бажальна) The main ways and means are syntactic: sentence structures, the use of auxiliary and modal verbs (to be, should,…

Lecture 8

Transformations in the process of translation.

1. Translator’s transformations. Inner / implicit and outer / explicit transformations.

2. Lexical, grammatical and lexico-grammatical transformations in the process of translation.

3. Objectively and subjectively conditioned transformations of lexical units in the process of translation. Translation of stylistically neutral lexis; stylistically evaluative lexis; culturally biased national specific units of lexicon.

 

Literature used and recommended

1. Бідасюк Н. В., Бондар Р. В. Практикум перекладу. – В.: Нова книга, 2003. –431 с.

2. Інтерпретація тексту і переклад. Методичні вказівки. Вид. 2-ге, випр. / О. В. Ємець. – Хмельницький: ХНУ, 2008. – 38 с.

3. Карабан В.І. Translation from Ukrainian into English. – В.: Нова книга, 2003. –607 с.

4. Корунець І.В. Теорія і практика перекладу. -К.:Нова книга, 2001. – 446 с.

6. Ноеу Michael. Patterns of Lexis in Text. - Oxford: Ox. University Press. 1991

7. Nida E. Componential Analysis of Meaning. – The Hague -Paris: Moton , 1975.

 

Transformations in the process of translation.

1) Most of genuine internationalisms, some idiomatic expressions, culturally biased notions: gentleman -джентльмен, finita la commedia - ділу… 2) Many of loan internationalisms, which have in the TL the same meaning,… 3) almost all proper nouns of various subclasses: Floy – Флой, Newton -Ньютон, Ohio – Огайо, General Motors Corp. But…

Lexical, grammatical, lexico-grammatical transformations in the process of translation.

There may be three types of transformations resorted to in the process of translation:

l) objectively required by the peculiarities of the TL, i.e., inevitable or they are called grammatical;

2) subjectively introduced at the translator's own will and therefore not always unavoidable, or lexical transformations;

3) a mixed type of lexico-grammatical. All of them require structural/outer alterations. Moreover, each of them may be realized both on syntactic as well as on the lexical level units.

Grammatical transformation.

I wanted to have done it myself. -Я хотів це зробити сам, але не зробив. The perfect infinitive expresses unaccomplished action; as there are no… Very often the part of speech changes in translation, it is called substitution or conversion. It's often used because…

Lexical transformations.

The choice of a more specific word in translation that gives a more detailed description of the idea is a common case in English-Ukrainian… The opposite procedure is the use of more general equivalent… A young man of 6 feet 2 inches - Молодий чоловік вище середнього зросту

Lexico-grammatical transformations.

a) When in the TL there is no direct equivalent for the sense unit of the SL( in shirt sleeves - без рукавів.) b) The sentence with words till, until, unless +not are rendered by… c) When the sense unit of the SL has two negations which create an affirmation (She was by no means no elegant - Вона…

Objectively and subjectively conditioned transformations of lexical units in the process of translation.

a) stylistically neutral lexis; b) stylistically evaluative lexis; c) culturally biased national specific units of lexicon.