By Transcription or Transliteration and Explication of Their Genuine Nationally Specific Meaning

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 1074.

In many a case the lingual form of a unit of nationally specific lexicon conveyed through transcription or transliteration can not provide a full expression of its lexical meaning. Then an additional explication of its sense becomes necessary. It happens when the unit/notion of the culturally biased lexicon is introduced in the target language for the first time or when it is not yet known to the broad public of the target lan­guage readers/listeners. The explanation may be given either in the translated passage/speech flow, where the culturally biased unit is used, or in a footnote - when a lengthy explication becomes necessary:

Downing Street is guarded outside by a single policeman. Резиденцію прем'єр-міністра Великої Британії охороняє один полісмен.

3. By Descriptive Explaining/Explication Only.For some reason or other the orthographic form of a consider­able number of sense units belonging to the nationally specific lexi­con of the source language can not be rendered into the target lan­guage. That happens mostly when the transcription/transliteration can not be helpful in expressing the sense of the culturally biased national unit, or when it might bring about an unnecessary ambiguity in the target language narration/text cf.: matron завгосп у навчальному закладі (суміщає економку і медсестру); Pilgrim Fathers Батьки-прочани - перші колоністи з Англії, що прибули 1620 року до Північної Америки на вітрильнику «Мейфлауер»; prorogation офіційне розпорядження монарха про відновлення/закінчення сесії парламенту Великої Британії; quartermaster старшина-стерновий у морській піхоті (and also квартирмейстер) в англ. армії.

4. By Translation of Componental Parts and Additional Explication of Units of the Nationally Biased Lexicon.The proper meaning of some specific units of the national lexi­con can be faithfully rendered by way of regular translation of all or some of their componental parts and explication of the denotative meaning pertaining to the source language unit. The combined ap­proach in the treatment of this group of specific national lexicon units is called forth by the complexity of meaning inherent in the source language units. It is also due to the inadequacy of componental trans­lation, which does not reveal the essentials that are absolutely indis­pensable for correct comprehension of the real meaning of the cultur­ally biased lexical units of the source language. Due to this the way of rendering the meanings of this kind of units practically involves two simultaneous performances. The first is a regular translation of the main, if not all, componental parts and the next, which follows it, is a more or less exhaustive explanation of the essence pertained to the specific national element of the source language. The extent of the explanation in the target language is first of all predetermined by the nature of the specific unit of national lexicon, by the purpose of translation, and also by some characteristic possi­bilities of the text in which the unit is used. When translating at lan­guage level (out of context) the explanation may be practically unre­stricted: Battle of Britain Битва за Англію (повітряні бої англійської авіації з гітлерівськими бомбардувальниками над територією Великої Британії, особливо в районі Лондона і Південної Англії 1940-1941pp.), collective membership тимчасове колективне членство в лейбористській партії (наприклад, на час виборів), профспілок, кооперативних товариств; члени цих організацій автоматично стають членами лейбористської партії), ginger ale, імбірний ель/імбірне ситро (безалкогольний газований напій), inner Cabinet «внутрішній кабінет» (кабінет у вузькому складі), до якого входять керівники найважливіших міністерств на чолі з прем'єр-міністром.

Such and the like explanations can not, naturally, be made in the text of a translation, hence they are given usually in the footnotes. When the lexical meaning of the unit of specific national lexi­con is not so complex it is usually explained in the target language text. The explanation then is not al­ways as exhaustive as it can be in a footnote, cf.: Keep your fingers crossed for me! (M.Wilson) Щоб мені була вдача, склади навхрест (хрестиком) пальці!

Though veneered by his thirty years in the Civil Service - he had worked his way from boy clerk to principal - Gill was human underneath. (A.Cronin) Пройшовши за тридцять років служби в державному апараті від розсильного до завідуючого відділом, Джіл у душі все ж залишався людиною. Левкові чи не вперше за своє парубкування стало чомусь тоскно. (М. Стельмах) It was probably for the first time in all his mature boyhood that Levko felt somewhat dull.

5. By Ways of Word-for-Word or Loan Translation.When the componental parts making up the units of the nation­ally specific lexicon are at the same time the main transparent bear­ers of their proper sence, expressed through their meaning, a faithful translation of such sense units may be achieved either by way of word-for-word translation or by way of loan translation. Each of these ways can be well exemplified in English and Ukrainian.

A. Translated word-for-word are the specific national units of lexi­con as first (second, third) reading перше (друге, третє) читання (офіційне внесення законопроекту в англійський парламент); sec­ondary grammar school (середня граматична школа); стінгазета wall newspaper; студентське наукове товариство Students' Sci­entific/Research Society; щоденник (учнівський) student's everyday record book, etc.

B. The denotative meaning of many units of the specific na­tional lexicon may be rendered by way of loan translating as well. Thus, from English: Salvation Army (USA, Gr.Britain) Армія порятунку; the Order of the Garter/of the Ва?/?орден Підв'зки/Лазні; the Order of St. Michael and St. George орден св.Михаїла і св.Георгія; fan club клуб прихильників/уболівальників (артиста, спортсмена тощо); from Ukrainian: орден Ярослава Мудрого the Order of Yaroslav the Wise/Yaroslav the Wise Order; орден св. княгині Ольги Київської the Order of St. Olga Princess of Kyivan Rus'.

Some of the above-given and other Ukrainian units of the kind may be translated into English either as asyndetic structures or as syndetic (prepositional) word-groups. The latter are absolutely predominant in conversational English, while the former are more common in written (or official) language: заслужений учитель/артист України the Honoured Teacher/Artist of Ukraine or Ukraine's Honoured Teacher/Artist; медаль «За трудову відзнаку» the medal for Labour Distinction or the Labour Distinction Medal. But: герой України Hero of Ukraine.

6. Translating by Means of Semantic Analogies.Despite the differences in economic, social, political, cultural and in many cases also geographical/environmental conditions, un­der which the nation of the source language and that of the target language lives and develops some peculiar notions in both the lan­guages may be identical or similar/analogous in their meaning and functioning. It happens due to the existence of common routine or habitual actions, common occupations, social services, food, etc., in these two contrasted language communities.

English: the City/Town Board of Education міський відділ освіти; pop corn кукурудзяні баранці; gingerbreadімбірний пряник, коврижка; shop-steward цеховий староста (голова профкому); stewed fruit узвар/компот; Welt done! Well done! (sports) Мо-лод-ці! Мо-лод-цi; come! come! Вгамуйся, заспокойся/ цить, цить, не плач. Ukrainian: залік preliminary/qualifying test/examina­tion; дипломна робота graduation essay/project; курсова робота term/yearly essay/project; доцент principal lecturer/reader, associ­ate professor; курси вдосконалення refresher course; підвищення кваліфікації in-service training course; кватирка hinged window pane/ pilot window; консультація tutorial.