TRANSLATION OF IDIOMATIC/PHRASEOLOGICAL EXPRESSIONS

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 725.

Idiomatic or phraseological expressions are structurally, lexi­cally and semantically fixed phrases or sentences having mostly the meaning, which is not made up by the sum of meanings of their com­ponent parts. An indispensable feature of idiomatic (phraseological) expressions is their figurative, i.e. metaphorical nature and usage. It is this nature that makes them distinguishable from structurally identical free combinations of word. For example: play with fire гратися з вогнем біля багаття (free word-comb.), гратися з вогнем - наражатися на небезпеку (idiom).

There are the following ways of faithful rendering the idiomatic/phraseological expressions:

1. By Choosing Absolute/Complete Equivalents

This is the method of translating by which every componential part of the source language idiom is retained in the target language unchanged. The componential parts include all notionals and functionals which contribute to the lexical meaning of the idiomatic/phraseological expression.

Translating with the help of equivalents is resorted to when dealing with idioms which originate from the same source in both languages. These sources may be:

1) Greek or other mythology: Augean stables авгієві стайні (занедбане, занехаяне місце); labour of Sisyphus сізіфова праця (важка і марна праця); Pandora's box скринька Пандори (джерело всіляких лих); the Trojan horse троянський кінь (прихована небезпека);

2) ancient history or literature: to cross (pass) the Rubicon перейти Рубікон (прийняти важливе рішення); the die is thrown/cast жеребок кинуто (рішення прийнято);

3) the Bible or works based on a biblical plot: to cast the first stone at one першим кинути у когось каменем; a lost sheep заблудла вівця.