Translation transcription. Study of translation transformations when translating a literary text
Transcription implies the maximum phonetic reconstruction of the original foreign language, using graphic means of the translating language. Since the phonetic and graphic systems of languages differ from each other, due to the absence of letters in the target language that are similar to the sound in the foreign language, combinations of letters are used that give the desired sound.
Thus, the Russian “zh” is transmitted in English through the combination “zh”, “x” through “kh”, “ш” through “shch” and so on.
Sometimes whether or not to use transcription may depend on the reader. It is necessary to consider whether he is familiar with the realities of a foreign language. The translator must ensure that the text is understood by the reader. So, for example, in a translated article about football published in a youth magazine, the concept of “fan” (from the English “fan”) will not cause misunderstandings. But if the translation of this article is intended for publication in a magazine, the readers of which may include people of retirement age, then the translator should think about the appropriateness of the transcription and consider other translation techniques (for example, replacing it with the more neutral concept of “fan” ").
One of the important reasons for using transcription is brevity.
But as we have repeatedly said, you need to know when to stop everything. An abundance of transcription can lead to an overload of the text with realities, which may not bring the reader closer to the original, but distance him from it.
Also, when using transcription, you should always remember about homonymy, words that are similar in sound, since they can remind the reader of funny-sounding or obscene words in their native language. Often this factor forces the translator to abandon the use of transcription.
Transliteration involves writing a foreign word in such a way that the letters of the foreign language are replaced by the letters of the native language. When transliterating, the word is read according to the rules of reading the native language.
The main method at the moment is considered to be a combination of transcription and transliteration. Since the phonetic and graphic systems of languages differ significantly from each other, the transfer of the form of a word in the target language is always somewhat conditional and approximate.
Tracing .
This is a method of borrowing in which the associative meaning and structural model of a word or phrase are borrowed. Calques are borrowings in the form of a literal translation of a foreign word or expression, i.e., exact reproduction of it by means
the host language while maintaining the morphological structure and motivation. When tracing, the components of a borrowed word or phrase are translated separately and combined according to the model of a foreign word or phrase. Russian noun“suicide” is a calque of the Latin suicide (sui – `oneself, cide – `murder); The English noun self-service, borrowed into the Russian language by tracing, has the form `self-service`.
The so-called semi-calques are funny, when one of the roots of a two-root foreign word is traced, and the other is transcribed. According to the rules, a traffic light should have been called either phosphorus (transcription) or light-bearer (full tracing), and television should have been called either television (as in Polish) or far-sightedness (as in German - Fernsehen). It is interesting that in the word TV there was no tracing.
Concretization is called converting the meaning of a word into foreign language translating language from broad to more condensed.
: Dinny waited in a corridor which smelled of disinfectant. Dinny waited in the corridor, which smelled of carbolic acid. Was not at the ceremony. He attended the ceremony.
Generalization. The opposite of concretization. Converting the meaning of words from narrow to broad.
Don't visit me almost every week-end. He comes to see me almost every week. Using a word with more general meaning eliminates the need for the translator to clarify whether the author means Saturday or Sunday when speaking about the “weekend.”
Modulation or semantic development is the replacement of a word or phrase in a foreign language with a word from the target language, the meaning of which is logically derived from the meaning of the original unit.
Quite often, the meanings of related words in the original and translation turn out to be connected by cause-and-effect relationships: I don't blame them. - I understand them. (The cause is replaced by the effect: I don't blame them because I understand them). He's dead now . - He died. (He died, therefore he is now dead.) Not always made you say everything twice. - He always asked again. (You were forced to repeat what you said because he asked you again.)
Transposition is used when it is necessary to change words in places during translation. This technique can only be used with words that can be moved. This technique is often used due to the different structure of sentences in English and Russian. As a rule, in English, a sentence begins with a noun, followed by a verb, and the adverb often comes at the end.
The Russian system is different: usually at the beginning of the sentence there are minor members, then the verb and at the end the subject. The translator needs to take this into account. This phenomenon has a name, “communicative division of a sentence.”
Antonomic translation involves, in the process of translation, replacing the lexical unit of the original with the opposite one, while maintaining the essence of the content.
Don't stop moving! (English) - Keep moving!
We had no end of good time. - We had a great time.
But we must keep in mind that not every antonym with negation when translated can reflect the true essence of the original. It is impossible, for example, to paraphrase the sentences in this way: I opened the door (I did not close the door), he laughed (he did not cry). It should also be remembered that antonyms can replace each other only when included in a larger speech unit. The single word “danger” cannot be translated into “safety” or “darkness” into “light.”
Another trick is compensation. It is used to achieve translation equivalence. A technique is used when certain lexical elements do not have a corresponding equivalent in the target language. In this case, the translator can compensate for this with another word that is semantically appropriate.
This technique is considered one of the most difficult and requires great skill from the translator.
Holistic transformation. This technique implies a transformation of both the lexical unit and the entire sentence. An equivalent transformation of the phrase is carried out, while preserving the semantic idea.
Accepted options in English: Watch the doors, please. Keep clear of the doors.
However, compared to the method of semantic development, holistic transformation has greater autonomy. Its main feature is that the synthesis of meaning occurs without a direct connection with analysis, the semantic connection between elements may not be traced, the most important thing is the equivalence of the content plan: How do you do? - Hello!; Here you are! - Here!; Well done! - Bravo!; Help yourself - Help yourself!; Hear, hear - Correct!
Explication or descriptive translation. This is a transformation in which a word can be replaced by a phrase that gives a more detailed definition of the original in the target language. Using this technique, you can give a clearer explanation to a word for which there is no equivalent in the target language. conservationist - supporter of environmental protection; whistle-stop speech – speeches made by a candidate during an election campaign trip. But this technique has a drawback - it is voluminous and verbose.
Car owners from the midway towns ran a shuttle service for parents visiting the children injured in the accident. “Car owners from towns between these two points continually brought and dropped off parents who visited their children injured in the crash.
The cinematography carries commercial functions, and the title is advertising. Therefore, the name undergoes various transformations so that it becomes bright and attracts as much attention as possible from the domestic viewer. For example, if the film Hitch had been translated as simply “Hitch” rather than “The Hitch Rules”, it would not have been as promising for a potential viewer.
example
Alice promised to help
Olga Alexandrovna, I just can’t paraphrase this passage. I looked at a bunch of sites on the Internet, all in the same style, and didn’t find any simplified formulations. I really need your help!
A.S. Zhuravleva
National Research Irkutsk State Technical University
“In order to correctly write foreign names in Russian, it is necessary to know the relevant rules and principles,” it is difficult not to agree with this statement given in the reference book by R. S. Gilyarevsky and B. A. Starostin “Foreign names and titles in Russian text " Ignorance of these rules leads to severe distortion of names, especially Japanese and Chinese. But not only. Let's imagine that a certain journalist wrote that he interviewed the Dane Schaap, the Spaniard Juan, the Scotsman Sean, the American Stephen, the Chinese Xiong... And if these people became famous for something, then all these Seans and Xiongi. We call Nobel Prize winner Yang Renning only Yang; the French physicist Paul Villard, who discovered gamma rays in 1900, is often called Villard (fortunately, no one calls the chemist Victor Grignard Grignard). The examples can be continued.
The peculiarity of names and titles, unlike many borrowed foreign words, is that when they are translated into another language, they basically retain their original sound appearance. To convey proper names, the sound shell becomes of paramount importance. In fact, the Danish name Schaap should sound like Skop, the Spanish Juan - like Juan, the Scottish Sean - like Sean, the English Stephen - like Stephen, the Chinese Xiong - like Xiong. How to achieve correct spelling?
In order to ensure the preservation of the original soundographic shell of the borrowed own name In a written language, three methods are possible: transcription, transliteration and direct inclusion of a foreign name in the text while preserving its graphics.
There are many ways to translate a lexical unit of the original text, especially if this unit does not have equivalents in the target language. The most interesting methods used by the translator in this case are transcription and transliteration.
So what are transcription and transliteration?
Transcription is the reproduction of the sound of a foreign word, and transliteration is the reproduction of the letter composition of a foreign word in the target language. In translation, a certain symbiosis of transcription and transliteration is most common.
Due to the fact that the phonetic and graphic structures of different languages are very different from each other, the process of transliteration and transcription of a language unit is very conditional.
During transliteration, the graphic form (letter composition) of a foreign language word is transmitted by means of the TL, and during transcription, its sound form is transmitted. These methods are used when transmitting foreign-language proper names, geographical names and names of various kinds of companies, firms, ships, newspapers, magazines, etc. They are widely used when transmitting realities; it is especially common in socio-political literature and journalism, both translated and original, but describing life and events abroad (for example, in newspaper correspondence). Thus, on the pages of our press, the following transcriptions of English words and phrases that have no equivalents in Russian vocabulary have recently begun to appear: tribalism - tribalism, brain drain - brain drain, public school - public school, drive-in - drive-in, teach-in - tech-in, drugstore - drugstore, know-how - know-how, impeachment - impeachment, etc. In English socio-political literature you can find such transliterations of Russian realities as agitprop, sovkhoz, technicum, etc.
The leading method in modern translation practice is transcription while preserving some elements of transliteration. For each pair of languages, rules for transmitting the sound composition of a foreign language word are developed, cases of preservation of transliteration elements and traditional exceptions to the currently accepted rules are indicated. In English-Russian translations, the most frequently encountered transliteration elements during transcription are mainly the transliteration of some unpronounceable consonants and reduced vowels (Dorset ["dasit] - Dorset, Campbell ["kaerabalj - Campbell), the transfer of double consonants between vowels and at the end words after vowels (Bonners Ferry, boss) and preserving some of the spelling features of the word, which make it possible to bring the sound of the word in translation closer to already known examples (Hercules missile, deescalation, Columbia). Traditional exceptions concern mainly customary translations of the names of historical figures and some geographical names (Charles I - Charles I, William III - William III, Edinborough - Edinburgh).
The application of transcription to the translation of names found in the text requires a preliminary cultural analysis of possible traditional forms of a given name that have already been established in the world or translating culture and require reproduction exactly in the form in which they exist. For example, the English king James I Stewart was traditionally called Jacob 1 Stewart in Russian texts; recently, the form Jacob 1 has been found in a number of publications. When translating Russian royal and princely names, there are also discrepancies: for example, Ivan the Terrible is found in two forms: Ivan the Terrible and John the Terrible.
The rule of applying translation transcription or transliteration to names that exists in translation practice often turns out to be insufficient if a proper name is burdened with a symbolic function, that is, it becomes a name unique object, or is used not as a name, but as, for example, a nickname, that is, it is a kind of common noun, since it reflects the individual characteristics and properties of the named object. In such cases, in addition to transcription, or instead of it, a combination of semantic translation and tracing is used. If we find the name Chief White Halfoat in an English text, then it can be transmitted in various ways: Chief White Halfoat (transcription), Chief White Oat (semantic translation), Chief White Halfoat (mixed translation: a combination of semantic translation and transcription).
In addition to proper names, the group of units translated through translation transcription also includes the names of peoples and tribes, geographical names, names of business institutions, companies, firms, periodicals, names of hockey and other sports teams, stable groups of rock musicians, cultural objects etc. Most of these names are relatively easy to translate or, less commonly, transliterate:
Bank of London - BankofLondon, Wall Street Journal - Wall Street Journal, the Capitol - Capitol.
When transcribing geographical names, a stress shift often occurs due to the phonetic preferences of the translating language: Florida (stress on the first syllable), Florida (stress on the second syllable), Washington (stress on the first syllable), Washington (stress on the last syllable).
There is a rule according to which, if the name includes a significant word, a mixed translation is often used, that is, a combination of transcription and semantic translation:
Gulf of Mexico - Gulf of Mexico;
River Thames - River Thames;
the Pacific Ocean - Pacific Ocean;
Hilton Hotel - Hilton Hotel;
Mayflower Restaurant - Mayflower restaurant.
Transcription is used when translating the names of firms, companies, publishing houses, car brands, periodicals, for example:
Subaru - Subaru;
Ford Mustang - FordMustang;
Facts On File - FactsOnFile;
New Press Quarterly - NewPressQuarterly.
However, the names educational institutions, as a rule, are subject to partial or complete semantic translation:
Western Michigan University - Western Michigan University;
Cherry Hill High School - Cherry Hill's highest school;
St.Petersburg State University - St. Petersburg State University.
1. Adhere to some system of international transcription or inter-alphabetic correspondence.
2. Almost all proper names are subject to transcription/transliteration, including names of people, geographical names, names of companies (when they are in the nature of a personal name), periodicals, folklore characters, names of countries and peoples, names of national and cultural realities, etc.
3. The application of transcription to the translation of names found in the text requires a preliminary cultural analysis of possible traditional forms of a given name that have already been established in the world or translating culture and require reproduction exactly in the form in which they exist.
4. Most newly introduced terms are subject to transcription/transliteration special areas. Here, however, it should be remembered that in many cases there is no need to transliterate a foreign word if this word in the target language has a one-to-one correspondence, which was either used previously in a similar meaning or is applicable as a newly introduced term. The introduction into use of parallel transliteration terms along with already existing terms from among the units of the target language is essentially equivalent to the creation of professional jargon, that is, it goes beyond the literary norm and introduces unnecessary “information noise” into the process of intercultural communication.
5. Transcription/transliteration can be used as a component of mixed translation, in parallel with tracing, semantic translation or commentary.
To analyze the methods of translating lexical units, we selected several chapters of the famous book by K. Eric Drexler “Machines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology”, and attempted to assess the role of transcription and transliteration in them.
Below is a small list of foreign words and phrases from these chapters, for which, in turn, transcription or transliteration was used when translating into Russian. Note that such a technique as transcription already takes place when translating the author of a work.
K. Eric Drexler - K. Eric Drexler (transcription);
Genex Corporation - Genex Corporation (a combination of transcription and semantic translation);
KEVIN ULMER - KEVIN ULMER (transliteration);
Carl Pabo - Carl Pabo (transliteration);
journal Nature - Nature journal (a combination of transcription and semantic translation);
Garrett Hardin - Garrett Hardin (transliteration);
Frederick Blattner - Frederick Blattner (transcription);
journal Science - Science journal (combination of transcription and semantic translation);
William Rastetter - William Rastetter (transcription);
Genentech - Dzhenentek (transcription);
bulk technology - bulk technology (a combination of transcription and semantic translation);
Forrest Carter - Forrest Carter (transliteration);
Ari Aviram - Ari Aviram (transliteration);
Philip Seiden - Philip Seiden (transcription);
VLSI Research Inc. - VLS-I Research Inc. (transcription);
San Jose - San Jose (transcription);
NEC - N-I-Si (transcription);
Hitachi - Hitachi (transcription);
Toshiba - Toshiba (transcription)
Matsushita - Matsushita (transcription);
Fujitsu- Fugetsu (transcription);
Sanyo-Denki - Sanyo-Denki (transcription);
Sharp - Sharp (transcription);
R.B. Merrifield - R.B. Merrifield (transliteration);
Charles Babbage - Charles Babbage (transcription);
Augusta Ada - Augusta Ada (transliteration);
Countess of Lovelace - Countess Lovelace (combination of transcription and semantic translation);
Danny Hillis - Danny Hillis (transliteration);
Brian Silverman - Brian Silverman (transliteration);
Tinkertoy - Tinkertoy (transliteration);
Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly (transcription);
Indianapolis - Indianapolis (transliteration);
Humulin - Humulin (transcription);
Richard Feynman - Richard Feynman (transliteration);
KARL K. DARROW - KARL K. DARROW (transliteration);
Penicillin - Penicillin (transliteration);
Dr. Seymour Cohen - Dr. Seymour Cohen (transcription);
Stony Brook - Stony Brook (transcription);
New York - New York (transcription);
SUNY-SUNY (transcription);
Upjohn Company - Upjohn Company (transcription);
Vasopressin - Vasopressin (transliteration);
Mona Lisa - Mona Lisa (transliteration);
ribosome - ribosome (transliteration);
lipofuscin - lipofucin (transliteration);
nucleotide - nucleotide (transliteration);
biostasis - biostasis (transliteration);
metabolism - metabolism (transliteration);
Senetek - Sinetek (transcription);
Eastman Kodak - Eastman Kodak (transcription);
ICNPharmaceuticals - ICN Pharmaceuticals (transcription);
JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES- JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES (transcription).
As we can see, when translating such words or phrases, a large number of errors and inaccuracies can be made. Therefore, it is necessary to know the rules of translation and have a cultural reserve in order to translate them in the form in which they exist. But still, it should be remembered that the process of transliteration and transcription of a language unit is very conditional.
Currently, the technique of transliteration and transcription when translating text is used much less frequently than before. This is quite justified - the transfer of the sound or letter form of a foreign language lexical unit does not reveal its meaning, and such words remain incomprehensible to a reader who does not know the foreign language without appropriate explanations. Therefore, this technique when transmitting foreign language realities should be used very sparingly.
Bibliography
Gilyarevsky R.S., Starostin B.A. Foreign names and titles in Russian text. 3rd ed., rev. and additional M.: Higher. school, 1985.
2. Leenson I.A. Who are Sean and Xiong, or How does transcription differ from transliteration? // Chemistry and life. No. 10. 2008. Internet source www.elementy.ru. Access mode: http://elementy.ru/lib/430680 on 10.20.10.
3. Korzhova S.B. Translation theory: textbook. a manual for students with additional qualifications “Translator in the field of professional communication” of full-time study. Tyumen, 2007.
4. Translation agency. Internet source www.lingvo-plus.ru. Access mode: http://www.lingvo-plus.ru/transkripc on 10.20.10.
5. Kommisarov V.N. Translation theory (linguistic aspects). Internet source www.classes.ru. Access mode: http://www.classes.ru/grammar/43.Teoriya_perevoda Lingvicticheskiye_aspekty.html on 10.20.10.
6. Nosenko I.A. A manual for translating scientific and technical literature from English into Russian. M.: Higher. school, 1974.
7. Golikova Zh.A. Translation from English to Russian. M.: New Knowledge LLC, 2004.
8. Rubtsova M.G. Learning to read English scientific and technical literature. Lexico-grammatical reference book. M.: Nauka, 1989.
9. Dmitrieva L.F. English language. Translation course. M.-Rostov-on-Don: MarT, 2005.
To prepare this work, materials from the site were used
The difference between transliteration and transcription should be clarified:
1. In contrast to transcription, intended to convey the sounds of a language as accurately as possible, transliteration, as the term itself shows (Latin litera - letter), concerns the written form of the language: a text written in one alphabet or another is transmitted by the alphabet of another system . In this case, only the correspondence of the letters of two alphabets is usually taken into account, and the sounds hiding behind them are not taken into account.
2. Transliteration is used primarily in relation to dead languages, such as Sanskrit, Old Persian, etc. In addition, texts of living languages that use a little-known or difficult alphabet, such as Arabic, etc., are often transliterated.
3. When transliterating living languages, they usually follow the path of compromise, since to some extent it is necessary to take into account the sound aspect, so as not to tear the word too much away from its living sounding form; in other words, it is not the alphabet that is transliterated, but the graphics system adopted in a given language. For example, a French surname Daudet transliterated in Russian Dode (or Dode), that is, it is taken into account that [combination] au in French means o, and the final t not pronounced. In pure transliteration one would have to write this surname Daudet (or Daudet), which would hardly be rational, since it would be too far removed sonically from the original..
4. Transliteration should be distinguished from transcription, which consists of letter-by-letter transfer of writing from one alphabet to another, for example, from Russian to Latin, or vice versa. Transliteration is widely used in writing geographical names and other proper names. Despite the apparent simplicity of the task of replacing some letters with others, transliteration often presents great difficulties. These difficulties stem from the fact that the composition of the alphabet of one language often does not coincide with the composition of the alphabet of another language...
5. When pure transliteration is impossible for the stated reason, or when it is desirable to convey not the spelling, but the sound of a word or its part, it is necessary to use partial or practical transcription. It goes without saying that the transcription is very conditional, since it does not convey the original pronunciation of the word, but only an approximate one, carried out by the sound means of the borrowing language. Sometimes such transcription can be very close to transcription in the proper sense of the word...
6. Transliteration in its pure form is often not used even when it is quite possible, but separates writing from pronunciation. Name of a French city Rouen it would be possible to write in Russian Rowan, but they prefer the spelling Rouen as closer to French pronunciation.
Transliteration classification
According to the severity of presentation
1) Strict: replacing each character of the source text with only one character of another script (a→a, b→b, c→v...).
2) Weakened: replacement of some characters of the source text with combinations of two or more characters of another script (zh→zh, ch→ch, ya→ya...).
3) Extended: representation of certain combinations of characters in the source text in a special way (й→y).
Conversion rules
Requirements:
1. Unambiguity: ensuring the stability of the representation of elements of the original written language (letters, words, expressions) by means of another (converting) written language.
2. Simplicity: ensuring automatic execution of the procedure for transition from the original text to the converted one based on simple algorithms, mainly reduced to the use of tables for replacing characters of one writing system with characters of another writing system.
3.Also desirable reversibility this transformation so that the original spelling can be restored; in practice this is not always observed.
Compliance with the rules
When applying conversion rules, the requirements for the sound correspondence of the signs of the converted writing systems, aesthetic considerations and traditional norms may not be observed everywhere, although in each individual case it is desirable to develop such rules so that the violation of traditional, phonetic and aesthetic norms is minimal. However, anyone who knows the source language and the rules of conversion has the ability to reconstruct the original text and read it according to the rules of the source language.
2.1. Transcription and transliteration
In other words, transcription is either transliteration (full or partial), the direct use of a given word denoting reality, or its root in writing in letters of one’s language or in combination with suffixes of one’s language.
Transliteration when translating into Russian is often used in cases where we are talking about the names of institutions and positions specific to a given country, i.e. about the sphere of socio-political life, about the names of objects and concepts of material life, about forms of addressing the interlocutor, etc.
The transliteration method of translation is widespread and leaves a significant mark both in Russian translated literature and in original works (fiction, journalistic, scientific). This is evidenced by, for example, words related to English public life, as “peer”, “mayor”, “landlord”, “esquire”, or to Spanish as “hidalgo”, “torero”, “bullfight”, etc.; words related to the life of a French city, such as “fiacre”, “concierge”; English addresses "miss", "sir" and many others like them.
There is no word that could not be translated into another language, at least descriptively, i.e. a common combination of words in a given language. But transliteration is necessary precisely when it is important to maintain the lexical brevity of the designation, corresponding to its familiarity in the original language, and at the same time emphasize the specificity of the named thing or concept, if there is no exact correspondence in the target language. When assessing the appropriateness of using transliteration, it is necessary to take into account exactly how important the transfer of this specificity is. If the latter is not required, then the use of transliteration turns into abuse of foreign borrowings, leading to obscuring the meaning and clogging the native language.
Particular attention should be paid to the translation problem of the so-called realia, the naming of national-cultural objects that are characteristic of the source culture and are relatively little known or not at all known to the translating culture. In conditions of large-scale intercultural communication, such names constitute a very significant group, and the most common way of transmitting them in another language is translation transcription or standard transliteration.
The expediency and legitimacy of transliteration in certain cases is proven by the fact that often authors writing about the life of other peoples resort to this linguistic means as a way to name and emphasize the reality specific to the life of a given people. The Russian language included, for example, the words “aul”, “kishlak”, “saklya” and many others, and it was in this transliteration that they became traditional. This emphasized the specificity of the thing denoted by the word, its difference from what could be approximately denoted by the corresponding Russian word (cf. “aul” and “kishlak”, on the one hand, and “village”, on the other, “saklya” or “ hut" and "hut"). An example of words borrowed from original literature through transliteration serves as motivation for using such words in translation.
Often foreign words are transferred into the target language precisely to highlight the shade of specificity that is inherent in the reality they express - if possible lexical translation, more or less accurate.
When a transliterated word is rarely used or, especially, transferred to a Russian translated text for the first time, a commentary explanation and appropriate context are sometimes necessary.
However, in Russian translations of Western European fiction Lately there has been an increasing tendency to avoid words that would require explanatory notes not intended by the original - i.e. namely transliterated designations of foreign realities, in addition to those that have already become familiar. On the contrary, in modern translations from Eastern languages, transliteration is used quite often when talking about things or phenomena specific to material or social life, i.e. not having correspondence with us.
Transliteration and transcription are used to translate proper names, names of peoples and tribes, geographical names, names of business institutions, companies, firms, periodicals, names of sports teams, stable groups of rock musicians, cultural objects, etc. Most of these names are relatively easy to translate or, less commonly, transliterate:
Hollywood - Hollywood [Transl. 241]
Pencey - Pansy [Trans. 241]
Saxon Hall - Saxon Hall [Trans. 242]
Robert Tichener - Robert Tichener [Trans. 243]
Paul Campbell - Paul Campbell [Trans. 243]
Elkton Hill - Elkton Hill [Trans. 250]
Edgar Marsala - Eddie Marsala [Trans. 252]
Bank of London - Bank of London
Minnesota - Minnesota
Wall Street Journal – Wall Street Journal
Detroit Red Wings - Detroit Red Wings
Beatles - The Beatles, etc. [Kazakova, p. 67].
The names and titles of fantastic creatures mentioned in folklore and literary sources are also transcribed:
Baba Yaga
Hobbit - Hobbit
goblin - goblin, etc. [Kazakova, p.75]
In relation to foreign proper names - be they first or last names of real or fictitious persons, geographical names, etc. – the question of their sound design during translation and – accordingly – their writing is of great importance. The more discrepancies there are in the phonetic structure of two languages, in the composition and system of their phonemes, the more acute this issue is.
If there is a common alphabet system in two languages (as, for example, in Western European Romance, Germanic and Finno-Ugric languages), the reproduction of the sound form of names in translations and in original texts is generally abandoned, limiting itself only to the exact reproduction of their spelling - transliteration. In Russian literature - both translated and original - there is (to the extent possible) a tradition of conveying the sound appearance of foreign-language proper names. Of course, if there is a significant phonetic discrepancy between two languages (as, for example, between English and Russian), the reproduction of their phonetic side can only be partial and conditional and usually represents a certain compromise between the transmission of sound and spelling.
When it comes to common names (big cities, rivers, famous historical figures) or common names, the translator is guided by tradition - regardless of the possibility of getting closer to the original sound. Sometimes the traditional Russian spelling is quite close to the exact phonetic form of a foreign name, for example: “Schiller”, “Byron”, “Dante”, “Brandenburg”, etc.
Anthony Wayne Avenue - Anthony Wayne Street [Trans. 243]
The rule of applying translation transcription or transliteration to names that exists in translation practice often turns out to be insufficient if a proper name is burdened with a symbolic function, that is, it becomes the name of a unique object, or is used not as a name, but as, for example, a nickname, that is, it is a kind of name a common noun, as it reflects the individual characteristics and properties of the named object. In such cases, in addition to transcription or instead of it, a combination of semantic translation and tracing is used. In some cases, tradition will require different renderings of the same name in the same language for different texts: thus the English "George" is usually transcribed as "George", but when it is the name of a king, it is transliterated as " George".
Some problems may arise when translating names of educational institutions in the context of different educational traditions in different countries. Thus, in the American education system, the word school is widely used to describe a number of educational institutions, completely different in level and type. Translation from Russian may also have some difficulties: for example, the word institute in Russia is used to designate a higher educational institution, as well as a research or even administrative institution, while in English-speaking countries the word institute is used only in the second meaning , and therefore is not always adequate as a correspondence, since it distorts the essence of the original concept.
Whooton School - Hutton School [Transl. 250]
Finally, a special type of linguistic units that are usually transcribed are terms. The source of transcriptions is usually Greek, Latin or English units, depending on which roots underlie the original term. Russian terms, marked by national flavor, also often become the object of transcription when translated into English:
chernozem – chernozem
Duma - Duma, etc. [Kazakova, p.75]
Translation transcription is a formal phonemic reconstruction of the source lexical unit using phonemes of the target language, a phonetic imitation of the source word.
Transliteration is a formal letter-by-letter reconstruction of the source lexical unit using the alphabet of the target language, a letter imitation of the form of the source word.
There are many problems with the use of transcription when translating royal names - titles. For example, the English king James 1 Stewart was traditionally called James 1 Stewart, the form Jacob 1 is found, but the form James 1 is not present. There are discrepancies: Ivan the Terrible - Ivan the Terrible, and John the Terrible.
In its pure form, transliteration is rare and, as a rule, is associated with long-established forms of naming.
For example, Michigan - Michigan (and not Mishigan), Illinois - Illinois (and not Ilinoi).
In relation to a number of objects, traditional forms of translation have been established, which either partially coincide with the original naming: Moscow - Moscow, the Hague - The Hague, or may not coincide at all with the naming of the object in the source language: England - England, the English Channel - English Channel .
When transcribing geographical names, there is often a shift in stress due to the phonetic preferences of the translating language: `Florida - Florida, `Washington - Washington'ton.
Transcription is used when translating the names of companies, publishing houses, and car brands. e.g. Subaru - Subaru, Ford Mustang - Ford Mustang.
There is a rule according to which, if the name includes a significant word, a mixed translation is often used, i.e. combination of transcription and semantic translation: Gulf of Mexico - Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean– the Pacific Ocean, Hilton Hotel – Hilton Hotel.
Quite complex problems arise when translating the names of educational institutions in the context of different educational traditions in different countries. Thus, in the American education system, the word school is widely applied to a number of educational institutions, completely different in level and type: high school - high school (approximately 10-11 grades), school of law - law school, graduate school - postgraduate school. In such cases, the translator usually relies on specific conditions when making a decision; as a result, however, the discrepancy in the translation of the names of educational institutions introduces some chaos into intercultural communication. Indeed, in Russian the word “institute” is used to designate a university, as well as a research or even administrative institution, while in English-speaking countries the word institute is used in the second meaning.
It is difficult to translate the names of the indigenous peoples of Siberia from Russian. There are correspondences between Buryats - buryat, chukchi - Chukchi, Khanty - khanty. However, a number of names require the translator to independently transcribe them.
For example, the Yukagirs live among the Evens, Chukchi, Yakuts and Russian old-timers (yukagiry, aeveny or evveng or heveny).
There are also discrepancies in the translation of such names of tribes in America as Flathead - flatheads, or flat-headed, Blackfoot - blackfoot, or black-footed.
When translating realities - transcription or standard transliteration (commentary or semantic translation in parallel).
The names of fantastic creatures are also transcribed:
e.g. Baba-Yaga - Baba Yaga, goblin - goblin.
However, some of the names containing semantic components that reflect the properties of the object are translated either by a mixed type or by tracing:
For example, Koshchey the Deathless (Immortal).
CONCLUSION: transcription/transliteration can be used as a component of mixed translation, in parallel with tracing, semantic translation or commentary. Semantic translation consists of the most complete transfer of the contextual meaning of the elements of the source text in units of the target language.
Semantic translation is performed to convey source texts that have high scientific or socio-cultural significance, detailed content which is intended for a wide range of specialists.
CALCULATION - reproduction not of the sound, but of the combinatorial composition of a word or phrase, when the constituent parts of a word (morphemes) or phrases (lexemes) are translated by the corresponding elements of the target language. (Often found when translating borrowings in cases where transliteration was for some reason unacceptable for aesthetic, semantic or other reasons). e.g. skinheads – skinheads (skinheads). Terms and widely used words and phrases are subject to tracing: Winter Palace - Winter Palace, White House - White House.
CONCLUSION: Tracing is used in cases where it is necessary to create a meaningful unit in the translated text and at the same time preserve elements of the form or function of the original unit.
TRANSLATION OF THE ARTICLE AND EXPRESSION OF THE CATEGORY OF DETERMINATION - UNCERTAINTY
The article is a striking example of the discrepancy between the grammatical systems of English and Russian. Such a phenomenon as the article is absent in the Russian language. As a rule, English articles are not translated into Russian, but there are some cases where the article plays an important role in the communication process and must be conveyed during translation.
The meaning of the article can be expressed in Russian using:
1) CASE:
Pour the water into the glass. – Pour water into a glass.
Pour some water into the glass. – Pour water into a glass.
2) WORD ORDER:
A woman came to me. - A woman came to me.
The woman came to me. - The woman came.
3) ONE, SOME, ANY (Article A);
4) THIS, THAT, MOST (Article THE).
A man is waiting for you. - A man is waiting for you.
I enjoyed the film. - I liked the movie.
1. Here is the article you want to read. - This is the article you want to read.
2. Any child can understand this. – A child can understand it.
3. She is a Mrs. Murray. - This is a certain Mrs. Murray.
The special semantic role of the English article can be compensated when translated into Russian due to pronouns:
They were powerful enough not to need a tsar, especiallу the tsar. – In this example, articles certainly play not so much a grammatical as a semantic role, and therefore are subject to functional compensation when translated into Russian: They were powerful enough not to need any kind of king, especially such a king.
TRANSLATION OF DEFINITIONS
Right definition. Left definition
1. The right definition comes after the noun (presents difficulties).
2. The left attribute comes before the noun.
Right definitions can be expressed:
1) Participle 2 – The fuel used was oil. – The fuel used was oil.
2) Infinitive - He was the first to come. - He was the first to arrive.
3) Passive Infinitive – The book to be translated should be taken from the library.
4) Noun with a preposition – in question, under discussion, under consideration/construction: The problem in question was dealt at the conference.
The problem in question was solved at the conference.
5) There are several adjectives that will be translated based on their location in the sentence:
proper pronunciation, the proper decision - the right decision
the decision proper - the decision itself, directly.
Present situation - current situation,
Students present – students present.
CONCEPT OF CHAIN AND TRANSLATION OF CHAIN
There is a big difference in the semantic structures of attributive groups in Russian and English languages. To do this, the translator needs to do a deep analysis of the context. English speakers actively use attributive constructions with a large number their components. Let's trace the formation of the attribute group:
EXAMPLE: The tax paid for the right to take part in the election is described as – the poll tax. The states where this tax is collected are – the poll tax states – and the governors of these states are the poll tax states governors. Now these governors may hold a conference which will be referred to as – the poll tax states governors conference.
There are also attributive groups in which an entire sentence can refer to the main noun and be its attribute:
For example: He was being the boss again, using the its-my-money-now-do-as-you`re-told voice.
Sometimes you even have to completely restructure an English sentence when translating it into Russian:
To watch it happen, all within two and a half hours, was a thrilling sight.- It was impossible not to admire, watching how all this happened over the course of just two and a half hours.
Definition: A chain of words are nouns, adjectives, numerals and participles coming after each other within one sentence. The chain never includes: verb, adverbs. Within the chain, the main word is the last word; all other words relate to it and are subordinate. An attributive group can be a noun and a phraseological phrase, a noun and pronouns, sometimes a whole subordinate clause.
For example: Federal Highway authorities - management of federal communication routes.
RULES for dividing long chains into subgroups:
1. Possessive endings signal the end of a subgroup.
2. Words in quotation marks are a separate subgroup.
3. Difficult words usually signal the end of a subgroup.
4. Hyphenated words.
5. If a numeral agrees in number with the main noun, then it will relate to it, and if not, then it will form a subgroup with the one that follows it.
6. There are several noun suffixes that signal the end of a subgroup: laboratory, authority, education, driver (suffix of a figure), development, strength - less often.
FALSE FRIENDS OF THE TRANSLATOR
There are words in the source language and the target language that are more or less similar in form. Formal similarity is usually the result of two words having a common source of origin; they may be derived from Greek or Latin. Since such words can be found in many languages, they are classified as “international”. But, as is usually the case, not all international words have the same meanings in different languages. In many cases, the semantics of such words do not coincide, and they are classified as “pseudo-international” vocabulary. The formal similarity of such words gives reason to think that they are interchangeable, which is misleading and leads to many translation errors. For this reason, such words were called the translator’s false friends.
Translator's false friends: 1) common source; 2) borrowings with various stylistic shades.
Pseudo-international words can be divided into 2 groups:
1) words that are similar in form, but completely different in meaning. Here the translator has a very high chance of making a mistake if he does not consult a dictionary. Many mistakes are made when translating words such as “decade, complexion, lunatic, accurate, actual - valid, real.”
It would seem that they correspond to “decade, complexion, sleepwalker,” but they are pseudo-international and are not suitable for translation.
1) It lasted the whole decade. “This went on for a whole decade.
2) She has a very fine complexion. - She has a beautiful complexion.
3) Well, he must be a lunatic. - Yes, he must be crazy.
Secondly, there are many pseudo-international words that are not completely interchangeable, although they may coincide in form and partially in semantics:
Meeting, surprise. (Here it is important for the translator to pay attention to the context).
The second group of false friends of the translator includes: original - first, special - special, special; intelligence - mind, prospect - overview, view, panorama, film - film, conductor - conductor, to construct - build, deputy - deputy, student - student, correspondence - correspondence, correspondence, analogue.
There are several factors, taking into account which you can choose the correct equivalent when translating the translator's false friends:
1. Semantic factor. Words borrowed into both languages from the same source have undergone a certain development: for example, the English idiom can be translated as an idiom, but also develop such additional meaning as a dialect (a local variety of an idiom), an individual style. When we say Shakespeare's idiom, then we will translate it as “dialect, adverb or style.”