In the first sentence the word “construction” has the meaning of “act of devising and forming” (Webster III), in the second sentence the meaning is “structure”.

These different contexts bring out different lexical-semantic variants of the word “construction” which are reflected in the Russian translation.

Создание ООН было не простой и не легкой задачей.

Это объясняет своеобразную структуру Совета Безопасности.

The importance of the context for translation is obvious. The micro context implies not only lexical but also syntactical ambient elements, e.g.: the elm stood before the house – перед домом стоял вяз; he stood a whisky and soda – он угостил меня виски с содовой водой.

The context or the situation not only reveals the intended meaning of a polysemantic word but also its concrete or abstract, its direct or transferred meaning.

A dictator relies upon his army and police force. – direct meaning

Диктатор опирается на свою армию и полицию.

The whole army of words – вся масса слов – transferred meaning.

An army of insects – туча насекомых – transferred meaning

He was crippled in the Vietnam war.

Он был искалечен на войне во Вьетнаме.

The criminal forces of reaction and anti-détente aim at crippling international cooperation.

Цель преступной поджигательной политики реакционеров и противников разрядки – подорвать международное сотрудничество.

Contextual Meaning of Polysemantic Words

The so-called contextual meaning is always individual, occasional and context-bound. It lives only in its context and disappears if the context is altered.

The contextual meaning of a word is usually semantically richer than the dictionary meaning because of the connections which it arouses.

In an atomic war women and children will be the first hostages.

Первыми жертвами в атомной войне будут женщины и дети.

The dictionary meaning of the word “hostage” is заложник, but in this context it is synonymous with “victim” as every hostage might become a victim and die. Thus the contextual meaning of a word is not arbitrary, it is inherent in its semantic structure and is brought out by the writer who is able to perceive its potentialities.

The vital role of context in bringing out different lexical-semantic variants and its importance in translation are well illustrated by the use of the noun and the verb “frustration, to frustrate”.

That there is a great deal of frustration in the land today is made evident by a proliferation of societies, leagues, committees, councils and crusades which propose to stop the clock or to turn its hands back.

О наличии в настоящее время глубокого разочарования в стране говорит множество всяких обществ, лиг, комитетов, советов и крестовых походов, которые стремятся остановить время или повернуть его вспять.

A second common denotation of the Rightist group is that they tend to attribute every frustration to betrayal by traitors.

Второй общей чертой всех правых групп является склонность приписывать все неудачи измене и предательству.