5.Translation of Idiomatic/Phraseological and Stable Expressions

Idiomatic or phraseological expressions are structurally, lexically and semantically fixed phrases or sentences having the meaning, which is not made up by the sum of meanings of their component parts. Their figurative, i.e. metaphorical nature and usage makes them distinct from structurally identical free combinations of words,

e.g. red tape (free word comb-n) – червона стрічка,

red tape (idiom) – бюрократизм, канцелярський формалізм;

the tables are/were turned (free word comb-n) – столи (були) перекинуті,

the tables are/were turned (idiom) – ситуація докорінно змінилася/ супротивники

помінятися ролями/місцями

On rare occasions the lexical meaning of idioms can coincide with their direct, i.e. not transferred meaning,

e.g. to make way – дати дорогу, поступитися,

to die a dog’s death – здохнути як собака,

to receive a hero’s welcome – зустрічати як героя,

to tell the truth – правду казати, правду кажучи

Some proper names can also have figurative meaning. These names have acquired their constant expressive meaning and can not be confused with common proper names of people:

Mrs Grundy – світ, люди, існуюча мораль,

Jack Ketch – кат,

Croesus – Крез, надзвичайно багата людина,

Tommy Atkins – англійський солдат,

Yankee –

Bobby –

Uncle Sam -

There are a lot of set/fixed prepositional, adjectival, verbal and adverbial expressions which have more transparent meaning and are easier to translate than regular genuine idioms (the so-called phraseological fusions),

e.g. to cut short, make believe, fifty-fifty, by and by, for the sake of, etc (set expressions),

Hobson’s choice – “no choice whatsoever”

To dine with Duke Humphrey – “to be left without dinner”, etc. (phras. fusions)

The choice of the way of translation may be predetermined by the SL context or by the existence/absence of contextual equivalents for the idiomatic/stable expression in the TL. These expressions may be translated by a single word,

e.g. an odd/queer fish – дивак,

blue bonnet – шотландець,

Canterbury tale – небувальщина,

ніде курці клюнути/яблуку впасти – crammed

However, faithful translation of a large number of idiomatic expressions can be achieved only by a thorough selection of variants having in the TL a similar meaning to the original and similar expressiveness,

e.g. a grass widow – солом’яна вдова,

measure twice and cut once – сім раз одміряй, а раз відріж,

not for love or money – ні за які гроші,

(he) has not all his buttons – клепки бракує,

all cats are grey in the dark – вночі що сіре, те й вовк,

not to know chalk from cheese – не тямить ні бе, ні ме, ні кукуріку

There are idioms of international nature. These come mostly from Greek or Latin and therefore are identical/similar in more than one (at least European) l-ge,

e.g. to cast pearls before swine – кидати перла перед свинями,

to fall between Scilla and Charybdis – між Сциллою і Харибдою/між двох вогнів,

to cherish/warm a viper in one’s bosom – пригріти гадюку в пазусі

Only few of such expressions have national phraseological synonyms which are restricted to colloquial style and differ greatly in expressiveness,

e.g. neither fish nor flesh – ні риба ні м’ясо; ні пава, ні ґава,

the apple of discord

the bone of contention/discord – яблуко розбрату

Taking into account the above the following ways of rendering the idiomatic expressions are to be identified: