NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL

SCIENCES OF UKRAINE

G.I. Sydoruk

FUNDAMENTALS

OF TRANSLATION THEORY

Course Book

Навчально-методична розробка

В авторській редакції

Kyiv 2011

УДК 81'25 (042.4)

ББК Ш107я7

С 347

Затверджено Вченою Радою НУБіП України

Sydoruk G.I.

Course Book is compiled according to the course program. Specific problems of the translation theory are briefly covered in it.

It is intended for the first and second year students of speciality 6.020303 “Phylology (Translation)”.

Сидорук Г.І.

Основи перекладу: теорія та практика: Навчальний посібник (англійською мовою). – К.: Вид-во ІІВ НУ «ОЮА», 2011. – 292 с.

Навчальний посібник укладено відповідно до програми курсу. У ньому стисло викладено окремі питання теорії та практики перекладу.

Для студентів I та II курсів спеціальності 6.020303 „Філологія (Переклад)”.

УДК 81'25 (042.4)

ББК Ш107я7

© Г.І. Сидорук, 2010

Introduction

The course book “Translation Theory Foundations” is one of the fundamental disciplines, studied by the students of the department of translation at the department of social pedagogics of the National University of Bioresources and Nature. The main goal of this course book is to give students basic knowledge of the profession, its retrospective and perspective, professional and ethical qualities the interpreter/translator should possess, linguistic and translational theories aimed at doing correct interpretation/translation from English into Ukrainian and vice versa. The material compiled in succession assists in training highly qualified experts in the translation theory and practice, which is difficult to overestimate in our time of rapid development of international relations, growing necessity of language professionals to establish and maintain different contacts with partners all over the world.

The course book unfolds a versatile theoretical foundation of the profession, its methodological, psychological and ethical aspects, outline the main language units as the units of translation, transformational devices, basic lexical, grammatical and stylistic problems of translation, etc. Theoretical material is backed up by numerous examples from fiction, poetry, scientific prose, etc., provided with linguistic analysis and translation. After each topic a number of questions on checking the theoretical material, texts for translation from English into Ukrainian and vice versa, plus exersices of separate sentences for translation are given.

The course “Translation Theory Foundations” will help students distinguish linguistic phenomena, analyse them from the view-point of their translation, unmistakably identify necessary and sufficient ways of translation and make adequate translation of the stylistically dissimilar texts, correctly apply proper translational transformations. The topics proposed are diverse and promote interest, desire to investigate and excel; they develop linguistic conscience, scientific thinking, creativity and practical skills.

The course book helps to systematize and extend the knowledge gained at other practical and theoretical classes, assimilate special linguistic and translational terminology, to coordinate theory with practice.

It is foreseen that the students take notes of fifteen basic scientific sources on the subject which add to the material presented in the course book. The notes are checked at the end of the semester and add grades to the final results.

The given book has extended practical part if compared with the previous edition. Exercises on false friends of interpreter, idioms and some texts for two-way translation have been added.

Saint Jerome in his Study, by Domenico Ghirlandaio

St. Jerome, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1625–1630

St. Jerome’s Oath

I swear to keep this Oath to the best of my ability and judgement.

I swear to be a loyal member of the translator’s profession, respecting its history. I am willing to share my expertise with colleagues and to pass it on to trainee translators. I will not work for unreasonable fees. I will always translate to the best of my ability.

I will use my expertise to maximize communication and minimize misunderstanding across language barriers.

I swear that my translations will not represent their source texts in unfair ways.

I will respect my readers by trying to make my translations as accessible as possible, according to the conditions of each translation task.

I undertake to respect the professional secrets of my clients and not to exploit clients’ information for personal gain. I promise to respect deadlines and to follow clients’ instructions.

I will be honest about my own qualifications and limitations; I will not accept work that is outside my competence.

I will inform clients of unresolved problems, and agree to arbitration in cases of dispute.

I will do all I can to maintain and improve my competence, including all relevant linguistic, technical and other knowledge and skills.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Western Europe owes its civilization to translators.

Louis Kelly

It is translation that demonstrates most vividly the yearning for transformation that underlies every act involving speech, that supremely human gift.

Harry Mathews

Язык – лучший из посредников для установления дружбы и согласия.

Эразм Роттердамский

Горе кропателям дословных переводов, которые, переводя каждое слово, притупляют смысл.

Вольтер