17.2. Generalization

Generalization is the phenomenon opposite to concretization; the notions with narrow meaning in source language are replaced by the units with broader meaning in target language. We have to resort to generalization when in the target language there are no concrete notions analogous to the ones in source language. In many cases the norms of TL make it unnecessary and even undesirable to translate all the particulars expressed in SL. Englishmen usually name the exact height of a person: “He is six foot three inches tall”. In Ukrainian it would hardly seem natural to introduce a character saying: “Він шість футів і три дюйми на зріст”; substituting centimeters for feet and inches wouldn’t make it much better: “Його зріст – 190,5 сантиметра”. The best variant may be following: “Він дуже високий на зріст”.

Generalization is also used in those cases when in SL a word with differentiated meaning corresponds to a word with non-differentiated meaning in TL (“a hand” – “рука”, “an arm” – “рука”, leg – foot, etc.).

The necessity to use generalization may be caused by purely pragmatic considerations. In the original text there may be many proper names informative for the native speakers of SL and absolutely uninformative for the readers in TL. These may be the names of some firms, goods produced by those firms, shops (often bearing the names of their owners), etc. Englishmen know that “Tonibell” is the name of various kinds of ice-cream produced by the firm Tonibell, while “Trebor” means sweets produced by Trebor Sharps Ltd and “Tree Top” designates fruit drinks produced by Unilever. Transcribed in the Ukrainian text these names are absolutely senseless for the reader who would not see any difference between „Тонібел“, „Требор“, „Три Топ“ or even „Тоутал“, which is not eatable since it is petrol. An English reader in his turn can hardly guess what they sell in “Динамо” shops (even if it is spelt “Dynamo”) or in “Весна” (no matter whether it is rendered as “Vesna” or “Spring”). Hardly are more informative such names as “Сніжинка” (a café or a laundry), “Байкал” (a beverage), “Першокласниця” (candies), “Осінь” (a cake), etc. Therefore it is recommended to substitute names (unless they are internationally known or play an important role in the context) by generic words denoting the whole class of similar objects:

Він здає свої сорочки в „Сніжинку“.

He has his shirts washed at the laundry.

Вони їли „Осінь“, запиваючи її „Байкалом“.

They were eating a cake washing it down with a tonic.

…Domes of glass and aluminium which glittered like Chanel diamonds.

…склепіння зі скла та алюмінію, що виблискували, наче штучні діаманти.

To translate “Chanel diamonds” as «діаманти фірми „Шанель“ would be a mistake since the majority of Ukrainian readers do not know that this firm makes artificial diamonds. If the text permits a longer sentence it is possible to add this information («штучні діаманти фірми „Шанель“), which may be useful for the readers’ scope but absolutely unnecessary for the text itself. However, the generalized translation “штучні діаманти” is quite necessary here.

Here are some other examples with generalization used:

He comes over and visits me practically every weekend. (Sal.)

Він часто до мене їздить, майже кожного тижня.

Then his girl gets killed, because she’s always speeding.

А потім дівчина гине, тому що вона постійно порушує правила.

“Who won the game?” I said. “It’s only the half.”

„А хто виграв?“ – питаю. – Ще не скінчилось.

In translation generalization is combined with antonymic translation; verb said is concretized.

... He showed us this old beat-up Havajo blanket that he and Mrs. Spencer’d bought off some Indian...

Він нам показав пошарпану індійську ковдру – вони з місіс Спенсер купили її в якогось індійця.

…Jane used to drive to market with her mother in this La Salle convertible they had.

…Джейн їздила зі своєю матір’ю на ринок в їхній машині.

If I do not sleep… I shall tomorrow night get them to give me a dose of chloral.

Якщо я не спатиму… то завтра вночі попрошу в них снодійне.

I asked Dr. Seward to give me a little opiate of some kind, as I had not slept well the night before.

Я попросив у доктора Стюарда трохи снодійного, оскільки погано спав минулої ночі.