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Some topics on general translation theory

Навчально-методичний посібник

З курсу

Теорія і практика перекладу

(На базі англійської мови)

Introduction

Practical translation of any texts discloses as a rule a number of challenges to be dealt with by means of various methods and techniques that involve search for target language counterparts that are not simple one-to-one correspondences to be found in the dictionary’s entry or belong to parallel grammatical structures. Pre-reading of the original text is helpful for determining the genre, style, semantic information and illocutionary power. Nevertheless while engaged in the translating process the translator has to choose some definite translational patterns that are dictated by the situation. Certainly, the help of two-language dictionaries is not sufficient for covering the meanings of a great variety of word combinations and lexemes contextual usage that are being actualised in the speech stream.

For better comprehension of the ideas presented in this work it is necessary to ascertain the meaning of the terms “language” and “speech”, especially in this manual.

The language as a phenomenon is a system of phonetic, lexical and grammatical means that functions to express thoughts, senses and wills in people’s communications. To our belief, a language as a positive substance could be fixed on material carriers: paper (manuals, dictionaries, grammar books), audio means, etc. A language exists i.e. is being realised in the process of speech, in the speech stream, that is brought into being by a speaker who uses certain lingual means in addressing the community or him/herself.

Speech is more specific, corporeal: it has pure material form of existence: air vibrations, textual material on paper and of course functioning of technical means. For better understanding of the following topics the reader has to discriminate clearly between language and speech since different types of translational counterparts belong to different aspects of communication, either language or speech.

TOPIC ONE

Translational counterparts

The translational counterpart is one of the principal categories belonging to the translation science for it represents coincidence of formal, semantic and informative significations in the initial and final translation items. One of them substitutes another in the translation process and each one possesses a certain semantic and communicative stability acquired due to their regular usage. Therefore when a target language (TL) item is being constantly used to render a peculiar source language (SL) item the former carries out the functions of the translational counterpart of the latter. Here we refer to the Functional Correspondences’ Theory developed by Yakov Retsker. It has been upgraded during decades and still is a solid base for theoretical postulates to be used by practical translators to gain relevant knowledge and skill for better treatment of immense varieties of translational problems.

In closer studying of typical cases that come across repeatedly one can discern three types of translational counterparts: 1/ equivalents, e.i. translational items identical in both SL and TL; 2/ variant and contextual counterparts; 3/ products of diverse translational transformations.

Equivalent counterparts or equivalents

Preliminary notes. When speaking about translational equivalents and equivalence in general one is supposed to take into account the dual nature of this particular term. Firstly, equivalence is understood as the utmost linguistic degree of the TL item proximity to the original in all possible aspects. Secondly, the Functional Correspondence Theory considers the term “Equivalent” as a regular, identical and equipollent TL counterpart. In the frame of this topic the latter approach is taken.

By their lexical composition equivalent counterparts are mostly often found among proper and geographic names and various scientific and technological terms: George Джордж, James Джеймс, London Лондон, Berlin Берлін, distributorship оптовий розподіл, anisotropy анізотропія, microelectrode мікроелектрод, serradella (бот.) серадела посівна, lacebark (бот.) плагіантус березовий. Nevertheless, as studies show unambiguity in the meanings of counterparts could not be absolute, with the exceptions occurring even amidst proper names that would be discussed later on.

Equivalent counterparts play a perceptible part in the translation process, namely at the comprehending stage. It is these items that activate the translator’s mind since they are being discerned and recognised the earliest. So they trigger off the whole process of subsequent stages of verbal signs decoding serving as initial identified midmost points in the vast sea of the SL textual material.

Equivalent or singular counterparts are the most stable translational options that always or almost always do not depend on the context. Therefore, we make the assumption that they belong rather to the sphere of language while variant and contextual counterparts belong to the sphere of speech.

Translation practice reveals that compound words and word combinations possess equivalent counterparts more often than single words, the latter being chiefly polysemantic in the English language. Henceforth we’ll consider in the greatest degree polysemantic lexemes that are to be divided for the sake of convenience into variant and contextual counterparts.