6. The translation of verbals and verbal complexes

The verb performs different syntactic functions and is characterized by considerable variations in grammatical categories in English and Ukrainian. It is an important grammatical problem in the process of translation which needs a more detailed analysis.

The translation of simple verb tense forms may also pose difficulties due to the discrepancy in the tense paradigm. Thus, the Present Continuous tense form is always translated as the form of the present tense in Ukrainian, although sometimes addition of adverbs ‘нині’, ‘зараз’ is needed for the purpose of specifying the meaning of the sentence. In clauses of time and condition, Present Indefinite, Present Continuous, and Present Perfect should be translated as a future form of the verb. Sometimes it is reasonable to add the adverb „вже” while translating the verb used in Present Perfect Continuous. Translation of Past Perfect can be performed adding words and word combinations such as „до цього”, „раніше”, etc. to underline the priority of the expressed action. The principle of sequence of tenses is not employed in Ukrainian, though actively used in English. The Oblique Moods are often translated with the help of particles „би”, „б”, „щоб”, „аби”, the infinitive, the present tense, or special words that underline the action being unreal. The Imperative Mood of the English verb can be translated with the help of the infinitive (Do not apply brakes suddenly – Не гальмувати різко); the impersonal verb in the 3^rd pers. pl. (Assemble the pipes in the following order – Труби монтують у такій послідовності), the imperative form of the verb in the 1^st pers. pl. (Consider the following claim. – Розгляньмо наступну тезу).

More importantly, one can concentrate on the translation of compound predicates, which is closely linked to the problem of translating English verbals into Ukrainian. Certain compound nominative predicates can be represented as complex verbal predicates or compound nominative predicates: This structure is thus uninterpretable. – Цю структуру не можна інтерпретувати.

The infinitive or the gerund used in the compound predicate is translated as a noun: Our goal is to make the theory representative. – Наша мета – це досягнення репрезентативності теорії. The Participle II as a part of the compound predicate should be differentiated from the passive predicate: Such conclusion will be unwarranted. – Такий висновок буде необґрунтованим. As a part of the compound predicate, the infinitive is used with such link-verbs as to be, to remain and is translated as a non-finite form of the verb: It remains to be shown that the principle I have used is widely known. – Залишається показати, що використаний мною принцип є загальновідомим. The combination of a modal verb with Perfect Infinitive or with Passive Infinitive is translated as a predicate consisting of the words „потрібно”, „варто”, слід” (=should); „можна”, „можливо” (=may, might) and the infinitive. In the case of Perfect Infinitive, „було б”, „був/були” are also added to show past time reference: This chapter should have been shortened. – Цей розділ варто було б скоротити. The predicate with ‘could’ and Perfect Infinitive is usually translated with the help of parenthetic words „можливо”, „ймовірно” or as a compound modal predicate: He could have finished the experiment by that time. – Можливо, на той час він вже закінчив експеримент.

Thus, translation of compound predicates from English into Ukrainian implies thorough understanding of the expressed meaning and the style of the sentence. The translator should choose the best variant to guarantee syntactic compatibility in the target language and to reach semantic closeness with the original sentence.

The ways of rendering the meanings of verbals are predetermined by the structural form of the verbal and the function of the verbal in the sentence, where it may be either a single part of the sentence or a component of an extended part of the sentence

The infini­tive, functioning as a single part of the sentence, i.e., not being a component of a secondary predication complex, has usually corre­sponding equivalents in Ukrainian. The latter are a single infinitive or infinitival phrase when the infinitive functions as the subject (It was pretty nice to get back to my room. (Salinger) – Було так приємно знову дістатися до своєї кімнати); part of a compound predicate / predicative: (No, you couldn't have called her beautiful. – Hi, її не можна було назвати гарною); the object (Julia found it very pleasant to sit then in the shade looking at the river (Maugham) – Джулїі дуже подобалось тоді сидіти в затінку і дивитися на річку/воду); an equivalent infinitival phrase introduced by the conjunction (I was too much disturbed to go to bed – Я був аж надто стурбований, щоб іти спати); an attribute (Can I give you anything to eat or to drink? - «Дати вам щось поїсти чи попити?»); attributive subordinate clauses (We made a list of things to be taken – Ми склали список речей, щоб узяти з собою/які візьмемо з собою); an adverbial modifier (She wanted time to think it over (Galsworthy) – Їй треба було часу для обдумування всього).

The ob­jective with the infinitive complexes function mostly as the complex object. The choice of the Ukrainian semantic equivalent is predetermined by some factors, the main of which are as follows: a) the lexical meaning of the finite verb after which the objective with the infinitive construction is used; b) the paradigmatic form of the infinitive (its categorial mean­ing); c) the lexical meaning of the objective infinitive. As a result, different semantic and structural equivalents may be used in Ukrain­ian as substitutes for this predicative complex. The most common ways of translating the objective with the infinitive constructions are the following:

1. By means of a subordinate clause: Everyone watched him walk across the garden – Усі спостерігали, як він іде садком.

2. By means of an objective infinitival word-group forming part of the compound modal verbal predicate: Slowly, economically, he got dressed and forced himself to walk. – Повільно, збираючись з силами, він одягнувся і змусив себе йти.

3. By means of a noun derived from the objective infinitive or an object clause: Не had expected her to be more sympathetic. – Він очікував від неї більше співчуття. Він очікував, що вона виявить більше співчуття.

4. By means of a phrasal/simple verbal predicate: Не never made me laugh. – Він ніколи не міг мене розсмішити.

Translation of the objective with the infinitive constructions, therefore, may be predetermined not only by the nature and mean­ing of the finite verb/predicate, but also by its syntactic function, by the translator's choice of the equivalent and by the stylistic aim pursued in the sentence.

The choice of the method and means for translating English participial constructions into Ukrainian is predetermined by the gen­eral implicit and dependent explicit meanings of the participle itself. These meanings reflect the lexico-grammatical nature of the partici­ple as a verbal. Namely: 1) its voice, tense, and aspect distinctions; 2) its lexical and grammatical meanings; 3) its functions in English and Ukrainian word-groups and sentences.

The postpositive present participles in the sentence are most often translated with the help of attributive subordi­nate clauses: motor trucks, all moving from the front – всі вантажівки відступали з фронту. English attributive past participles, on the other hand, are mostly translated into Ukrainian with the help of their morphological, lexical, and functional equivalents, e.g., past participles. This makes no prob­lems in the choice of Ukrainian faithful equivalents for English at­tributive word-groups of this type. For example: «... many disappointed hearts still wonder why Coleman never married» (W.Maken).

Some present participles with the implicit predicative meaning and function may be rendered into Ukrainian either with the help of a corresponding verbal or with the help of a finite verb (simple verbal predicate): Then he cut chemistry from the list, retaining only physics / Потім він викреслив із списку хімію, залишивши тільки фізику.

In some sentences the translator may have difficulties while choosing in Ukrainian the language unit or its particular form for the English participle. This is because of the existence of some ways of conveying their meaning: a) with the help of a simple verbal predi­cate or b) with the help of the verbal element. For example: When shaving, or dressing, or combing his hair, he conned these lists (of words) over. (London) Коли він голився, одягався чи розчісувався, він усе зубрив ці слова. or: Голячись, одягаючись чи розчісуючись, він усе зубрив ці слова.

Some other faithful variants of translating participles and par­ticipial constructions are not excluded either, which is predetermined by the factors already mentioned above.