3.2. Rules of translating idioms, proverbs, and sayings

The optimal strategy to translate idioms is the search for the equivalent unit in the target language. If the immediate correspondence cannot be found, the initial phraseological unit can be translated by means of the analogous phraseological unit having the meaning close to the initial one, though different in its philological and figurative basis. It is to be kept in mind, that the phraseologisms which are close in their meanings though different in form have different emotional and associative colouring in different languages and in some cases cannot be interchanged.

It is less effective, though sometimes admissible, to employ a special kind of translation – that is, loan or word-for-word translation. Sometimes this makes possible to introduce a new phraseological unit into a target language. This way is very often used while translating phrases originating from the common sources such as ancient culture, the Bible etc.

In some cases a double or parallel translation of a phraseological unit may be employed. This means that the word-for-word translation of the unit is accompanied by the brief explanation of its figurative meaning.

In case there is no analogous unit in the target language or if word-for-word translation appears to be impossible, the figurative meaning of the phraseologism is to be disclosed by means of transforming a bound phrase into a free one. In this case the phraseological unit loses its imagery, and the only possible way of informing the reader of its presence in the text that remains is the commentary.

Taking into account these and some other factors, the follow­ing ways of faithful rendering the idiomatic/phraselogical expressions are to be identified:

1. By choosing absolute/complete equivalents This is the method of translating by which every component part of the source language idiom is retained in the target language unchanged. Translating with the help of equivalents is resorted to when deating with idioms which originate from the same source in both the languages in question. These sources may be: 1) Greek or other mythology (Augean stables – Aвгієві стайні); 2) ancient history or literature (an ass in a lion's skin – віслюк у шкурі лева); 3) the Bible or works based on a biblical plot (to cast pearls before swine – розсипати перлини перед свиньми).

2. Translation of idioms by choosing near equivalents

The meaning of a considerable number of phrase idioms and sentence idioms originating in both languages from a common source may sometimes have different components: baker's/print­er's dozen – чортова дюжина; the devil is not so black as he is painted – не такий страшний дідько/чорт, як його малюють. The slight divergences in the near equivalents as compared with the source language idioms can manifest themselves: a) in the structure of the target language variant (cf. to make a long story short – сказати коротко); b) in the omission (or adding) of a component part in the target language (cf. a lot of water had run under the bridge since then – багато води спливло відтоді); c) in the substitution of a feature (or image) of the source lan­guage phraseological/idiomatic expression for some other (more fit­ting or traditionally expected) in the target language: as pale as pa­per – блідий мов стіна; d) in the generalization of the features of the source language idiomatic expression: one's own flesh and bone – рідна кровинка; e) in the concretization of some features of the original: a voice in the wilderness – глас у пустелі.