• Why did the author choose to set the story in a particular time and location?

• What are the unique characteristics of the setting? How might the story be different if set in another location or time period?

• How does the setting contribute to the overall theme of the work?

• How does the setting impact the developments of the story?

• How do the characters react to the environment they are in? Are they happy where they are? Do they seek to change the setting? Are they successful?

• Is the setting used as a metaphor or symbol for anything?

Theme Ultimately, the theme of the story is the most significant aspect of a literary work. The theme is what the work is about. What is the author trying to convey by writing the work? Fictional works are not random creations. The structure of the work, the characters, the plot, and the setting should all relate back to the central theme. The theme will not always be simple or obvious. In some cases, the reader has to infer the author's intentions by connecting various events and statements together to form a unifying image.

As you read the text, consider these questions regarding theme.

• What is the theme of the work?

• Is the theme explicitly stated? If so, where does this occur? If not, what events, actions, or statements reveal the theme?

• How do the various elements of the story (settings, plot, etc.) contribute to the theme?

• Is there more than one theme of the work? If so, which is the main theme?

Unit 10 Stylistics and translation

 Read information on the topic

The Trouble with Translation

Stylistic aspects are the most difficult in rendering while translating. The core of the problem lies in structural and semantic differences between languages. The words of one language seldom mean the same as the words of another. A translation, at best, conveys something similar to the original language. It tries to transfer meanings from one language to another. A translation doesn't usually take the same form as the original. Sometimes a noun can be translated by a noun, and a phrase can be translated by a phrase. As we can see, the idea of only one correct translation leads to problems.” It is both a matter of choice and a matter of style. Much depends on the circumstances—for example, whether the words were used in a formal or informal way.Some difficulties in translation may be connected with stylistic devices used in the original text. Some are connected with cultural differences.

 Make practical stylistic tasks

Many literary texts have a strong cultural background. Note the method of translating the fallowing realia

knocker - дверной молоток, дверное кольцо, которым стучат в дверь the flag of sculls and bones - флаг с черепом и перекрещенными костьми (пиратский флаг) scalps - скальпы

drawers - кальсоны (нижнее белье мужчины-аристократа XIX века) pinafore - передник (слюнявчик) wrap - шаль, плед (одежда, которую носят феи, маскируясь под цветы) skins of bears - шкуры медведей (в них одеты потерянные мальчишки)

asks grammar - спрашивать грамматику (т.е. правила построения английской речи) did not know A from Z - не умел отличить А от Z (А от Я) (А от Б) (т.е. первую букву от последней / от второй)

Queen Mab - королева Маб (в английском фольклоре и поэзии – повелительница фей, царица фантазии). Brownie - Брауни (традиционными героями шотландских народных преданий были сказочные существа – brownies; любознательные и добрые, они собирали урожай больному фермеру, молотили зерно, сбивали масло и пр., любили всяческие проделки)

 Make practical stylistic tasks

Stylistic value of the text often courses problems in translation. Comment on the way of preserving stylistic value of the original text in translation.

The sun descending in the west, The evening star does shine; The birds are silent in their nest, And I must seek for mine.	Заходит солнце, и звезда Сияет в вышине. Не слышно песен из гнезда. Пора уснуть и мне.
How sweet is the Shepherd’s sweet lot! From the morn to the evening he strays; He shall follow his sheep all the day, And his tongue shall be filled with praise	Как завиден удел твой, пастух. Ты встаешь, когда солнце встает, Гонишь кроткое стадо на луг И свирель твоя славу поет.
My mother bore me in the southern wild And I am black, but O! My soul is white White as an angel is the English But I am black, as if bereav’d of light («Негритенок»)	Там, где рожден я, - солнце и песок, И черен я, одна душа бела. Английский мальчик – белый ангелок, А негритянский – черная смола.
And all must love the human form, In heathen, Turk, or Jew Where Mercy, Love, and Pity There God is dwelling too. («По образу и подобию»)	И нехристь - тоже человек, И в том любви залог: Где Мир, Смиренье и Любовь, - Там, ведомо, сам Бог. («По образу и подобию»)
Merry, merry sparrow! Under leaves so green A happy blossom Sees you, swift as arrow Seek your cradle narrow Near my bosom. Pretty, pretty robin! Under leaves so green, A happy blossom Hears you sobbing, sobbing, Pretty, pretty robin, Near my bosom.	Стриж! Цветы прозрели. Видит нас цветок. Так лети же Ты, стрела без цели, К тесной колыбели, К сердцу ближе. Милая касатка! Слышит нас цветок. Так лети же Плакать сладко-сладко, Милая касатка, К сердцу ближе.
The sun descending in the west, The evening star does shine; The birds are silent in their nest, And I must seek for mine. The moon, like a flower, In heaven’s high bower, With silent delight Sits and smiles on the night.	Заходит солнце, и звезда Сияет в вышине. Не слышно песен из гнезда. Пора уснуть и мне. Луна цветком чудесным В своем саду небесном Глядит на мир, одетый в тьму, И улыбается ему.

 Make practical stylistic tasks

Evaluate this translation for stylistic colour of vocabulary. Offer your variants.

My dogs was pooped out. – Копыта мои отказали, skinner – шофер, screwy things - чудные штуки, for ducks – просто так, sling the bull – почесать язык, the broad – девка, trap – пасть, to hit the sun – жариться на солнце, to nut – раздолбать, lifer - отбывающий пожизненное заключение, jake – самогон, to make her – охмурить ее, workin’ up a kick in the pants - зарабатывает взбучку, to go stir-bugs – свихнуться в тюрьме, my jeans plumb fulla jack – штаны, набитые деньгами, in the tank – в тюрьме, I’d get canned – Меня уволят,sure as cowflops – наверняка.

 Make practical stylistic tasks

These puns pose a serious problem in translation. Analyze the mechanism of making a pun and offer a variant of translation.



The dairy’s sign

Hung from a beam—

“You can’t beat our milk,

But you can whip our cream.”

She wore her stockings inside out

All through the summer heat.

She said it cooled her off to turn

The hose upon her feet.



Jack laughed all through his operation,

Which made the doctor shake his head.

At last he called for an explanation.

“You’ve got me in stitches,” Jack said.



She said, “My work is never through.

I feed the ducks, I milk the cows,

And when there’s nothing else to &

I sit and knit my brows.”



It is dog’s delight to bark and bite

And little bird’s to sing,

And if you sit on a red-hot brick

It’s a sign of an early spring.



We’re not what we seam,

But that’s all right,”

Said the sewing machine

To the needle one night.



Is the baby king in our family?

You ask and want the details.

Well, no, the baby is surely not king—

He’s just the Prince of Wails.

 Collect data on other stylistic aspects

Take a popular translation and look at it from a critical point of view. Offer improvement.

 Material for independent study

This portion of the book is collected thanks to students’ creative work and research. You can continue it, making similar tasks on various stylistic topics:

 Make cribs to remember the terms of stylistics:

Personification,	or personification anthropomorphism is a figure of speech that gives non-humans and objects human traits and qualities.
Zeugma	(from the Greek word "ζεύγμα", meaning "yoke") is a figure of speech describing the joining of two or more parts of a sentence with a common verb or noun.
An oxymoron	(plural oxymora) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms.
A pun	(also known as paronomasia) is a figure of speech which consists of a deliberate confusion of similar words within a phrase or phrases for rhetorical effect, whether humorous or serious.
Hyperbole	is a figure of speech in which statements are exaggerated.

 Make a cross puzzle to remember the terms of stylistics:

				6
		9.
1							3
								10																			2
								R
								Y
																					4
																																			7
																	5
																																					8

HORISONTAL

1. One of the stylistic devices which is based on change of meaning in phraseological context. Here 2 word combinations with common element are combined to produce the combination of members and different meanings. 6 letters

4. One of the stylistic devises which give birth to drama and it demonstrated animals and their names in order to produce comedies about contemporary life were used. 6 letters

5. What style occupies 60% of vocabulary consists of words without any stylistic meaning. But in real speech they can occupy 100%. 6 letters

8. What kind of songs turned to lyrical, spoke about emotions and inner life of a person? 6 letters

9. Combination of several songs about single event. 4 letters

10. Turn of speech? In which new meaning arise from the combination of opposite in meaning words (For example: alive corpse, terrible beauty) 8 letters