Imagery in Translation

• Read the source text aloud by parts to feel the rhythmic pattern and intonation. Compare them with how the text sounds in translation.

• Note the points most difficult for translation. Comment upon them.

• What do you think about the choice of the Russian pro­ noun for "you" in Jerry's speech: should it be «ты» or «вы»? Give your reasons.

• Do the Russian words «мистер» and «сэр» sound prop­ er in the Russian text? Do they match the situation and charac­ ters?

Task for translation:

THE ZOO STORY Jerry: It's — it's a nice day. (Peter stares unnecessarily at the sky.) Peter: Yes. Yes, it is; lovely. Jerry: I've been to the Zoo. Peter: Yes, I think you said so — didn't you?

Jerry: You'll read about it in the papers tomorrow, if you don't see it on your TV tonight. You have TV, haven't you?

Peter: Why, yes, we have two; one for the children.

Jerry: You are married!

Peter (with pleased emphasis): Why, certainly.

Jerry: It isn't a law, for God's sake.

Peter: No — no, of course not.

Jerry: And you have a wife.

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Yes.

Peter {bewildered by the seeming lack of communication):

Jerry: And you have children.

Peter: Yes; two.

Jerry: Boys?

Peter: No, girls — both girls.

Jerry: But you wanted boys.

Peter: Well — naturally, every man wants a son, but...

bles?

Jerry {lightly mocking): But that's the way the cookie crum-

Peter {annoyed): I wasn't going to say that.

Jerry: And you're not going to have any more kids, are

you?

Peter {a bit distantly): No. No more. {Then back, and irk­some) Why did you say that? How would you know about that?

Jerry: The way you cross your legs, perhaps; something in the voice. Or maybe I'm just guessing. Is it your wife?

Peter {furiously): That's none of your business! {He paus­es) Do you understand? {Jerry nods. Quietly.) Well, you're right. We'll have no more children.

Jerry {softly): This is the way the cookie crumbles. Peter (forgiving): Yes — I guess so.

Imagery in Translation

EXERCISES FOR TRANSLATION

• Analyse the situation and think of the relationship be­ tween the two men. How is it reflected in their speech?

• Read the text aloud by parts and vary the rhythm and intonation. Are short and long sentences of the same functional value?

• Analyse lexical, syntactical and stylistic peculiarities of the conversation. Note the most difficult points for translation.

• Study idioms and slang phrases in Jerry's speech and con­ sider different variants of their translation.

• Study elliptical sentences and their functions in the text. Think of possible Russian substitutions for them.

• Select a strategy of translation: will you follow the se­ mantic or functional method? How would you like the Russian text to sound?

• Choose a way to reconstruct the choice of words in trans­ lation.

• Choose a way to transform the sentence structures when necessary.

• Think of the expressive role of the words about "the Zoo" in the text. How should they be presented in Russian?

• Decide on the choice of stylistic transformations in Rus­ sian according to the character and mood of the personages.

• Read your translation aloud by parts and compare its sounding with the source text.

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