3. Problems of genre and style in translation. Metaphors and idioms.

In the process of translation all the target text aspects are closely interrelated while the translator’s activity reminds the multi-processor computer as the grammar, lexical, stylistic and communicative information is processed simultaneously. Vocabulary and grammar are closely connected with genre-and-stylistic problems as, for example, the stylistic features include frequency of certain words usage as well as the use of certain grammar forms and structures. That is why separating out of lexical, terminological and genre-stylistic translation problems into one sphere is theoretically rather conventional and even unjustified. Still, while studying translation problems in teaching, analytical and some other kinds of activity it is worth considering those aspects separately.

Among the genre-stylistic difficulties of English scientific-technical texts translation into Ukrainian one should mention translating the metaphoric terms, various phraseological (idiomatic) items, clichés and the colloquial lexical items used in scientific-and-technical texts, genre peculiarities of scientific-technical texts (guides, technical documents, patents etc.).

The reasons for the existence of genre-and-stylistic problems of scientific-technical translation include the following:

- certain discrepancies in the stylistic and genre norms of the information presentation in the scientific-technical texts in English and Ukrainian;

- peculiarities of the use of words and fixed both figurative and non-figurative word combinations etc.

For example, the cases of translating fixed non-figurative phrases (those not containing certain expressive image):

In the same way the complex situation can be described with remarkable simplicity. Подібним чином цю складну ситуацію можна описати досить-таки просто.

In the course of time the opposite view began increasingly to assert itself. З часом все більше став утверджуватися протилежний погляд.

Metaphors. As to metaphors, they are usually divided into linguistic («trite») and speech (individual-authoring) ones. The translation equivalents of the first kind are usually fixed in dictionaries and reference books. In this case are not necessarily translated into Ukrainian by a metaphoric word.

1. So linguistic metaphors in the translation can be rendered by:

1) metaphoric word (coal basin – вугільний басейн, captain’s bridge – капітанський мостик etc.); 2) non-metaphoric word (altar – горизонтальний шельф, needle beard – крючок голки, bedroom – спальне купе etc.).

Sometimes while translating a linguistic metaphor a translator faces the choice between metaphoric and non-metaphoric equivalents. For example, a term logic family can be translated as серія логічних елементів, система логічних елементів, as well as родина логічних елементів. In such cases the choice of metaphoric or non-metaphoric version of translation is based on the general stylistic analysis of the target text.

2. Speech (non-linguistic) metaphors present more difficulties as it has no fixed equivalents in L2. Practically, it is semantic new formation. There are three ways of rendering such metaphoric words (including terms):

1) by a metaphoric word having the same or very close similarity character: guest – host – «гість – господар» (ефект у рідких кристалах), sawtooth wave – пилкоподібне коливання, snow (TV) – «сніг» (на екрані телевізора) etc.;

2) by a a metaphoric word having other figurativeness character (zapping – затирання (запису в пам’яті); tortoise – робокар etc.;

3) by a non-metaphoric word rendering only the English metaphoric word’s denotative meaning, not the figurative one: squirrel cage washer – роторно-елеваторна мийка машин, killed well – заглушена свердловина, bottleneck – критичний параметр (чинник) etc.

Figurative idioms. Phraseological elements are not quite typical for scientific-technical books and manuals; still they present some difficulties for translators especially for an inexperienced one.

Figurative idioms used in English scientific-technical texts are translated in the following ways:

1) by a full equivalents with an identical or similar structure, lexical items, stylistics and meaning: to read between the lines – читати між рядків, to cross the Rubicon – перейти Рубікон, to clip someone’s wings – підрізати комусь крила;

2) by a relative equivalent very similar to English one, but different in lexical items or grammar features: to play into someone’s hands – грати комусь на руку, to bear the air – носити воду решетом, to kill two birds with one stone – вбити двох зайців одразу;

3) by a loan translation method (English idiom is translated word-by-word): to acquire currency –набувати поширення, instrument of peace – інструмент миру, to have the last word – мати останнє слово;

4) descriptively (English idiom meaning is rendered non-figuratively): plain as a pikestaff – цілком зрозумілий, all in all – беручи все до уваги, to bear in mind – пам’ятати.

The main way of solving the abovementioned translation problems are: 1) proper identification of such problems, 2) knowledge and skills in using adequate ways and techniques of translating lexical items, word combinations and idioms, 3) pragmatic adaptation of the source text in the course of translation, 4) developing stable skills of overcoming various lexical, terminological and stylistic problems of translation having in view the literary norms of Ukrainian and genre norms of L2 cultural basis.