Conveying of Meanings of Specific Units of National Lexicon.

The choice of the way of conveying the denotative mean­ing of the units of national lexicon is strictly predetermined by definite factors which may be both of a lingual or extra-lingual nature. To these first of all belongs the semantic and structural complexity (or otherwise) of the units of specific national lexicon in the source language. Besides, the way of translating may also be predetermined by the specific notion being new and not yet known or by its long tradition of usage in the target language. The choice of the way of translating may partly be influenced by the sphere of circulation of a specific notion in the source language too. Last but not least the choice can also depend on the trans­lator himself and upon the aim or purpose of translating/ interpreting. One can consequently assume the existence of several ways оf conveying the lexical meaning of the units of national lexicon. Each of the ways is to be considered quite reliable if it provides for the faithful expression of the main and specific sense of the source language unit in the target language.

Since the nature, the structure, the sphere of employ­ment and the denotative meanings of different specific units of lexicon are rarely of the same “extension” their ways of trans­lating cannot be uniform either. Depending on the aforemen­tioned factors, the following ways of conveying the meaning of specific national lexicon units can be recognized as quite reliable:

 

Transcoding.

 

The national specific lexicon units whose mean­ings are conveyed this way usually belong to genuine internationalisms and comprise the social and political lexicon mainly:

It's a poor coloured wo­man's place and you are a grand gentleman from Cape Town. (P. Abrahams)

Це кімната для бідної кольорової жінки, а ти ж великий джентльмен із Кейптауна.

You're a supercilious half-baked snob. (Cronin)

Ти насправді зарозу­мілий і обмежений сноб.

Andrew put out some bot­tled beer and asked Christine to prepare sandwiches. (Ibid.)

Ендрю дістав кілька пляшок пива і попросив Крістін приготувати сендвічі.

In many a case the lingual form of a unit of specific national lexicon conveyed in transcription or transliteration cannot provide for a full expression of its lexical meaning. Then an additional explication of its sense becomes neces­sary. It happens when the unit of specific national lexicon is introduced in the target language for the first time or when it is not yet known to the broad public. The explanation may be given either in the translation/interpretation itself or in a footnote – when a lengthy explication becomes necessary.

They took her to the To­wer of London. (Jerome K. Jerome)

Вони показали їй ста­родавню лондонську форте­цюТауер.

A thousand dockers mar­ched down Whitehall to Downing Street yesterday to declare their protest against proposed changes in the dock labour scheme. (M. Star)

Учора тисяча докерів пройшла від Уайтхолу до Даунінг-Стріт у знак про­тесту проти пропонованих урядом змін у розпорядку їхньої праці.

As the dawn was just breaking he found herself close to Covent Garden. (0.Wilde)

Щойно почало розвидня­тися, а він уже був непо­далік від ринку Ковент-Гарден.

He said that Wall Street and Threadneedle Street bet­ween them could stop the universe. (R. Aldington)

Він сказав, що Уолл-Стріт і Треднідл-Стріт удвох спроможні зупинити всесвіт.

*Уайтхол – вулиця в центрі Лондона, де знаходяться урядові установи(переню уряд Великої Британії).

*Даунінг-Стріт №10 і11 відповідно резиденції прем`єр-міністра і лорда-канцлера Великої Британії.

*Треднідл-Стріт – вулиця в Сіті, де розташовано головні банки Великої Британії.

 

The combined translation is often resorted to when a sentence contains some specific notions:

У Києві чимало ресто­ранів та кафетеріїв, що спе­ціалізуються на приготу­ванні вареників, кулішу та інших страв.

A number of restaurants and cafeterias in Kyїv spe­cialize in varenyky (dump­lings), kulish (a thick meat stew) and other dishes. (News from Ukraine).

Anybody in this country can see that вареники are not simply dumplings i.e. small balls of dough which саn be cooked in soup or stew but dough wrapped around some salted/sweetish curd with fresh egg or mashed potatoes, fried sauerkraut, etc. boiled and served hot with butter and sour cream or fried bacon and onion respectively. Neither is куліш something like a thick meat stew. Besides, kulish not always and not in all regions of the Ukraine is pre­pared thick.

 

Descriptive translation.

 

For some reason or other the lingual form of a great number of units belonging to the national specific lexicon of the source language can not be conveyed in the target language. That happens mostly when transcoding would not help in expressing the sense of the spe­cific national unit, or when it might bring about an unne­cessary ambiguity in the target language narration/text: matron завгосп у навчальному закладі (суміщає економку і медсе­стру); Pilgrim Fathers перші колоністи з Англії, що прибули в 1620 р. до Північної Америки на вітрильнику “Мей Флауер”; prorogation офіційне розпорядження монарха про відновлення/закінчення сесії парламенту; quartermaster старшина стерновий у морській піхоті.

No need to emphasize that such lengthy explanations of specific notions are really needed in the text of a translation/interpretation Quite often an explanation in the target language text may be sufficient enough as in the following examples:

No coffins were available, so they wrapped George in a blanket and in the Union Jack. (R. Aldington)

У них не було домовин тож вони замотали Джорджа в ковдру та в прапор Великої Британії.

The Tommies were num­bered, formed fours, right turned and marched away.... (Ibid.)

Рядових солдатів порахували, вишикували по чотири, повернули праворуч і відвели геть.

I've got some shepherd's pie for lunch today – that you used to like so much. (A. Cronin)

Але ж я приготувала картопляну запіканку з м`ясом і цибулею, яку ти колись так любив.

He's upset because we don't run Jim Crow buses. (B. Gerry)

Він дуже засмутився, що в нас не ходять автобуси для негрів.

Усі бачили, як ми у церкві на рушник стали. (П. Мирний)

Everybody saw me and you being married in thе church

 

As we see the translation of the above sentences is not quite faithful. То convey the complexity of meaning, con­tained by the national lexicon units, footnotes may be used as well.

Translation Loans or Calques.

When the component parts of specific units of national lexicon themselves constitute their semantic meaning that is obvious a faithful translation can be achieved by calques: first (second, third) reading перше (друге, третє) читання (офіційне внесення законопроекту в англійський парламент); secondary grammar school середня граматична школа (Великобританія); стінгазета wall newspaper; сту­дентське наукове товариство Students' Scientific/Research Society;: Salvation Army (USA, Gr. Britain) Армія порятунку; the Order of the Garter/of the Bath орден Під­в'язки/Лазні; the Order of St. Michael and St. George орден св. Михаїла і св. Георгія; fan club клуб прихильників-yболівальників (артиста, спортсмена тощо).

And still in some cases these units lose their proper lexical meaning as well as their nationally specific nature. That happens because the real connotative meaning of the semes bearing the national peculiarity cannot be conveyed by these ways of translation. Say, the House of Lords when translated as будинок лордів completely changes the real meaning of the phrase as House here, when capitalized always preserves the connotative meaning of палата. So the House of Commons can be translated only as палата громад.

But the proper meaning of other specific units of national lexicon can be conveyed by way of regular translation of all or some of their component parts and an explanation of the denotative meaning in the source language. The combined approach in the treatment of this group of national lexicon units is called forth by the complexity of meaning of the source language units.

Therefore the conveying of meanings of these units practically involves two simultaneous performances. The first is a regular translation of the main, if not all, component parts and the next, which follows it, is a more or less full explanation of the essence of the specific national element in the source language. The extent of the explanat­ion in the target language is determined by the nature of the specific unit of national lexicon, by the purpose of translation, and also by the possibilities of the text in which the unit is used. In separate translation (out of a text) the explanation is practically unrestricted: Battle of Britain “ Битва за Англію ” (повітряні бої над територією Великої Британії, особливо в районі Лондона й Південної Англії в 1940—1941р.); bull's eye “бичаче око” (круглий різноколірний м'ятний льодяник); ginger ale імбірний ель, імбірне ситро (безалкогольний газований напій); inner Cabinet “внутрішній кабінет” (кабінет у вузькому складі, на чолі з прем'єр-міністром).

Such explanations cannot naturally be made in the text of a translation, so they are given usually in the footnotes:

“ Well, I can tell you anything that is in an Eng­lish bluebook, Harry. ” (O. Wilde)

“ Ну, я тобі можу розповісти все. що написанo в англійській “ Синій книзі”.

Labour Day was past, but summer still pressed down on the city. (M. Wil­son)

День Праці був позаду, а літо все ще панувало над містом.

Frances wanted very lit­tle: a salad, toast melba, no wine, only ice water. (A. Cronin)

Френсіс хотіла зовсім небагато: салат, грінки “мельба ”, без вина, тільки воду з льодом.

*”Синя книга” – збірка документів, що видається з санкції парламенту у синіх палітурках.

*”День праці” – офіційне свято в СШA (перший понеділок вересня).

*Салат на ім`я австралійської співачки Н.Мельба.

When the lexical meaning of the unit of specific national lexicon is not so complex it is usually explained in the target language text. The explanation, of course, is not always as exhaustive as it can be in a footnote:

Keep your fingers crossed for me! (M. Wilson)

Щоб мені була вдача, склади навхрест пальці!

I knew the Professor before he turned into a woolу West-Ender. (A. Cronin)

Я знав цього професора ще до того, як він став ба­гатієм аристократичного Уест-Енду.

Левкові чи не вперше за своє парубкування стало чомусь тоскно. (М. Стельмах)

It was probably for the first time in all his mature boyhood that Levko felt somewhat dull.

Згадав він поради свої... і сільські весілля, на яких він грав весільного батька. (М. Коцюбинський)

He recollected the pieces of advice he had once given... and the rural weddings at which he would perform the honorary duty of bride­groom's or bride's father.