TRANSLATION EQUIVALENTSSince language units often function in their accepted meanings, many SL units have regular equivalents in the TL. Regular equivalents are divided into permanent and non-permanent (variable).
Some SL units have permanent equivalents, it means there is a one-to-one correspondence between such units and their equivalents in the TL. (ex. phoneme - фонема). This type of correspondence is found with proper and geographical names, technical terms and similar words whose meaning is more or less independent of any context. Ex. London – Лондон, Україна – Ukraine Other SL units may have several equivalents each, they are called non-permanent equivalents. This type of one-to-many correspondence is usual for the most regular equivalents. The existence of non-permanent equivalents implies the necessity of selecting one of them in the process of translation. Ex. execution – виконання, страта (here the word execution has at least two non-permanent equivalents – виконання, страта) According to the type of the language units involved, regular equivalents are divided into: Lexical - it can be both permanent and non-permanent Ex. Мазепа – Mazepa, the Ukr. word Мазепа has a permanent equivalent in the Eng. language - Mazepa) The choice of a non-permanent equivalent depends on the context in which the SL unit is used in the SLT. There are 2 types of context: 1. The linguistic context is made up by the other SL units in the SLT. Ex. політика – politics, policy (The Ukr.word ‘ політика’ is translated as ‘policy’ – in the context ‘зовнішня політика’ – ‘foreign policy’, ‘politics’ – in the context ‘іти в політику’ –‘ to go to politics’) 2. The situational context is made up by circumstances under which the SLT was produced. Ex. he gave me a ring – він подзвонив/зателефонував мені або він подарував мені каблучку
Phraseological units also have permanent and non-permanent equivalents. Permanent equivalents may be based on the same image or different images. Ex. to cross the Rubicon – and the Ukr.equivalent перейти Рубікон (is an example of the phraseological units based on the same image) to sink or swim – пан або пропав (is an example of the phraseological units based on the different images) Non-permanent equivalents: Ex.velvet paws hide sharp claws – м’яко стелять, твердо спати; слова ласкаві, думки лукаві; зовнішність оманлива
There are practically no permanent grammatical equivalents. Non-permanent equivalents in the sphere of grammar are usually analogous forms or different forms with similar meaning. Ex. He was a guest of honor at the reception given by the embassy – Він був почесним гостем на прийомі влаштованому в посольстві (here the Eng. Participle given may be translated as a Ukr. Participle влаштований or який було влаштовано – a subordinate attributive clause?) The use of occasional equivalents is much more common in grammar than in vocabulary. Ex. He was a guest of honor at the reception given by the embassy – Він був почесним гостем на прийомі в посольстві.
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