UNITS OF TRANSLATION
Since the formal description of any language is based on distinguishing a system of interrelated language units, it is possible to assume that the process of translation may be viewed on the basis of distinguishing certain units (units of translation). There are different approaches to distinguishing units of translation.
APPROACH # 1 The unit of translation is the smallest unit of the SL text, functioning in the process of translation more or less independently. The units of translation may be different for different languages and different kinds of translation. There are 2 kinds of translation: written and oral. In written translation the unit of translation is usually represented by a sentence or sometimes 2 consecutive sentences – if one of them is structurally or semantically incomplete. These sentences usually contain all the information necessary to recreate the structure of a corresponding sentence in the TL. The sentence – is a speech unit which contains a more or less complete thought and that is why it may function more or less independently in the process of translation. ex. After all they all have day jobs. Not so Seed. – Зрештою, у них у всіх є робота, окрім Сіда. (the 2nd sentence is incomplete) Your presence at the meeting is not necessa ry. N or is it desirable. – Ваша присутність на зустрічі є необов’язковою і навіть небажаною. In oral translation, especially synchronized translation, the unit of translation is usually represented by a sense group (a group of words, which expresses the main idea) or a sentence, especially if elements important for understanding are located at the end of the sentence. ex. Mediators from 3 west African ECOWAS nations planned today to visit rebels in Ivory Coast as France flew in 70 more soldiers to assist the Ivorian government. – Сьогодні посередники від 3 африканських країн-членів ЕКОВАС планували зустрітися з повстанцями в Кот-д’Івуарі. В той час як Франція відрядила до країни ще 70 військових на допомогу івуарійському урядові. (This sentence represents 2 units of translation, since it consists of 2 sence groups. The 1st unit of tr. is..., the 2nd - …)
APPROACH # 2 (= LEVELS OF TRANSLATION) The unit of translation is the smallest SL unit which is translated as a whole. It means that in the TLT it is impossible to discover TL units reproducing the meaning of the constituents, which make up the SL unit. ex. pretty woman – красунечка (не можна віднайти безпосереднього відбиття лексичних одиниць) help yourself – пригощайтеся (translated as a whole) Each unit of translation belongs to a certain language level. So, every translation is performed at a definite language level. The phoneme level The phoneme – is a speech sound, the smallest 1-facet language unit, it has a form but has no meaning. This unit of translation is mainly relevant to the translation of proper names, geographical names, internationalisms, units of specific national lexicon and neologisms. Bush – Буш (а не Кущ), гривня – hryvnia, dollar – долар, computer – комп’ютер, вареники – varenyky The morpheme level The morpheme – is the smallest indivisible 2-facet language unit (has both form and meaning). It is the smallest sense unit. superprofit – надприбуток, cloudless – безхмарний The word level The word – is the basic 2-facet language unit. The word is the smallest independent sense unit. Words are divisible (for morphemes). blackboard – дошка (- if translated at a word level, if translated as чорна дошка – it is a morpheme level) strawberry – полуниця, dog – собака The word-combination level The word-combination – is the largest 2-facet lexical unit comprising more that 1 word. first night – прем’єра to come up roses – чудово виходити The sentence level The sentence – a 2-facet speech unit which conveys a more or less complete thought.The sentence may express a statement,a command or a question. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. – Немає лиха без добра. A cat may look at a king. – Дивитися не заборонено. Будь здоров! – Bless you! The text level The text – is the largest 2-facet language unit, consisting of sentences bound by the same idea. This unit of translation may function in poetry.
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