Cognitive interpretation of phraseological units

Partial equivalent
partial lexical equivalent
1) “ I'dhaveyoutoknow , Iscornyourwords .”
“Well, but scornful dogs will eat dirty puddings” ( J.Swift , “Polite Conversation”).
- I'll tell you straight: I don't give a damn about your words.
- Well, don't spit in the well, you'll need some water to drink.
When comparing the phraseological units of English and Russian texts, cases are interesting that differ in different figurativeness. The following example is an excellent example of this statement .
2)“ To put it blantly , it doesn't do to cry stinking fish , but as one old friend to another I don't give a snap of the fingers for Lawrie's opinion. He's a pompous ass!” ( AJCronin “Hatter's Castle” Book 3, ch. vi)
- Frankly speaking, I would not make dirty linen for you from the hut , but I will tell you as a friend, Lori's opinion is not worth a damn for me. He is a snobby donkey .
3)“ I can marry the person I want, I guess. And if I can't do it here, well there are more ways than one to kill a cat .” ( Th . Dreiser , “ An American tragedy ")
“I suppose I can marry whoever I want. And if I can't do it here, well, the world hasn't converged like a wedge.
In the above translations, the translators used partial lexical equivalents in relation to English phraseological units. There is a coincidence in meaning, stylistic orientation, but differing in different figurativeness.
4)“ When the dance ended, they stopped just by the spot where miss Cecwick was sitting. Florence and Dorothy were both dancing, but Jeremy who did not dance was standing by her looking surly as a bear with a sore head.” ( H.Haggard , “ The witch's head )
- When the dance was over, they stopped, just at the place where Miss Cheswick sat , Florena and Dorothy, both dancing, and Jeremy, who did not dance, but stood near her, pouting like an owl.
The translators used partial equivalents in relation to English phraseological units, coinciding in meaning, stylistic orientation and similar in figurativeness, but somewhat diverging in lexical composition.
1)“ He said he… didn't believe in punishing a man for his activities on behalf of the workers, and that if I would show up at the traving dock he would give me a job. I never looked a gift horse in the mouth , and jumped at this chance of getting back into the shipyard again.” ( H.Pollitt , “ Serving My Time ", ch . vi)
“He told me that… he condemned the punishment of people for their work in defense of the workers, while adding that if I went to the Graving Dock , he would get me a job. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and I immediately jumped at the opportunity at the shipyard.
Here there is a coincidence in meaning, stylistic orientation, figurativeness, but these phraseological units differ in their grammatical structure (replacing PastSimple with PresentSimple , also replacing the phraseological unit of FL in TL with an impersonal sentence).
2) “Therefore T proposed to the children that they should come in and be very good at my table, and I'd tell them the story of little Red Riding Hood while I dressed; which they did, and were as quiet as a mouse , including Peepy , who awoke opportunely before the appearance of the wolf.” ( Ch.Dickens , “ The Black House ”, ch.IV )
- Therefore, I suggested that the children come into my room and sit quietly at my table while I change clothes and tell the tale of the little red riding hood, to which they agreed and, upon entering, behaved as quietly as mice, every single one, even Pishchik, who woke up in time - even before the appearance of the wolf.
This example draws attention to the fact that the translator boldly used a partial grammatical equivalent in the Russian text. There is a coincidence of English phraseology with Russian in meaning, figurativeness, stylistic orientation, but differing in number.
" Overtone Translation "
1)“ You ought to know the best” he said, “but if you want to divorce it's not very wise to go seeing her, is it? One can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.” ( J.Galsworthy " In Chancery ” pI , ch . thirteen)
“You know better,” he said, “but if you want a divorce, it is hardly wise to visit her. You can not be both a hunter and a game at the same time.
2)“ First , I thought I'd leave France . But the governor would say, “Hello, here – didn't see anything in France ?! That cat won't fight , you know” ( M.Twain , “The Innocent Abroad”)
- At first I thought about leaving France, but my father told me - listen, you never saw anything in France, this, you know, is no good.
3) He toyed with the idea of staying pemahen with the occupation army- better to be a big fish in a small pond than a minnow in the ocean.
-He even thought about staying in the occupying army forever. Better to be a pike in a pond than a crucian in the ocean.
Phraseological unit cook your own goose translates to destroy yourself, That cat wo n't fight - this number will not work, that's not the point.
A big fish in a little pond - the fish is large because the pond is small.
Since “overtone” translations are considered the most difficult cases of translation, therefore, in these examples, translators had to find a kind of occasional equivalent used to translate phraseological units only in this context.
Descriptive translation
1) “ She didn't give you a lot of horse manure about what a great guy her father was.” ( J. Salinger “ The Catcher In The Rye ”)
- She didn't really brag about what a wonderful daddy she had.
A rough phraseological unit in the FL and a translation in the TL that has lost its expressiveness and stylistic attachment.
2) Horwits drove off like a bat out of hell. ( J. Salinger “The Catcher In The Rye”)
- Horwitz rushed as if the devils were chasing him.
3)“ O, man, let's say no more about it! We're , neither of us to men to the other - that's the truth! We must just bear and forbear, man, Alan.” ( RLStevenson , “Kidnapped, ch. XXIV)
- Buddy, enough about that. Both of us are good, what is there! What is such it is necessary to accept each other, my dear Alan.
4) We didn't know who would put him this question when my friend offered to bell the cat.
We didn't know who was asking this question when my friend took the lead in this risky business.
5)I simply told Stephen that the only way to do business with out. Bilmeyer was to bear the lion in his den. (ES Garden, the PA Calls as Turn, ch. x).
- I just told Stephen that Bielmeyer can only be dealt with if you act boldly and decisively.
6)“ Clubs are matter of taste. You like a cock-and-hen club. I don't." (B. Show, “The Philanderer”, act I).
- Clubs are a matter of taste. You like mixed clubs, but I don't.
7) Miss Ingram, who had seated with proud grace at the piano. Commenced a brilliant prelude… She appeared to be on the high horse tonight ( ch. Bronte , JaneEyre )
-Miss Ingram , seating herself at the piano with proud grace... played a bravura introduction, she seemed to be holding herself haughtily that evening.
The authors of these translations explained the meaning of phraseological units with the help of free combinations.
Literal translation
“Suddenly Sugar screwed up his face in pain and grabbing one foot in his hands, hopped around like a cat on hot bricks . ”
- Suddenly he grimaced all over in pain and, clutching his leg, jumped up and down like a cat on red-hot bricks.
This way of translating the word hot - red-hot is ideal for translating this word in this context, as it gives this statement expressiveness.
“One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has nine lives.” ( M.Twain “ Pudd'n head Wilson " ch . VII)
- One of the essential differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has nine lives.
“They fight among each other like the famous Kilkenny cats.”
- They fight among themselves like the famous Kilkenny cats, from which only tails remained.
The expression goes back to the legend of the fierce fight between Kilkenny and Irish towns in the 17th century, which led to their ruin. However, without comment, the Kilkenny phraseological unit is hardly cats is fully understandable in translation. Since this phraseological unit is not known to the Russian-speaking reader and the translator preserves the national character of the English language and ensures the understanding of this phraseological unit with the help of the author's addition - "of which only tails remain."
It should be noted that the number of phraseological units with a zoomorphism component cannot be counted. Therefore, the figure indicated in this thesis is very relative, since it includes the most striking phraseological units that are distinguished by expressiveness and national-ethnic character.