Translation of Monosemantic Words

Monosemantic words are comparatively few in number. There are the following lexical group of monosemantic words: (1) antroponyms, (2) geographic names, (3) names of institutions, organisations, periodicals, (4) scientific and technological terms.

Monosemy is typical of numerals, names of months, days of the week, etc.

Rendering of Antroponyms

The function of antroponyms is purely nominative. They help to identify a person. There are two ways of rendering them: transcription and transliteration.

Transcription is now universally accepted. Mary - Мэри, Jack - Джек, Hailey - Хейли , etc. Tradition, however, still plays an important role. Some well-known names are rendered according to the tradition. Thus, it is George Bernard Show - Джордж Бернард Шоу (not Шо). King George is - король Георг, King Charles I - король Карл Первый.

Some "telling names" in fiction are translated:

Тяпкин-Ляпкин - Slap-Dash, Humpty-Dumpty - Шалтай-Болтай.

Rendering of Geographical Names

Tradition is very strong in rendering this group of words. They are often rendered according to the usage of earlier days, e.g. Dover ■ Дувр, Texas - Техас, Hull - Гулль, etc.

But in some cases the tradition has been abandoned in favour of transcription. So Virginia is now Вирджиния, not Виргиния, and Hull is often rendered as Халл. Extended names are often translated: the Cape of Good Hope - Мыс Доброй Надежды.

Rendering of the Names of Institutions. Periodicals, Hotels. Streets, etc.

These classes of proper names are usually transcribed, e.g.

General Motors - Дженерал Моторс, Times - Тайме. Hotel Carlton - отель «Карлтон», Bayswater Road - Байсуотер Роуд.

But the "telling names" of old inns as well as the names of streets in historical novels are translated; The Red Lion - гостиница «Красный Лев». The "Economist" publishing office is in Threadneedle street - редакция журнала «Экономист» помещается на Треднидл стрит, but "tailors lived in Threadneedle street" - портные жили на улице «Иголка с ниткой»