Paraphrasing

 

When all other kinds of lexical and grammatical transformations fail, paraphrasing becomes indispensable. Paraphrasing implies rendering the content of the utterance by different semantic and grammatical units. This type of transformation is especially common in translating orders, commands, clichés and phraseological fusions but it is used in other cases, as well.

 

No parking (here) – Стоянка автомобилей запрещена.

No reason in the world to get upset.

Нет совершенно никаких оснований расстраиваться.

…the Germans proposed to surround all strongholds with deep minefields and fill up the country between them with mines whereas it was “tankable”.

(Desmond Young).

… немцы предполагали окружить все укрепленные пункты глубокими минными полями, а интервалы между ними всюду, где могли пройти танки – отдельными минами.

 

The absence of a corresponding suffix in the Russian language sometimes necessitates paraphrasing.

 

They (the demonstrators) had run into a solid wall of riot-equipped Washington policemen. (C.Bernstein and B.Woodward).

Участники демонстрации натолкнулись на сплошную стену вашингтонских полицейстих, специально снаряженных для борьбы с уличными беспорядками.

A compound adjective formed by the suffix –ed requires paraphrasing.

 

…”the Communists”, said Mr. Mc Lennan, “are illegally kept off the air”.

...«Коммунистов», сказал Мак Леннан, «совершенно незаконным образом лишают права выступать по радио».

 

This example fully reveals the nature of paraphrasing: the cliché “to keep off the air” is translated by a corresponding Russian cliché – лишать права выступать по радио, conveying the same idea by different grammatical and lexical means.

The five types of lexical transformations considered in this chapter: concretization, generalization, antonymic translation, metonymic translation and paraphrasing practically cover the field. Additions and omissions may be added to them.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

STYLISTIC PROBLEMS