Научная статья на тему 'English media texts: the specific features of translation into Russian'

English media texts: the specific features of translation into Russian Текст научной статьи по специальности «Языкознание и литературоведение»

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МЕДИАТЕКСТ / ПЕРЕВОД / МЕТОДЫ ПЕРЕВОДА / ПЕРЕВОДЧЕСКИЕ ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ / MEDIA TEXT / TRANSLATION / METHODS OF TRANSLATION / TRANSLATION TRANSFORMATIONS

Аннотация научной статьи по языкознанию и литературоведению, автор научной работы — Polyakova L.S., Antropova L.I., Yuzhakova Yu.V., Zalavina T.Yu.

The article presents the insight into the specifics of translation of a media text to English, which plays a central role in the existence of a national language in the contemporary world. The authors distinguish the linguistic and stylistic features of the media text that make it different from other functional language styles and state that these linguistic features mainly determine the specificity of translation of the media text. The authors also fulfill an analysis of the means of translation from Russian into English with reference to transformations based on the article “Putin-Medvedev: Russia’s Managed Drama”. The paper outlines the most promising methods typical for the translation of media texts. The authors distinguish the characteristics of the translation transformations, describe the rules that ensure a good translation of media text. The methods of translation of a media English text into Russian are suggested.

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АНГЛИЙСКИЕ МЕДИАТЕКСТЫ: ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПЕРЕВОДА НА РУССКИЙ ЯЗЫК

Статья представляет собой обзор особенностей перевода, присущих английскому медиатексту, который в современных условиях занимает одно из центральных мест бытования национального языка. Авторы приводят лингвостилистические особенности медиатекста, которые отличают его от языка других функциональных стилей и во многом определяют специфику перевода медиатекста. Также авторами проводится анализ приемов перевода трансформаций с английского языка на русский на примере статьи «Putin Medvedev: Russia’s Managed Drama». В статье приведены наиболее перспективные способы перевода, которые используются для перевода медийных текстов. Авторы выделяют особенности переводческих трансформаций; приводят описание их закономерностей, которые направлены на адекватный перевод медиатекстов. Также приводятся способы перевода англоязычного медийного текста на русский язык.

Текст научной работы на тему «English media texts: the specific features of translation into Russian»

References

1. Pozhidaeva O.V. Stereotipy vospriyatiya i puti ih preodoleniya: obraz Rossii, Kol'skogo Severa v nekotoryh proizvedeniyah Skandinavskoj i Finskoj literatury XXI veka. Russkij yazyk iliteratura v prostranstve mirovoj kul'tury: Materialy XIII Kongressa MAPRYaL. V 15 tomah. 2015; T. 3: 129 - 135.

2. Pozhidaeva O.V. Mezhdunarodnoe sotrudnichestvo na o. Shpicbergen: fakty istorii i literaturnyj mif (nad stranicami knigi h. flegstada "Piramida"). Rossiya v global'nom mire. 2017; 10 (33): 16 - 26.

3. Alekseeva V.N. Associativnoepole sovetizmov 1920- 1930 gg. (Na materiale angloyazychnyh izdanijromana «Master i Margarita» M.A. Bulgakova). Dissertaciya ... kandidata filologicheskih nauk. Yaroslavl', 2016.

4. Matveeva T.V. Polnyj slovar' lingvisticheskih terminov. Rostov-na-Donu: Feniks, 2010.

5. Lotman Yu.M. Kultura i vzryv. Moskva: Gnozis; Izdatel'skaya gruppa «Progress», 1992.

6. Bulgakov M. Mästaren och Margarita. Stockholm, Norstedts Förlag, 2002.

7. Svenska Akademiens Ordbok. Available at: https://www.saob.se/artikel/?seek=kulak&pz=1

8. Bulgakov M.A. Romany: Belaya gvardiya. Teatral'nyj roman. Master i Margarita. Moskva: Sovremennik, 1987.

9. National encyklopedins ordbok. Utarbetad vid Sprakdata Göteborgs Universitet. Belgien, 2000.

10. Ozhegov S.I. Slovar'russkogoyazyka: ok. 57 000 slov. Pod. red. chl.-korr. AN SSSR N.Yu. Shvedovoj. 17-e izd., stereotip. Moskva: Rus. yaz. 1985.

11. Ozhegov S.I., Shvedova N.Yu. Tolkovyj slovar' russkogo yazyka: 80 000 slov i frazeologicheskih vyrazhenij. 4-e izd., dop. Moskva: OOO «A TEMP», 2006.

12. Lotman Yu.M. Vnutri myslyaschih mirov. Sankt-Peterburg: Azbuka, Azbuka-Attikus, 2016.

13. Bart R. Izbrannyeraboty: Semiotika. Po'etika. Perevod s francuzskogo. Sost., obsch. red. i vstup. st. G.K. Kosikova. Moskva: Progress: Univers, 1994.

14. Berkov V.P. Dvuyazychnaya leksikografiya i real'nost' (Prozaicheskie soobrazheniya po vyhode Bol'shogo norvezhsko-russkogo slovarya). Skandinavskaya filologiya. 2004; Vypusk 7: 9 - 19.

Статья поступила в редакцию 10.04.19

УДК 81-26

Polyakova L.S., Cand. of Sciences (Philology), senior lecturer, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia), E-mail: lilitmgn@mail.ru Antropova L.I., Doctor of Sciences (Philology), Professor, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia), E-mail: alitier@mail.ru Yuzhakova Yu.V, Cand. of Sciences (Philology), senior lecturer, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia), E-mail: julia_south@mail.ru

Zalavina T.Yu., Cand. of Sciences (Philology), senior lecturer, Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University (Magnitogorsk, Russia), E-mail: tania_mgn@rambler.ru

ENGLISH MEDIA TEXTS: THE SPECIFIC FEATURES OF TRANSLATION INTO RUSSIAN. The article presents the insight into the specifics of translation of a media text to English, which plays a central role in the existence of a national language in the contemporary world. The authors distinguish the linguistic and stylistic features of the media text that make it different from other functional language styles and state that these linguistic features mainly determine the specificity of translation of the media text. The authors also fulfill an analysis of the means of translation from Russian into English with reference to transformations based on the article "Putin-Medvedev: Russia's Managed Drama". The paper outlines the most promising methods typical for the translation of media texts. The authors distinguish the characteristics of the translation transformations, describe the rules that ensure a good translation of media text. The methods of translation of a media English text into Russian are suggested.

Key words: media text, translation, methods of translation, translation transformations.

Л.С. Полякова, канд. филол. наук, доц., Магнитогорский государственный технический университет им. Г.И. Носова, E-mail: lilitmgn@mail.ru Л.И. Антропова, д-р филол. наук, проф., Магнитогорский государственный технический университет им. Г.И. Носова, г. Магнитогорск, E-mail: alitier@mail.ru

Ю.В. Южакова, канд. филол. наук, доц., Магнитогорский государственный технический университет им. Г.И. Носова, E-mail: julia_south@mail.ru Т.Ю. Залавина, канд. филол. наук, доц., Магнитогорский государственный технический университет им. Г.И. Носова, E-mail: tania_mgn@rambler.ru

АНГЛИЙСКИЕ МЕДИАТЕКСТЫ: ОСОБЕННОСТИ ПЕРЕВОДА НА РУССКИЙ ЯЗЫК

Статья представляет собой обзор особенностей перевода, присущих английскому медиатексту, который в современных условиях занимает одно из центральных мест бытования национального языка. Авторы приводят лингвостилистические особенности медиатекста, которые отличают его от языка других функциональных стилей и во многом определяют специфику перевода медиатекста. Также авторами проводится анализ приемов перевода трансформаций с английского языка на русский на примере статьи «Putin - Medvedev: Russia's Managed Drama». В статье приведены наиболее перспективные способы перевода, которые используются для перевода медийных текстов. Авторы выделяют особенности переводческих трансформаций; приводят описание их закономерностей, которые направлены на адекватный перевод медиатекстов. Также приводятся способы перевода англоязычного медийного текста на русский язык.

Ключевые слова: медиатекст, перевод, методы перевода, переводческие трансформации.

In the contemporary world a media text plays a central role in the existence of a national language and its knowledge helps us identify the peculiarities of the modern language. Moreover, nowadays the linguotranslation study of transformation functioning acquires special importance, that can be explained by the growing interest to foreign languages, which makes the problem of transformation study relevant. The aim of our paper is to identify the methods of translation transformations which are used in the translation of English media texts into Russian language.

The material for our research was the Russian version of the article "Putin -Medvedev: Russia's Managed Drama" [1], published on the website of the British newspaper "Open Democracy [2]. The scientific novelty of the study is based on the fact that the technique of translation transformations of media texts is being exposed to the comparative analysis.

Among the linguistic and stylistic features of the media text that make it different from other functional language styles, can be distinguished: 1) expressiveness of the language as a means to attract the attention of the reader, 2) a high degree of standardization of the used linguistic means, 3) the abundance of diverse realities (political, public and cultural life), quotations and allusions [3], 4) the use of phraseology and idiomatic vocabulary (as well as: word games, puns, proverbs and sayings), 5) the use of other stylistic means, techniques, and figures of speech (figurative comparisons,

hyperbole, metaphor, metonymy, litoty, paronymic attraction, euphemisms, allegory, etc.) [4]. As these linguistic peculiarities mainly determine the specificity of translation of a media text, the translator should be familiar with them before he starts working on the translation of the text [5].

A rather bright example of using translation transformations is the Russian version of the article "Putin-Medvedev: Russia's Managed Drama" published on the website of the British newspaper "Open Democracy" [2]. The translation of the abovementioned article can be found on the site INOSMI [1] under the title «Вопрос о престолонаследии в России» -"The issue of the succession in Russia".

Even without the analysis of the titles of these two articles, we can see that in the Russian-language version of the article the title is substituted completely: compare the English variant "Putin-Medvedev: Russia's Managed Drama" that literally can be translated as "Putin-Medvedev: Russian staging" and the Russian version of the title "The issue of succession in Russia" («Вопрос о престолонаследии в России»).

A complete substitution of the title can be explained by the need to realize the main function of any title - to attract the reader's attention in the most efficient way. Since the original text and its translation are targeted at different audiences from historical and cultural viewpoint (English-speaking and Russian-speaking audiences), the linguistic means are used in the above headlines are quite different. In the English

version, the situation is described with the aid of the nominative construction Russia's Managed Drama, which presupposes staging and the theatrical transfer of power in Russia, revealing the similarity of this process with the stage performance. Similar nominative constructions, metaphors that vividly and at the same time briefly describe the content of the article are often used as the headlines in the English-language media. This way of presenting the information allows the translator to achieve the impact functions of the text: the attracting of the readers' attention. The Russian-language version of the title " The Question of the Succession to the Throne in Russia", which has a similar form to the title of a scientific article, claims to appeal to a thoughtful reader who is good at History, i.e. a person who considers himself to be an intellectual. The use of the lexical unit of Succession to the Throne implies the inheritance of power and the absence of democratic procedures for the transfer of power in Russia.

Thus, both versions of the title imply the idea that the transfer of inheritance of power in Russia is rather a formal procedure, not a real one. Moreover, different metaphors are being use to convey this idea to the addressee. For the English-speaking readers, the transfer of power in Russia is a staged performance, for the Russian-speaking readers, it is a succession to the throne. However, both metaphors under consideration have negative connotations in the context.

The total substitution of the title takes place with the aim of attracting reader's attention and influence different audiences with different worldviews and different value orientations.

In 2012 Russia will hold its presidential election. В 2012 году в России должны состояться президентские выборы, в которых будут участвовать несколько претендентов.

In the English version of the text the noun Russia (Россия) is used in the function of the subject, which is the agent of the action will hold (будет проводить). A simple predicate will hold expresses an action planned for the future. In the Russian-language version the basis of the sentence constitute the subject президентские выборы -presidential elections and a compound predicate with the modal verb «должны состояться» - "must take place". The use of the modal verb gives the whole sentence the indicated modality, but not certainty that the event actually takes place.

On the example of this sentence we can consider another transformation, namely, the expanding of the sentence at the expense of adding the subordinate attributive clause. The additional information is drawn from the subordinate attributive clause from the original text and is used for the logical transition to other sentences, which inform us about the presidential candidates.

The second-rung candidates are already reasonably clear. Второстепенные кандидаты известны.

Here the translator has omitted the words «already, reasonably», which do not bear any significant meaning.

Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Russian Communist Party (KPRF) declared his intention to stand early on; Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Russian Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) is likely to join him. - Уже заявил о своем желании участвовать в выборах Геннадий Зюганов, лидер Коммунистической партии Российской Федерации (КПРФ). Скорее всего, примет участие и лидер Либерально-демократической партии России (ЛДПР), Владимир Жириновский.

When translating this sentence, the syntactic transformation of changing the structure of the sentence was used. One sentence from the English version is divided into two separate sentences in the Russian variant. In the original text, the author specifies the candidates in one sentence. The translator makes another independent sentence and starts it with the words «Скорее всего, примет участие и...» - will likely take part in, while in the original text this sentence begins with the candidate's name.

Attention should also be paid to the word order of the translated sentences. In the English version, the direct word order is used, complicated by oppositions: Gen-

to stand early on; Vladimir Zhirinovsky, lsade[oitheBu§si§nLib§ralDS№3cr3iicParty (LDPR is likely to join him.

In the Russian version, the reverse word order and other oppositions are used: Уже заявил о своем желании участвовать в выборах Геннадий Зюганов, лиде&

Скорее всего,

примет участие и лидер Либерально-демократической партии России (ЛДПР),

ВладижЖуджвт.

The reverse word order in the Russian version can be explained by the rule of dividing the sentences in the Russian language into a topic and a comment, i.e. old and new information. As a rule, the well-known information is given at the beginning of the sentence, and new one - at the end.

Replacing the opposition of Vladimir Zhirinovsky, lgaderfheRsssnLlbt sLDemociatic^PsrjyJLDSRl with лидер Либерально-демократической партии России (ЛДПР), ВладУШ.ЖШHдвCШ. has no specific significance and is probably used to avoid the structural monotony of the sentences under consideration. In Russian, it is customary to avoid all sorts of repetitions, unless they have a special meaning.

Both politicians head parliamentary parties that are more or less controlled by the authorities. - Оба они возглавляют партии, представленные в парламенте страны и в основном контролируемые российскими властями.

In this sentence the transformation of expanding the text was applied through the use of a participial modifier представленные в парламенте - represented in the

Parliament, which was not used in the original text and which specifies noun партии -parties. The word politicians was omitted from the phrase both politicians in translation as it does not have any significant meaning, it is understood from context of the text. We can find another syntactic transformation in this sentence, in the form of replacing the attributive clause that are more or less controlled by the authorities with the participle clause в основном контролируемые российскими властями - generally controlled by the Russian authorities. Another conversion is the compression of the phrase more or less to в основном - generally.

Both took part in the last set of presidential elections, gaining 18% and 9.5% of the votes respectively. - Оба участвовали в предыдущих выборах, в 2008 году, и набрали 18% и 9,5% голосов, соответственно.

In the translation variant of this sentence the expansion and the omission of some lexical units take place that is some lexical transformations are being used. In the translation of the phrase in the last set of presidential elections instead of the word combination in the last set of a word предыдущих - previous was used, that is a phrase in the last set of is omitted in the translation variant of the text. However, the translator specifies the translation в 2008 году - in 2008, adding a word year in the Russian variant which was not used in the original article. These transformations do not imply the loss or the changes in the meaning of the sentence. Grammatical transformation occurs when translating an adverbial participle gaining into Russian language with the word набрали.

Alongside these candidates, it is possible that another second-rung politician will also be allowed to run, such as Andrey Bogdanov did in the 2008 elections (he took 1.3% of the vote). - Вполне возможно, что будет допущен какой-нибудь второстепенный и малоизвестный политик, вроде Андрея Богданова, который участвовал в выборах 2008 года и набрал 1,3% голосов.

When translating the above sentence, the introductory construction alongside these candidates has been omitted. The part it is possible that another second-rung politician will also be allowed to run has undergone several transformations as well. First, it is reordering of the parts of the sentence. In the original, the above part of the sentence begins with the words another second-rung politician, but in translation this expression is transferred closer to the end of the considered part, and the phrase будет допущен (will be allowed) is moved to the beginning of the sentence, which corresponds to the norms of the Russian language (the above mentioned actual division of the sentence). In the same sentence, a lexical extension is applied: the word малоизвестный (little-known) is used, which is absent in the original.

The translation of the second part of the sentence, such as Andrey Bogdanov did in the 2008 elections (he took 1,3% of the vote), contains a syntactic transformation in the form of attributive clause adding and deletion of the brackets from the sentence: который участвовал в выборах 2008 года и набрал 1,3% голосов.

All the above transformations do not lead to a change in the meaning of the sentence and perform mainly a stylistic function.

But what there cannot be is the prospect of a genuine opposition candidate taking part: Russian legislation on political parties and elections virtually eliminates this possibility. - Такую возможность российское законодательство о партиях и выборах практически исключает.

In the above case, the compression of the sentence is quite obvious. The author completely omits the emphatic construction characteristic of the English language: But what there cannot be is the prospect of a genuine opposition candidate taking part. The rest of the sentence is translated almost without any transformation, with the exception of transferring the phrase такую возможность (this possibility) from the end of the sentence to the very beginning (reordering transformation).

Instead the main question surrounding the Russian elections of 2012 is the question of succession: which of the current president (Dmitry Medvedev) and current prime minister (Vladimir Putin) will be chosen as the official government candidate. - Поэтому главный вопрос, касающийся российских выборов 2012 года - это вопрос о том, кто будет официальным кандидатом, действующий президент Дмитрий Медведев или действующий премьер-министр Владимир Путин, который занимал президентский пост с 2000 до начала 2008 года.

The translated first part of the sentence is almost unchanged. The only exception is conveying the phrase question of succession, which has been translated into Russian in the following way: «вопрос о том». The second part of the sentence has undergone grammatical and syntactic transformations. The translator swaps parts of the sentence. In the original, the words of the official government candidate are at the beginning of the sentence, in the translation they are transferred to the end; the word government is omitted. In addition, the translator changes the predicate's voice from the passive, will be chosen, to the active, будет.

Summarizing this analysis, the following conclusions can be made: the most frequently used syntactic transformation is a change in the structure of the sentence due to the division of a sentence into two separate sentences, and also the conversion of the participle constructions into subordinate sentences (and vice versa) takes place. The most widely used grammatical transformations are the changes of the verb forms (tense, voice, mood) which serve to perform a stylistic function. The most frequently used technique among the lexical transformations is the method of descriptive translation. In our opinion, the choice of the translation transformations, as well as their frequency in the translation mainly depend on the personal style of the translator.

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