CC BY
129ФИЛОЛОГИЯ
(специальность: 10.02.19)
УДК 81
Irina V. Samarina, Irina I. Starodubtseva
Southern federal university Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation ivsamarina@sfedu.ru
DOI: 10.18522/2070-1403-2020-82-5-229-237
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES IN THE OFFICIAL STYLE (ON THE MATERIAL OF BUSINESS CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS)
[И.В. Самарина, И.И. Стародубцева Приемы перевода в официально-деловом стиле (на материале деловых договоров и соглашений)]
Today Russia actively interacts with other states, establishes partnerships and makes agreements that are to be translated into their native language. The translation of official documents has its own specific features, without the knowledge of which it is impossible to fulfill an accurate translation and come to an agreement with partner countries. The article reveals the concept of "official style", describes the features of this functional style, also it considers the main characteristics of the official style, studies the main pe -culiarities of the translation of official style texts, in particular, contracts and agreements. It has a practical importance as it shows various ways to produce the literate and adequate translation of the official style texts, particularly, contracts and agreements.
Key words: official style, contract, treaty, translation, transformation.
The official style is "the style of official documentary communication between the state and another state, the state with the citizen and among themselves" [9]. The purpose of official texts is the regulation of relations between subjects of legal relations in the communicative process [3]. The purpose of the official style is to inform about the determination of the state of affairs with mandatory unambiguity of interpretation, which is reflected in the content, and the achievement of an agreement between interested parties. The main function of the official style is the function of social regulation. It defines the style features of a given style:
• accuracy of presentation, its unicity;
• the brevity and consistence of a document;
• conservativism and the use of clichéd vocabulary;
• standardization, the use of neutral vocabulary;
• unemotional tone of presentation.
The material of our study was the texts of contracts and agreements of various Russian companies for 2015-2019, taken from the site http://mctpp.chat.ru/contrac-t14.htm#-contract? 5consignagreement. A total of 30,000 statements were analyzed.
The most striking feature of the official style is the use of cliché phrases, stable phrases. Having analyzed their use in the document, one subtype of the official style can be distinguished with accuracy. Such introductory constructions as a special system of stamps, terms and expressions are often found, with the help of which each sub-style can be accurately recognized, for example: "I beg to inform you", "I beg to move", "I second the motion", "provisional agenda ". We can determine that the text is written in accordance with the official style stan -dards for the following stable phrases and verb constructions: "high contracting parties", "to ratify an agreement", "memorandum", "pact", "Charge d'affaires", "protectorate", "extra-territorial status", "plenipotentiary". Example: Moscow, hereinafter referred to as the "Customer", have signed the Present Contract. The terms and conditions of the Contract are as follows [11].
In legal texts, steady speech is often used, among which are "to deal with a case", "summary procedure", "a body of judges", "as laid down in". Also, other types of official language have their own specific nomenclature, which are visible in the text and therefore easily distinguishable as belonging to the official style. In addition to the special nomenclature characteristic of each sub-style, there are general patterns of using such language means as abbreviations, for example: M. P. (Member of Parliament), Gvt (government), H.M.S. (His Majesty's Steamship), $ (dollar), Ltd (Limited). There are so many of them that dictionaries present special additions for decoding abbreviated expressions. Example: The above sums shall be remitted to the account of the Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs in favor of the Supplier.
In addition, we can note the peculiarity that these templates can be interchangeable due to the fact that communication in the official style is carried out in the field of joint language activities. This means that situations in the field of official relations are usually of the same type and they are characterized by sim -ilar presentation features [8].
Lexical features of translation in the contracts and agreements.
An agreement is understood as an agreement of two or more persons that secures their obligations to each other. There is another term with a synonymous meaning - contract. This notion has been introduced recently, but it has already become widely used in various fields of commercial and non-commercial activities [2]. In the text of the contracts certain grammatical, lexical and syntactic features of the translation are highlighted, to which you need pay attention and identify the main methods of translation. Let us move on to the lexical features of the translation. They include the translation of 1) terms; 2) institutional proper names; 3) abbreviations. Let us consider each item.
The term refers to a word or phrase used in a narrowly focused area (scientific, technical, economic, etc.) to refer to objects and concepts in the field. When translating a text, the term requires attention and a special approach, that is, it is a unit of translation [7]. As practice shows, the most commonly used way of translating terms is to use the appropriate term equivalent in the translating language. Example: charter - устав, certificate - сертификат, invoice - счет-фактура.
However, there are often terms reflecting foreign realities that have no equivalents in the translating language. In this case, the following methods are used for their transfer from source language to target one: 1) transliteration; 2) transcription; 3) calquing; 4) explication; 5) mixed translation (transcription / transliteration + calquing / descriptive translation) [7].
We have identified the following methods of their transmission: total terms in our study recorded 570 units.
Direct correspondence (an equivalent term is a term that exists in one language and corresponds to it in the meaning and scope of the concept of a term in another language): laws - законодательство, exchange rate - курс валюты, remuneration - вознаграждение, liability - ответственность, payment day - дата платежа, deliverable - результат поставки, governing law - применимое право, settlement procedure - порядок расчетов, closing provisions - заключительные положения, parties - стороны, interpretation - толкование;
Transcription - a way to translate the lexical unit of source language by reconstructing its sound form using the graphic means of target one: dealer - дилер, business - бизнес, brand - бренд, service - сервис, force majeure-форс-мажор, equivalent - эквивалент, tariff- тариф.
Transliteration - a way of transmitting the word of the source language by reconstructing its graphic form using the letters of the translating language: blank - бланк
Calque translation is pomorphemic or word-for-word translation of the lexical unit of the source language with their lexical equivalents in the target language: early termination - досрочное расторжение, head office - головной офис, general director - генеральный директор, registration number - регистрационный номер, operating account - расчетный счет;
Explication (descriptive translation) is a translation method consisting in transmitting the meaning of a foreign word using a more or less common explanation. Explication is used in cases where there is no other way to transfer a language unit due to the lack of equivalents and analogues of the source language: cold call - call to a potential customer without prior agreement; multifunctional shopping and service center-shopping center, center manager -manager of the shopping center;
After analyzing the methods of transferring terms, it can be noted that the most commonly used method is translation using the term equivalent (65%). It should be noted that this translation method is used to translate simple terms, while collocation terms are often transmitted using calque translation. Terms are also translated by means of transcription (11%), transliteration (4%) and explication (2%).
Institutional proper names mean words that belong to a group of toponyms. They include designations of organizations and their structural divisions (names of companies, firms, enterprises). These names have no analogs in the translating language and, as a rule, are not known to the speakers of the target language. We have identified such translation methods suggested by the scientists as:
Transcription: «Wakelin Promotions Limited» - «Вейклин Промоушнз Лими-тед», «Hi-tech Computers - Хайтек Компьютерз»;
Transliteration - the essence of this method is that the literal composition of the lexical unit of the source language is transmitted to the translating language by its graphic means: «Berga Development» - «Берга Девелопмент», «Norgau Russland» - «Норгау Руссланд», «Minerva Art» - «Минерва Арт»
Transcription with the elements of transliteration: «Ashton Global PTE. LTD.» - «Эштон Глобал ПТЕ. ЛТД.», Freight Forwarders - «Фрейт Форвардерс», Royal Paradise Hotel - «Роял Пэрадайз Хотел».
This method makes it possible to reproduce the sound of a word as closely as possible, and transliteration helps to preserve its graphic shape. This technique is suggested to be the most preferable. In addition, the translator faces another difficulty in transferring institutional names to a target language, for example abbreviations in the name of the organization - Ltd, Inc, etc. As a rule, the translator uses the transliteration method in this case. This is because each state has its own forms of ownership, which differ despite some similarities. When translating to Russian, the company name is enclosed in quotation marks (Ashton Global PTE. LTD - "Эштон Глобал ПТЕ. ЛТД.").
These methods are relevant only if the contract is presented to the government of the Russian Federation or it must be notarized. If this is not necessary, then the translator resorts to using the direct graphic transfer technique, i.e., in Latin letters, but not forgetting the spelling rules in Russian; company names are in quotation marks: Norgau Overseas PTE. LTD. - "Norgau Overseas PTE. LTD ", Internet Things PTE. LTD - "Internet Things PTE. LTD ». This method is undoubtedly appropriate for saving time during translation.
We have analyzed 482 lexical units. The most common methods for transferring institutional proper names are transcription (46%) and transliteration (44%). In addition, the mixed type of translation is used: transcription + transliteration (10%).
In contracts/treaties abbreviations are frequently used. They are met in the designations of companies, firms, various organizations. In addition, abbreviations are used in the designation of terms and professionalisms: Limited Liability Company - a limited liability company), CCTV (Closed-circuit Television - closed-circuit television system), Fax. (Facsimile number - fax number), e-mail (electronic mail - e-mail);
In our research we have identified the following ways for translating abbreviations: Full borrowing (abbreviations are transmitted in Latin letters): GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles - общепринятые принципы бухгалтерского учета) - GAAP;
Transliteration: FOB (Free On Board - франко борт) - ФОБ; BIC (Bank Identification Code - Банковский идентификационный код) - БИК; WTO (World Trade Organization) - ВТО (Всемирная Торговая Организация)
Transfer abbreviations equivalent to Russian abbreviations: IMF (International Monetary Fund) - МВФ (Международный Валютный Фонд), CAGR (Compound annual growth rate) - СГТР (Совокупные темпы годового роста)
Descriptive translation: D-D Day (Drop Dead Day) - на русский передается как «день, когда наступает последний срок выплаты чего-либо", EFTROS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) - электронная система платежей в пункте продажи.
Creating a new Russian reduction: JV (Joint Venture) - СП (Совместное Предприятие), LVI's (low value items) - МБП (малоценные и быстроизнашивающиеся предметы)
As a part of our study, we examined in detail the most common ways of translating abbreviations (370 lexical units were studied). We conclude that the most commonly used methods of transmission of abbreviations are transliteration (45%) and full borrowing (38%). Sometimes the translator resorts to using such translation methods as creating a new Russian abbreviation (7%), descriptive translation (6%) and transferring the abbreviation to the equivalent Russian abbreviation (4%).
Abbreviations have certain advantages: there is no need to write the full name each time, when you can use the abbreviated version. There is one unspoken rule: the abbreviation should be used only if both parties can decrypt the abbreviation. If the abbreviation can be interpreted incorrectly by the partner, then it is better to write its full form. Since new abbreviations are constantly being formed in the modern world, some abbreviations have got up to ten different registered values, the translator is faced with the problem of transmitting lexical unit data. As a rule, to translate abbreviations, it is necessary to refer to dictionaries and pay attention to the context. Unfortunately, modern dictionaries do not reflect the full list of translation of abbreviations, so sometimes you have to choose the method of transfer of abbreviations on your own. In addition, it is necessary to carefully study the constituent components of the reduction and correctly decrypt them.
In order to correctly translate business papers from English into Russian, you need to study the specifics of the design, stable phrases, abbreviations of both languages. Otherwise, a misinterpretation of concepts is possible which can lead to incorrect interpretation of the text. So, for example, it is necessary to study thoroughly and analyze the nuances of commercial contracts, which are widely used in the economic and business fields. An international commercial contract governs economic relations between states. The contract fixes the established relations between the signatory parties. It fixes the circumstances and conditions of the contract that both parties must adhere to. The text of the contract is made up strictly according to the rules of the official style [10].
In this research we have studied the concept of formal style, described the characteristic features of text in a given functional style. Also, we have revealed the main features of contracts and agreements. The official style has a limited social orientation which determines the presence of a certain lexical set: the entire vocabulary is divided into commonly used vocabulary and terminology (banking, legal, economic), standard turnovers and cliches are used in large numbers, polysemy and synonymy are avoided. At the syntactic level, standardized construction of sentences is traced, as well as the use of both single-component and two-component complex sentences, passive voice. From the point of view of morphology, the main feature is the absence of suffixes that gives the words an emotional coloring.
In the framework of our study, we observed the lexical features of the translation of contracts and agreements. The most productive way to translate institutional proper names is transcription / transliteration, because this method allows you to accurately reproduce a particular name of the organization. When translating terms, direct correspondence is most often used; calquing and descriptive translation are also encountered. To transfer abbreviations as a rule, the translator resorts to using a method such as transliteration and full borrowing.
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ll.Samples of contracts: Consignment Agreement. Access mode: http://mctp-p.chat.ru/contract14.htm#- contract? 5consignagreement; Contract for the export of goods. Access mode: http://mctpp.chat.ru/contract14.htm#- Contract? Contract for Exporting of goods. An employment contract with a foreign employer. Access Mode: http://vernut-vse.ru/PRIMERI/Trudovoido-govor-s-inostrannim-rabotodatelem.doc
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