Translator' false friends

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

LINGUISTS DEFINITION OF THE “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS”

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” ARE PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL PROBLEMS.

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” CAN MISLEAD PEOPLE, WHO STRATED TO LEARN ENGLISH AND WHO KNOW ENGLISH VERY WELL.

THE CAUSES OF THE “TRANSLATOR’ FALSE FRINEDS” FORMATION

TYPES OF “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” 

INFLUENCE OF “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” ON TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS TEXTS.

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

 

LINGUISTIC COLLEGE

 

 

 

 

COURSE PAPER

 

 

 

 

TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS IN TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS TEXTS

 

 

 

 

Done by 
Kuspanova Kamila 
the third year student 
group 303 B

 

Supervisor 
Seitova T.P.

 

 

 

 

 

Almaty 
2012

 

CONTENT

 

INTRODUCTION

Since the ancient times people use the translations from one language into the other one.

But nobody can tell exactly when the first translation was made. It is known only that this event took place when people having different mother tongues began to communicate with the help of the intermediary – the translator.

Thanks to the translation people could communicate in the multinational states, the translation helped the interlingual and intercultural communication. The translation favored the spreading of religion.

Sometimes, the translators (or simply people who learn the foreign language) during their professional activity can be entrapped by the words which have similar form, but different meaning. These words are known as “translator’s false friends”.  My work is devoted to this aspect of the theory of translation.

The aim of my work is to reveal the main features of the “translator’s false friends”.

My work has defined next tasks:

• To give the definition of the “translator’s false friends”.
• To reveal the reasons of “translator’s false friends’ ” formation.
• To make the practical research on this problem.

 

LINGUISTS DEFINITION OF THE “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS”

 

False friends of translator are pairs of words in two languages or dialects (or letters in two alphabets) that look and/or sound similar, but differ in meaning.

For example:

It lasted the whole decade.

Это продолжалось целое  десятилетие.

The Russian word «декада» cannot be used with such meaning in English languages.

Mr. Kessler and Mr. Derokini brought in “translator’s false friends” concept in 1928. Mr. Hayward and Mr. Mullen in 1984 have defined this concept as two signs in different languages, which have the same way if writing and the different meaning. However, there are many definitions of this concept. Some philologists (like Gouger) believe that cases with same meaning can be attached to this concept (orthographical, morphological, syntactical and etc. “translator’s false friends”). Budagov R.A. has defined “translator’s false friends” in the following way: “Translator’s false friends” are interlingual homonyms – words, which have the same resonance and different meanings”. The most unsuccessful concept gave linguists from Michigan school. They called “translator’s false friends” as deceptive cognates («обманчивые слова одного происхождения или когнаты»). The cognate concept is associated in linguistic with original meaning of the word in related languages, but we are considering words, which determine synchronic, without their origin. Due to differences in the meaning of “translator’s false friends” concept, linguists who research this phenomenon, often apply lexicological terms, for example interlingual homonyms and paronyms. We are discussing words, which look both unlike and alike. For example: word aggressive, in English meant: “hostile and destructive”. Now, in business English it means “full of thrusting ambition, energy and enterprise”. But I don’t like, that in Russian language this word has positive meaning. Rosenthal   pointed out the danger of this word. He offered to use more suitable equivalents, for example: «инициативный» (“initiating”).

Nowadays many linguists are arguing about “translator’s false friends”. How it will be better to call “translator’s false friends”. Some of them offered to call them “interlingual homonyms and paronyms”. Professor Hens offered to call them as anologonisms if they have the same meanings. But if they have different meanings they must be called as pseudo – analogonisms. So, pseudo – anologonisms are words from or more languages, which have the same way of writing but have different meanings.

You can see the transportation of the similar words from one language into another language in the related languages. Professor O.Kundzich wrote: “many people think that the word doesn’t change its meaning at the transportation from one language into another language. But it isn’t so. The word changes its meaning. It may be positive or negative, emotional terminological etc.”

THE WORD OR THE COMBINATION OF WORDS	THE WRONG TRANSLATION	TERMINOLOGICALLY RIGHT TRANSLATION
Выступать официально (для печати)	To speak officially	To go on record (for the press)
Газифицировать	To gasify	Gas supply, to provide gas
Гениальное изобретение	Genial invention	Great invention

 

 

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” ARE PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL PROBLEMS.

These problems result in different meaning of words appeared in various materials and documents. We must distinguish oral and written forms of “translator’s false friends”. In conversation, people don’t notice differences between “positive” in English and «позитивный» in Russian. For instance: “I have been in a positive state of excitement”, « Я была по – настоящему взволнована», but we can’t say « Я находилась в позитивном состоянии возбуждения». So, “translator’s false friends” problem comes out like problem of written form, but such problem should be taken into account by interpreters. I.Erenburg told about his meeting with E.Hhemingway. Ereburg spoke French and Hemingway spoke Spanish. Erenburg asked about news (nouvelles in French), but Hemingway thought, that Erenburg was interested in his nouvelles ( nouvellas in Spanish). “Translator’s false friends” nearly caused the quarrel between the writers.

MANY LINGUISTS ARE INTERESTED IN THE “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” PROBLEM.

 

Although, issues of “translator’s false friends” draw attention of many professional translators and teachers of foreign language, detailed study of this category of words for many languages is not available. Unless giving particular attention to brief, more or less accidental lists in separate articles and in educational publications, here we can mention only bilingual vocabularies of French and English, Spanish and French, German and French, Russian and Polish languages.

 

“TRANSALTOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” AND BILINGUAL LANGUAGES

 

Distinctive feature of many dictionaries is that they do not substitute general bilingual dictionaries for given words, but rather used as collections of valuable comments to them. Such comments are used to prevent mistakes in using foreign language; sometimes they are applied to improve the quality of translation into native language culture. With regard to theory and practice, the more useful are dictionaries of “translator’s false friends”, which contain description of all meanings and which reflect stylistic, emotional – expressive, grammatical characteristics of the word and its lexical combination.

Depending on specific purpose of bilingual dictionary use, methods of word description in it can be different. The lexis can be described using proper terms of given language (from the point of its own system) as it occurs in one – language explanatory dictionaries as well.

However, bilingual dictionaries are the most useful for translation, because they compare lexis of foreign and native languages. Here, semantics of the language’s word is described from the position of another language.

Methods of such description can be twofold. Firstly, both languages are described in parallel; moreover some third language is used as a basis for comparison (including metha – language of related science, system of geographical images, etc.). secondly, meanings of the words on original language can be describe through the system’s prism of meanings in the second language, that is more or less consecutively applied in bilingual dictionaries used for translation. Lexical meanings, resulted from such description can be considered as related meanings. They are obtained by means of projecting the system of absolute meanings of original language on systems of absolute meanings of translating language; moreover results of description are valid for given pair of languages, one-sided and irreversible. Number, degree of divergence and distribution of “translator’s false friends” by parts of speech differ for different language pair.

IN WHAT PARTS OF SPEECH WE CAN FIND “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS”.

In English and Russian languages “translator’s false friends”, which count a few thousands of words, can be found in four parts of speech; noun, verb, adverb and adjective. In most cases, this role is performed by rather all representatives of related word – forming family of words that single words. Naturally, who have elementary level of the second language; false identifications occur in the area of similar parts of speech. For example: nouns are associated with nouns etc., homonyms of parts of speech don’t lead to problems as well. From the semantic point of view, words, which involve difficulties, either belong to similar or adjacent semantic spheres or can prove to be in the same contexts; lexemes coincide by chance, which are not found in same contexts (English “magazine” - «журнал»  , Russian «магазин»), don’t summon false association. Divergence in pairs of “translator’s false friends” can be outlined conceptual content, realities, stylistic characteristic and lexical compatibility; in practice all this types of divergence often get entangled.

Divergences of conceptual, logical content of falsely identified English and Russian words are caused by peculiarity of classification of occurrences, attributes and relations, which are typical for semantics of any language. For example: “concern” – in English it means «участие», «фирма», «предприятие», «хлопоты» - it has more general meanings; in Russian it means «концерн»,- it has more limited meanings. Another example: English word “artist” means a man of art in the general meaning of this word; also it means «художник», «живописец», «график», «мастер своего дела» (like “an artist in words”- мастер писать). Russian word «артист» means “professional actor” – it may be «артист балета» - “ballet dancer”; «артист оперы» - “opera – singer”.

Taking into account systemic relations is of high importance for correct understanding of the meaning of words.

The meaning of English “medicine” reveals itself in opposition to therapy, surgery, midwifery, stomatology, sanitation and hygiene; “medicine”, except for its general meaning «медицина», in English means therapy in particular. The word «медицина», means only totality of sciences about people’s illnesses, its treatment and prevention (unlike veterinary) and cannot be assimilated with its English analogue. Also, English word “medicine” means: «жидкое лекарство», «микстура» (in contrast to injection, lotion, medical preparation, pill, ointment and etc.); «колдовство», «магия» (for retrogrades); «талисман», «амулет». Russian word «медицина», has an absolutely different meaning «врач», «медик»; it is translated into English as physician, conversational doctor; and unceremonious doc in singular and plural forms.

It should be protested against common opinion that semantics of Russian words, similar to English words is, as a rule, proper then that of English analogues. Such a correlation is typical for some cases only, where Russian special term is compared with English word that combines terminological and non-terminological meanings. However, in parallel with such correlation, numerous opposite cases occur. Such a belief results in significantly impoverished description of Russian words in Russian – English dictionaries, which quite often recommended translating Russian word with complicated semantics using only one similar analogue which semantic meaning is relatively applicable.

 

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” CAN MISLEAD PEOPLE, WHO STARTED TO LEARN ENGLISH AND WHO KNOW ENGLISH VERY WELL.

At first sight, it can be decided that “translator’s false friends” are able to mislead only people, who can start to study language and who do know language very good. But in reality, as many researchers of this lexical category point out, the real situation is quite opposite: most of “translator’s false friends” turn out to be dangerous for those people, who have advanced knowledge of language. This is a case when numerous “semantic calque” (loan translation) and breach of lexical combination or stylistic agreement arise both in speaking foreign language and in translating into native language as well as in applying original word in native language. Herewith, we cannot regard such mistakes as an acknowledgment of bad foreign languages, can allow mistakes are similarity or apparent identity of materials in both languages with regard to function and phonation. In the part of the lexis, “translator’s false friends” not only often disorient many translators, but can mislead even philologist (including professional translator, teacher of English language, lexicographer and etc.)

This course paper is restricted to isolated cases of wrong translation from English language into Russian language.

For example:

Ammunition – in English it means «заряды», «боеприпасы». However, many Russian translators interpret it as «амуниция»; in Russian it means “снаряжение военнослужащего» (кроме оружия и одежды). Another example: expert is a “specialist”-translators often interpret this word as «эксперт» speaking about engineer or doctor, but they do not mean a person, who deals with expertise.

Similar cases are observed in mass media. In translations from English and in correspondence with respondents from English language countries there are numerous cases of such loan translation i.e. «вагон» - horse stage – coach, in English “wagon”; ассистент профессора from English assistant professor («доцент»)

  “A non-destructive testing college is to open in London this November”. The wrong translation is:  «В ноябре в Лондоне откроется не разрешающийся испытательный колледж». The right translation: «В ноябре откроется колледж, который будет готовить специалистов в области не разрушающихся методов испытания материалов».

Low-pressure procedures – in one case it may be «производители полиэтилена», in another case it may be «метод низкого давления».

To be fired – it means «быть уволенным», but also it means «быть сожженным».

For example:

“Earlier this month, insurance giant American International Group fired two managers from the staff department”.

«Раннее в этом месяце страховой гигант American International Group уволил двух менеджеров из отдела кадров».

“It was fired 20 buildings in Uralsk last year”.

«В прошлом году в Уральске было сожжено 20 зданий ».

From these two examples we see one word “to be fired”, but in different cases this word has different meanings. In one case (first sentences) this word has business meanings, which is translating as «быть уволенным» and in another case (second sentence) this word has such meaning as «быть сожженным».

 

 

 

Comparison of some “translator’s false friends” in English language and Russian language:

 

Актуальный – pressing, urgent, topical	Actual – фактический, действительный
Амуниция – accoutrement	Ammunition – боеприпасы
Аспирант – post – graduate	Aspirant – кандидат, претендент
График – time table, schedule	Graphic –наглядный
Дирекция – board, management	Direction – направление
Облигация –bond	Obligation – обязательство
Фабрика – factory, mill	Fabric – остов

 

Another examples:

«По мере роста Нью-Йоркскому университету, подобно многим другим городским учреждениям, долгое время приходилось мириться с плохо оборудованными классами, библиотеками, лабораториями и ощущать недостаток в жилплощади для преподавательского состава и студентов».

There are two variants of the translation

The first:

“With the growth N.Y.U like many other city establishments had for long time out to put with poorly equipped classes, libraries, laboratories and feel shortage of dwelling space for both the teaching staff and students”.

Can we say that the first variant of translation right? Yes, we can. But we can’t say that it is stylistically right. In this variant used such words as “establishments” (учреждение), “classes” (классы), “teaching staff” (преподавательский состав). In this variant we can see some syntactical mistakes (translator’s false friends). But it doesn’t mean that these words are wrong, no, they are right. Translator used other meanings of these words. We can replace them on synonyms:

Establishment – organization

Teaching staff – faculty members

“Classically, we should expect the stopping voltage to be different for different intensities. Furthermore we should not expect any simple direct dependence of the topping voltage on the frequency of the light used”.

«С точки зрения классической теории, можно ожидать, что запирающее напряжение будет различным для различных интенсивностей, но не будет зависеть от длины волны падающего света».

From this example we see such word as “stopping”, everybody know that this word has the verb form “to stop” or «остановиться». But in these sentences this word has another meaning as «запирающее». So in this case, if you don’t know all meanings of this word you will make a mistake and your translation will be incorrect.

 

 

 

THE CAUSES OF THE “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” FORMATION

The false friends can be created in several ways:

• Borrowing. 

If Language A borrowed a word from Language B, then in one language the word shifted in meaning or had more meanings added, a native speaker of one language will face a false friend when learning the other.

Actual has a different meaning in English from what it means in other European languages, where it means current or up-to-date, and has the logically derivative verb to actualise meaning to make current or to update. Demand in English and demande in French are representative of a particularly treacherous sort of false friend, where despite a common origin - the words not only have different, but almost precisely opposite meanings. In French, a demande is a request, not a forceful requirement.

• Homonyms.

In certain cases, false friends evolved separately in the two languages. Words usually change by small shifts in pronunciation accumulated over long periods and sometimes converge by chance on the same pronunciation or look despite having come from different roots.

For example, German Rat (pronounced with a long a) (= council) is cognate with English read and German Rede (= speech), while English rat for the rodent has its German cognate Ratte.

 

 

• Different alphabets or homoglyphs.

For example, Roman P came to be written like Greek rho (written "Ρ" but pronounced [r]), so the Roman letter equivalent to rho was modified to R to keep it distinct.

• Pseudo-anglicisms.

 These are new words formed from English morphemes independently from an analogous English construct and with a different intended meaning.

For example, in German: Oldtimer refers to an old car (or antique aircraft) rather than an old person, while Handy refers to a mobile telephone.

Japanese is replete with pseudo-anglicisms, known as wasei-eigo ("Japan-made English"). A particularly complicated one is the word naitā which means night-time baseball game. It is derived from the American twi-nighter which is short for twi-night doubleheader, baseball slang meaning two games played by the same teams in a single day, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening, usually starting at twilight and continuing into the night.

The Japanese naitā is strictly Japanese baseball slang, and is unknown to American baseball fans. In English, nitre (of very similar pronunciation) is a name for potassium nitrate.

• Idioms.

Some phrases commonly used in one culture and language may lose context when translated to another language, conveying a totally different meaning.

For example: I'll call you back means that I will return your call, or make a later attempt to call you again.

However, translating literally to Spanish would end up in something like te llamaré para atrás. Although this phrase has no meaning whatsoever in Spanish, it is used frequently in Puerto Rico, and can be confusing when heard by other Spanish-speakers. The correct translation would be te volveré a llamar or te devuelvo la llamada (I'll return your call).

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” AND INTERLINGUAL HOMONYMY AND PARONYMY.

Cases of interlingual homonymy and paronymy have significant value among “translator’s false friends”. V.V. Akulenko wrote: “Cases of homonymy and paronymy are the main thing in “translator’s false friends” problem”. Linguists think that concept of “translator’s false friends” is more widely than interlingual homonyms and paronyms. This concept includes almost all lexical units. But many linguists used both terms. R.A. Budagov wrote: “translator’s false friends” are called interlingual homonyms. They are such words which have the similar sounding and different meaning”. Y.Vlchek also thought that “translator’s false friends” is not a term. Professor A. Shidlovsky wrote:” Translator’s false friends” are calling as interlingual homonyms in Linguistics. They ate such words which have the same way of writing and the same pronunciation, but have different meanings”.

V.V.Dubchinsky recommends joining such well – known terms as “international lexicology”, “interlingual homonyms”, “translator’s false friends” into the one terminological system. V.V. Dubchinsky offered to call all this terms as “lexical parallels”.

Here, interlingual homonymy is always, i.e. is perceived as such by native speakers of both languages. It can arise directly upon interrelation and of confrontation languages. For example: English “mark” – Russian “марка”; English “family” – Russian “фамилия”, “machine” – «машина» are entirely homonymous in modern application.

Also, interlingual paronyms can be double-sided and reversible, i.e. mislead native speakers of both languages; it is obvious for cases, when interlingual paronymy is based on interlingual paronymy. For example: English word “specially” – “especially” or “concert” – “concerto”. However, interlingual paronymy is one-sided. Thus, confusing words like “intelligence” – “intelligenstia”, “history” – “story”, “major” – “mayor”, “principled” – “principal” is possible for Russian man, who draws an analogy with words “**************, *********,*******,****************, but not acceptable for English man. And vice versa, only English man can confuse Russian pair’s words such as “стандарт” – “штандарт”, “фарс” –“ фарш”, “пенсия” -  “пансион” by analogy with words “standard”, “farse”, “pension”.

Divergence in object – logical content of English and Russian “translator’s false friend” in some cases is related to peculiarities of the life style. In this case, comments on realities, without which any lingual comparison will be defective, are quite essential. In some cases incorrect understanding of realities appears as traditional mistake of lexicographers, and as a result, many translators. Besides, it is required to take into account possible divergence can accompany partial semantic differences; however, they can appear in words with same meaning. Thus, it is impossible to understand correct meaning of the word and to use it appropriately, if you don’t know its functionally stylistic and emotionally expressive features. Quite often divergences of functional and stylistic features are found in English – Russian comparisons, i.e. possibility to apply words predominantly or exclusively in definite styles of speech. An essential type of stylistic divergences is difference I evaluative, emotional and expressive features.

Evaluative features can penetrate even in terminology of social sciences, reflecting differences in ideology and social reality of languages in both countries. For example: English word “speculation” – Russian “спекуляция”. These words are similar in semantics, but different in evaluative features. Famous English lawyer D. Pritt noticed: “Speculation is not treated unambiguously in British law, though it can bring the man either to the dock or to the House of Lords”. In Russian language, the word “спекуляция” presents powerful negative attitude, which is absent in English language, where it is neutral and widely – used in scientific speech.

Differences in lexical compatibility of related Russian and English words create significant difficulties both in studying languages and in translation, but, as a rule; they are not sufficiently explained in bilingual dictionaries. Moreover, it is presumed, that such difficulties are always surmounted in general translation, as the translator “feels” correct combination of words, recommended in the dictionary. Such approach is rather applicable for foreign languages.

For example: words “industry” – “********** in the sense of   “промышленность” are similar in the meaning, but the first word is not always translated same as the second one. For example: heavy, light, machine building – industry, in Russian “индустрия”, “промышленность”, but atomic, mountainous, oil, electrical, automobile – industry, in Russian only “промышленность”, but not “индустрия”.

For example:

“A large part of industrial North Korea is rushing to get on the nuclear bandwagon”.

«Большая часть промышленности Северной Кореи стремиться преуспеть в ядерном производстве».

In this example the word “industrial” has only one meaning. We can translate this word as “промышленность”, because we cannot say “индустриальная Северная Корея”. So, if we translate this word like “индустриальный”, our sentence will be not right.

 

And another example:

“In Kazakhstan the machine building industry is not advanced at all”.

«Машиностроительная индустрия в  Казахстане совсем не развита».

From this example we can see that the word “industry” may have another meaning like “индустрия”. Of course here we can use the word “industry” with meaning “промышленность”. But I think that in this case more suitable the word “industry” like “индустрия”.

And one pair of examples:

“A breakdown is an electric discharge through an insulator”.

«Прерывание – электрическая разгрузка  через непроводник».

“The clouds discharge electricity”.

«Облака разряжаются электричеством».

From these examples we can see one word with different meanings. In one case the word “discharge” the noun and we can translate it like “разгрузка”. And in another case the same word is a verb and we can translate it like a “разряжаться”. Besides these meaning the word “discharge” also means “выделение”, “исполнение”, “освобождение”.

 

TYPES OF “TRASLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS”

We are trying to plan some types of disparities in “translator’s false friends” in related languages:

1. First type:

In one language the word has more general meaning, than in other language. For example: mark – in Russian it may be “trade mark”, but in English it has many meanings like «пятно», «шрам», «клеймо»,, «штамп», or it may be German “deutch mark”. Another example: director – in Russian it may be «директор», but in English it means «духовник», «прибор управления», «художественный руководитель», «режиссер».

2. Second type:

Ancestral meaning in one language, aspectual meaning in other language. For example:  Spanish noun “vianda: - «пища», «всякая пища» (ancestral), French «viande” - “meet” (aspectual).

3. Third type:

Monosemantic in one language, significant in other language.

For example:  bank in Russian it means “financial building”, but in English it means “bank of the river”, «скамья», «банка», «стеклянный сосуд для собирания крови», «вал», «занос». Another example: press – in Russian it means «прессовать», «сжимать». But in English it means «подвергать давлению», «настаивать».

4. Fourth type:

Interlingual stylistic nonequivalence of word and combination of words.

 

5. Fifth type:

Free lexical meaning in one language – bounded lexical meaning in another language.

6. Sixth Type:

Word that is the term in one language, but is not a term in another language.

For example:

Бензин – in French language it translates as “essence”, its primary meaning is «сущность», while secondary meaning is «горючее». In Russian, essence means «эфирное масло». Non –coincidence between languages is explained in the following way: in French “benzine” doesn’t mean «горючее», while in another language it is not the term at all.

7. Seventh type:

Word in one language, combination of words in another language.

The reason of arising “translator’s false friends” is explained by lexicological peculiarities of the national language. Interference between languages in vocabulary is a well-known fact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also many linguists divide “translator’s false friends” into two groups:

First group: words, which have the same way of writing and the same pronunciation, but different meanings.

“Translator’s false friends”	“The wrong translation”	“The right translation”	“Translation of the wrong association”
Activities	Активность	Деятельность	Activity
Advocate	Адвокат	Сторонник, защитник	Attorney
Aspirant	Аспирант	Претендент	Postgraduate
Bullion	Бульон	Слиток (золота, или серебра)	Beef-tea
Depot	Склад, амбар	Депо	House, station
Double standard	Двойной стандарт	Двойственный подход	Doubletalk
Dynamic	Динамичный	Гибкий, действенный	Fast-moving

 

Here are some sentences:

In the storehouse were 50 cisterns of resin.

На складе было 50 баков со смолой.

 

Эта коробка  с резиной стоит очень дорого.

This box of rubber is very expensive.

In these two examples we see that the word “resin” has another meaning, but many people think that it is the Russian word «резина». From these examples we see that the Russian word «резина» has another translation in English.

Second group:

Word which have the same meaning only in one or two cases, but the different meaning in other cases.

For example:

THE WORD	ITS TRANSLATION	OTHER MEANING
Authority	Авторитет	Власть
Aggressive	Энергичный	Агрессивный
Balance	Остаток	Баланс
Collect	Взимать	Собирать
Concrete	Бетон	Конкретный
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Credit	Кредит	Заслуга

 

Historically, “translator’s false friends” appear as a result of interaction between languages. In rare cases “translator’s false friends” can arise in result of accidental coincidence. In related languages “translator’s false friends” are based on words, which go back to common prototypes in original language. Their common number and role of every possible source of their formation prove to be different for every pair of languages, being defined by historical and genetic interlanguage relations.

In Russian and English language such words in both cases are considered as “borrowed” form the third source; often these words are related to international or pseudo international lexis or parallel derivatives of such borrowing.

“TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” AND TYPES OF TRANSLATION.

 

We can find “translator’s false friends” in all texts. “Translator’s false friends” are adapted in different methods of translation. First of all, there can be identified two methods of translation: direct and indirect. In reality, there can be a case, when communication in original language is well translated into another language. However, in certain cases translator ascertains presence of “gaps” in order to reach identical perception of two statements.

Besides direct and indirect methods of translation there other methods, which are discussed below:

1 First method – borrowing.

It is the easiest method of translation. Borrowing would not be method or translation of high interest for research, if the translator did not need it to create stylistic effect.

2. Second method – loan translation.

It is special kind of borrowing. Thus, there is a case of either loan translation of expression, using syntactical structures of translation language and adding new expressive elements. By means of borrowing words form language we are translating elements of words, which makes up it. For example: English word “excavator” – Russian word “экскаватор”.

3. Third method– literal translation (word-for-translation).

It means transfer from original language to language of translation, which allows creating correct and idiomatic text, in the meanwhile, translator controls over observance of compulsory language norms.

For example:

 “I left my spectacles on the table downstairs.”

 «Я оставила свои очки на столе».

4. Fourth method – transposition.

This method of translation assumes replacing one part of speech without changing the meaning of the whole text. This method can be applauding both to one language in general and to translation in particular.

5. Fifth method – equivalention.

Two texts described the same situation using absolutely different stylistic and structural features. In this case we apply an equivalention. Classical example of equivalention is a situation, when clumsy men, who drives nails and hits the finger – in French he screams “Aie”, in English he screams “ouch”, in Russian he screams “Ай” or “ой”.

In Russian language we are doing many translations from English. There are many themes: technical, economical, jurisprudence, business…Sometimes we have texts, which do not relate to particular professional sphere. Doing such translation, one cannot operate either grammar or lexis of the language only. Translator should have professional skills “feeling” language intention of the author. Moreover, the translator must know special words, which are referred as “translator’s false friends”.

A problem for many beginning translators is that they substitute words or structures of another language with literal equivalents typical for their native language. However, the only task is quite opposite that is to express the correct meaning:

Beginning – the most important is to establish the right tone that is the half of work. Thus, it is important to pay particular attention to first work. First paragraph is one of the most important text elements. First of all, we must pick out everything that we cannot understand during quick reading. And, of course, we must study all unknown words. But, it is very danger to rely upon conjecture and draw conclusions from text’s logic.

For example: the word “element”. In Russian it is “элемент”, but it also means “часть”, “звено”, and “простое общество”, “обстановка”, “подразделение”. And if you translate this word incorrectly, you can lose both the meaning of the sentence, and the meaning of the text.

  “Machine”- in English and Russian it means “машина”, but it also means “механизм”, “аппарат”, “техническое устройство”, “автомобиль”, “самолет”.

  “Maintenance” – in both languages means “поддержка”, however, it can also means “эксплуатация”, “техническое обслуживание”.

“Key” – in English and Russian it means “ключ”, however, it can also means “разгадка”, “клин”, “чека”, “шпонка”.

Issues discussed in this course paper, present only a small part of the big problem that is referred as “translator’s false friends”. If you are aware of “translator’s false friends” you will make correct translation of any text.

 

 

INFLUENCE OF “TRANSLATOR’S FALSE FRIENDS” ON TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS TEXTS.

Influence of “translator’s false friends” in translation of business and technical texts results in absolute misunderstanding. For example: Russian editor of A. Robertson’s book “The origins of Christianity” pointed out, that “inaccurate use or application of terms in the wide sense can cause methodological and actual mistakes”. He accuse the author in improper us of word «революция» and its meaning. However, editor’s comment must be addressed not to the author bot to the translator, who interpreted the English word “revolution” in all meaning as «революция» into Russian. The English word “revolution” means «вращение», «оборот».

From the point of view of theory of language contacts, loan translation under the influence of “translator’s false friends” can cause particular case of interference, transformation of models, i.e. deviation from the structure or the norm of the given language under the influence of the second language.

Some cases of “translator’s false friends” have formed already the basis of rather constant linguistic than logical speech interference. For example: Russian word «администрация», which gained new meanings under the influence of English analogues. “Administration” is used in mass media as “administration of the USA”. But it has other different meanings: «руководство», «министерство», «должностные лица», «назначение (лечение) », «прием (лекарства) », and «приведение к присяге».

From my practice I found a lot of interesting information about “translator’s false friends”.

Examples:

The bullions of gold are kept in the bank

Слитки золота хранятся в банке.

 

Куринный бульон был слишком горяч.

The chicken stoke was too hot.

In these two examples we see that the word “bullion” has another meaning, but many people think that it is the Russian word «бульон». From these examples we see that the Russian word «бульон» has another translation in English.

 

“The regulations on insider information were approved by the decision of The Board of Directors based on minutes of the meeting as of ХХ January 2012.”

«Положения об инсайдерской информации были подтверждены решением Совета Директоров, основанным на протоколе заседания от ХХ января 2012 года».

 

“Sometimes one minute is enough to change your life totally”.

«Иногда, достаточно лишь минуты, чтобы в корне изменить свою жизнь».

 

“Firstly you should to bleach walls and then you should put a coat of paint”.

«Сначала вы должны побелить стены, затем нанести слой краски».

 

“After strong rain my coat became wet”.

«После проливного дождя моё пальто промокло».

 

“The facing of a building was from a strong material”

«Облицовка здания была из крепкого материала».

 

“This girl has attractive face with beautiful black eyes”.

«У девушки красивое лицо с черными глазами»

“Unscrew all nuts, and then remove a wheel”.

«Открутите все гайки, затем снимите колесо».

“My little brother, Damir, likes chocolate with nuts”

«Мой младший братик, Дамир, любит шоколад с орехами»

 

“If the sanding belts were damaged it is necessary to replace them urgently”.

«Если шлифовальные ленты были повреждены, их надо срочно заменить»

 

 

“The sand on the beach was too hot”.

«Песок на пляже сильно нагрелся».

 

CONCLUSION

I have chosen the theme of “translator’s false friends, because I want to become a translator. Moreover, to know information about such problem is very necessary for me and for any translator. I think it is one of the most important problems for translation and it is one of the most interesting themes for course paper. Studying this theme I’ve got familiar with new interesting detail like types of “translator’s false friends” and in what texts I can face the problem of “translator’s false friends” problem.

After all examples from my practice I can see that there are a lot of words in English language which have not only one meaning. For example: such words as “coat” – in one case it may be «пальто», in another case it may be «слой». “Minute” –«минута», in another case it can be «протокол». Such words we call homonyms in Russian language or “translator’s false friends”. For instance one word can have two or more meanings. The meaning of the word is depends on context. So when you translate the text you should look for all meanings of the word in the dictionaries. Otherwise you will do many mistakes and the translation of a text will be wrong.

Concluding all that was said above I came to the conclusion that the translator during his work has to select the best linguistic means to express well the idea, given in the original text. Making the translation the interpreter had to remember the main task – to reconstitute the substance of the translated work.