Tamara I Leontieva Lectures on Translation Theory Department

Tamara I. Leontieva Lectures on Translation Theory Department of Cross-cultural Communication and Translation Study Foreign Languages Center Vladivostok State University of Economics 2008

MODALITY and TRANSLATION Modality is a semantic category indicating the degree of factuality that the speaker (or writer) ascribes to his/her message. A message can be a statement of facts, a request or an order, or s/th that is obligatory, possible or probable. “Modality is the soul of the sentence. There is no utterance without modality” (Ch. Bally).

3 Types of Language Units to Express Modal Relationships - 1 I. Modal verbs: 1) I can see the English coast already. 2) Can you hear me? 3) Why should you say it? 4) What difference can it make? Translate the sentence “You should see him”.

3 Types of Language Units to Express Modal Relationships-2 II. Modal words and word groups: – Were you really in earnest when you said that you could love a man of lowly position? – Indeed I was. But I said might. III. Mood forms

Subjective and Objective Modality Subjective: The attitude of the speaker towards reality. E. g. : “It may rain today, ” he said. His companion looked at the sky. “Well, it might”. Commonly, subjective modality expresses evaluation and uses various linguistic means. Objective: “…the attitude of any utterance towards reality” (A. I. Smirnitsky). Modality of assertion: There are 31 days in March; of admission: Come war, come deluge…; of confirmation: Why! All cats are gray at night.

Translation of Modal Verbs “may”, “might” • She walked slowly to the door, but the colonel stopped to say a word to a Swiss who might have been a local attorney (the function of conjecture). • “Is this a new edition, then? ” “Yes, sir. The fifth. It might be a novel the way it is selling” (the function of conjecture). • Due to unhealthy conditions in the American fertilizer industry my health was badly injured and I might have lost my sight (the action was on the verge of happening).

Translation of “will” and “would” with a perfect infinitive 1) The reader who has carefully studied the previous chapters will have obtained a fairly good knowledge of the poet’s tragic fate. 2) My honorable friends will have heard the tremendous news of Cherepkov’s claims to become the Mayor of Vladivostok again. 3) I’m sure you will have analyzed different approaches to translation of “an interpreter’s false friends”.

Follow the Translation • I am sorry that your daughter should be so impolite with her parents. • She felt indignant that he should pay no attention to her. • It’s distasteful to me that you should be so angry with my friend. • Practice this skill every day lest you should forget my explanations.

Translation of Modal Words NB! Note should be made that modal words and adverbs are several times fewer in English than in Russian. Why do you think this is? Q. : What do the following modal words express? Perhaps, probably, evidently, seemingly, allegedly, etc. A. : They express the attitude of the utterance towards reality = objective modality (for illustrations see the next slide).

Translation of Modal Words OFFER YOUR TRANSLATIONS! 1) She is allegedly included in the list of those going abroad. 2) Evidently, the choice of Vladivostok citizens is not in favor of the present mayor. 3) He is obviously out of town these days.

Means of Expressing Subjective Modality By the verb of the utterance: say, tell, announce, declare, report and the like: 1) Prince Andrew is reported to elope with an Australian singer. 2) They announce Israel to misbehave towards Palestinian terrorists. 3) Mass media sources do not say anything about the fate of President Bush’s cat Erny. The cat is alleged to run away and turn into a stray animal.

Translation of Russian modal words “якобы”, “будто бы” With the help of the English verbs claim, pretend, allege and the like: 1) Она сказала, что я якобы не вернул книгу. She alleged that I had failed to return the book. 2) Батька Лукашенко заявляет, что он якобы печется об интересах жителей Белоруссии. Old chap Lukashenko pretends to defend the interests of Byelorussia citizens.

Polysemantic modal words indeed and in fact • Adversative function (в действительности же): He was trying to convince everyone of his innocence, in fact he was not quite sure of it himself. • Additive function (более того): Whistler’s mother immediately set about finding him a place in the locomotive works at Baltimore. Mr. Ross Winans, the owner of the works, was a friend, indeed a relation, and the opening was a good one.

Weasel Words Definition: in the English language these are words and expressions possessing a limiting function like Russian restrictive words and word collocations, e. g. : по-своему, in a way, c позволения сказать, в некотором смысле, so to say, etc. E. g. : 1) He is talented in a way. 2) Her French is brilliant so to say.

Weasel Words Origin: “Weasel” is a small predator which kills its victim and drinks its blood or sucks eggs leaving empty shells weasel words also “kill” the meanings of the words they stand by in this way restricting the action, its tensity, some quality or results, etc.