IDIOMS

What is Translation? According to Peter Newmark, translation consists of rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text. He explains two different approaches to translating: ! you start translating sentence "y sentence, for say the first paragraph or chapter, to get the feel and the feeling tone of the text, and then you deli"erately sit "ack, re#iew the position, and read the rest of the source language $%&! text' (! you read the whole text two or three times, and find the intention, register, tone, mark the difficult words and passages and start translating only when you ha#e taken your "earings. Nida and )a"er, on the other hand, "elie#e that translation consists in reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural e*ui#alence of the %& message firstly, in terms of meaning and secondly, in terms of style. Definition of Idioms: An idiom is a com"ination of words that has a figurati#e meaning which is separated from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made. +dioms are numerous and they occur fre*uently in all languages. +n phraseology, idioms are defined as a su",type of phraseme, the meaning of which is not the regular sum of the meanings of its components parts. +dioms are collocated words that "ecame affixed to each other until metamorphosing into a fossili-ed term. )his collocation of words redefines each component word in the word,group and "ecomes an idiomatic expression. .hen an idiom is translated directly word,for,word into another language, either its meaning is changed or it is meaningless. +n %panish, an idiomatic phrase is a modismo. /ost idioms are unchangea"le in the sense that they ha#e fixed forms and meaning. )he grammar of the #oca"ulary, howe#er, of an idiom can sometimes ha#e a slight #ariation.

Translating idioms: )ranslating idioms is one of the most difficult tasks for translators. )he main pro"lems consist in recogni-ing an idiom, understanding it and distinguish idiomatic from non idiomatic usage. &iteral translation $word,"y,word! of opa*ue idioms will not con#ey the same meaning in other languages. )he main feature that leads to the difficulty in translating idioms is their culture specificity. An idiom, as the 0xford 1ictionary $ 234! defines it, is a form of expression peculiar to a language. )he term peculiar in this definition, means that idioms are meaningful or they ha#e sense in only one language or one culture. )herefore, it is difficult, if not impossi"le to find such an idiom in another different language. 5or example: 6efore the in#ention of the motor car the main means of transport was the horse. As a result, many idioms relate to horses and carts. 7.g.: . Put the cart "efore the horse $put or do things in the wrong order!. (. 5log a dead horse $waste your effort "y trying to do something that is no longer possi"le!. 4. 7at like a horse $eat #ery large *uantities of food!. 8. 1ri#e a coach and horses through something $succeed in a#oiding certain rules, conditions, etc, in an o"#ious and important way, without "eing punished. %ome idioms, howe#er, as metaphors and pro#er"s, ha#e a direct e*ui#alent and hence, they can "e easily translated into other languages. Characteristics of Idioms: )echnically, an idiom is a kind of lexical unit in which the whole meaning of the expression is not apparent from the meanings of its components. 6ell identifies certain features which are essential in the recognition of idioms. %ome of these features are: . Alteration of Grammatical Rules: )he idiomatic expression is not always grammatical, "ut it is esta"lished, accepted and used "y nati#e speakers of the language with a fixed structure and meaning.

7.g.: . +t9s ages since we met $singular with a plural noun!. (. He is a friend of mine $possessi#e instead of personal pronoun!. 2 Con!entional "hrases: +dioms are special expressions which are almost known and agreed "y all the mem"ers of a particular community. 7.g.: . How are you doing: $7xpression used to ask someone a"out his health!. (. 0nce in a "lue moon $rarely, infre*uently!. # Alteration of Word Order: +diomatic expressions in 7nglish, usually, do not respect the 7nglish word order. 7.g.: . +t may "e well ahead of time $normal word order!. (. +t may well "e ahead of time $pro"a"ly!: idiomatic expression. $ %igurati!eness: )he main feature that characteri-es idiomatic expressions is that the words are used metaphorically. )herefore, the surface structure has a little role to play in understanding the meaning of the whole expression. 5or example, in to "ury the hatchet, meaning to "ecome friendly again after a disagreement, the meanings of the words to "ury and the hatchet are different from the meaning of the whole expression. & "hrasal 'er(s: Phrasal #er"s are the most common type of idioms in 7nglish. /any of them carry idiomatic meanings that cannot "e inferred from the form, unless the phrase is already known. 7.g.: . After war "egan, the two countries broke off diplomatic relations $discontinue!. (. /ost automo"ile companies bring out new modals each year $to show or introduce!.

+n addition to all these features that are important in the recognition of idioms, 6aker identifies the grammatical and syntactic restrictions of idioms. 5or her, a speaker or a writer cannot normally do any of the following with an idiom: a Addition: Adding any word to an idiomatic expression would alter its meaning, or remo#e its idiomatic sense. )hus, adding the ad#er" #ery to the ad;ecti#e red in red herring $<#ery red herring! affects the figurati#eness of its meaning completely. ( Deletion: 1eleting the ad;ecti#e sweet and the article the from the expressions ha#e a sweet tooth and spill the "eans would change their meanings completely. Hence, $<ha#e a tooth! and $<spill "eans! ha#e no idiomatic sense. c Su(stitution: +dioms accept no replacement of words e#en if those words are synonyms. 5or example, the long and short of it means the "asic facts of a situation. )he ad;ecti#e long cannot "e su"stituted "y another ad;ecti#e, like tall, despite they ha#e nearly the same meaning. d Modification: Any changing in the grammatical structure of an idiom leads to the destruction of the idiom9s meaning. 5or instance, the expression stock and "arrel lock is no more idiomatic "ecause of the altered order of the items in the expression lock, stock and "arrel completely. e Com)arati!e: Adding the comparati#e form er to the ad;ecti#e hot in the expression "e in hot water changes the con#entional sense of the idiom which has the meaning of "e in trou"le. f "assi!e: )he passi#e form some "eans were spilled has a different meaning from its acti#e form they spilled the "eans meaning they re#eal a surprise. All these restrictions should "e taken into consideration since they affect the degree of idiomacity of lexical items, and they may remo#e their main feature of figurati#eness. T*)es of Idioms )here are two types of idioms: idioms of encoding and those of decoding.

 Idioms of encoding +identifia(le,: +dioms of encoding are those idiosyncratic lexical com"inations that ha#e transparent meanings. 7xample: wide awake, plain truth. Idioms of decoding +non-identifia(le,: +dioms of decoding refer to those non,identifia"le and misleading lexical expressions whose interpretation could not "e figured out "y using only independently learned linguistic con#entions. )hey include expressions like ="eat around the "ush= and =fly off the handle=. )his type of idioms could "e classified into lexemic and sememic. , &exemic idioms include: a. Phrasal #er"s: =to come up with=, =to turn off=, =to take part in=. ". Phrasal >ompounds: ="lack ice=, ="lack "oard=. c. +ncorporating #er"s: =man,handle=. d. Pseudo,idioms: =spick and span=, =kit and kin=. , %ememic idioms, on the other hand, usually, con#ey pragmatic meaning related to a particular culture. )hey include: a. Pro#er"s: =chew of something o#er=, =a "ird in hand is worth two in the "ush=. ". 5amiliar *uotations: =not a mouse stirring=. Classification of Idioms: )he main feature that differentiates "etween the different kinds of idioms as easily understanda"le or totally opa*ue is the degree of idiomacity that an idiom carries. +dioms are categori-ed in a continuum from transparent to opa*ue called the spectrum of idiomacity. )he latter has an important role in the comprehensi"ility of idioms. Trans)arent-O)a.ue idioms: 5our types are included in this category: Trans)arent idioms: +n this category, the idiomatic expression has a #ery close meaning to that of the literal one. Hence, transparent idioms are usually not difficult

to understand and translate, "ecause their meaning can "e easily inferred from the meaning of their constituents. Semi-trans)arent idioms: )he idiom usually carries a metaphorical sense that could not "e known only through common use. )he meaning of its parts has a little role to play in understanding the entire meaning. 5or example, "reak the ice means relie#e the tension. Semi-o)a.ue idioms: )his type refers to those idioms in which the figurati#e meaning is not ;oined to that of the constituent words of the idioms. +n other words the expression is separated into two parts: a part of the phrase has a literal meaning, while the other part has a figurati#e sense. 5or example, to know the ropes means to know how a particular ;o" should "e done. O)a.ue-idioms: 0pa*ue idioms are the most difficult type of idioms, "ecause the meaning of the idiom is ne#er that of the sum of the literal meaning of its parts. +n other words, it would "e impossi"le to infer the actual meaning of the idiom from the meaning of its components. )his is mainly "ecause of the presence of items ha#ing cultural references. 7.g. . )o "urn one9s "oat $to make retreat impossi"le! (. ?ick the "ucket $die! 4. %pill the "eans $re#eal a secret! /o0 to recogni1e some s)ecific idioms: 7xpressions which "egin with the word like suggest that they should not "e interpreted literally. 5or example, like a "at out of hell, meaning #ery fast. As a rule, the more difficult an expression is to understand and the less sense it makes in a gi#en context, the more likely a translator will recogni-e it as an idiom. $6aker!

)here are a large num"er of idioms in which a part of the "ody represents a particular *uality or a"ility. 5or example, in these idioms for natural talents each part of the "ody represents a different a(ilit*: Have a head for "usiness, figures, etc. Have an eye for color, detail, etc. Have an ear for music, languages, etc. Have a nose for a story, money, etc. 2our head is for thin3ing: your head contains your "rain so not surprinsigly many idioms associate the head with thin3ing or understanding: Use your head $@ think!. She had a clear head $@ was thinking clearly!. The idea never entered my head $@ + ne#er thought a"out it!. )he head often represents reason and self-control. Keep your head $@ remain calm!. 2our heart is for feeling: it9s commonly associated with feelings4 emotions4 speaking honestl* and expressing your true feelings. To break someones heart $@ to hurt them emotionally!. Difficulties in translating idioms: +n translating idioms, the translator meets #arious difficulties that are not so easy to o#ercome. )he main pro"lem is the lack of e*ui#alence on the idiom le#el. +t would "e perfect if a translator could find an idiom in the target language which was the same in its form and meaning as that of the source language. Howe#er, e#en though each language has its idioms, it is still hard to find the exact e*ui#alent.

+dioms may "e culture "ound and this may cause e#en greater pro"lems for the translator. )herefore, in order to transfer a source idiom into the target language the translator must choose the most appropriate strategy. According to /ona 6aker, these are the main difficulties translating idioms: 0ne of the main difficulties for the translator may "e lack of e*ui#alence in the target language. 1ifferent languages express meanings using different linguistic words and it is #ery hard to find an e*ui#alent of the same meaning and form in the target language. )hey are not necessarily untranslata"le, howe#er, they may refer to some specific item or e#ent common to that particular culture, and therefore it is hard to translate such idiom as well. Another difficulty is the use of the idiom similar in its meaning in different context in the target language. Strategies: 6aker defines different strategies for translating idiomatic expression: ! )ranslation "y using an idiom with similar form and meaning in the target language: )his idiom must con#ey roughly the same meaning and "e of e*ui#alent lexical items. (! )ranslation "y using an idiom of similar meaning "ut dissimilar form: +n this case the lexical items of an idiom are not preser#ed' it is translated as a semantic e*ui#alent. 4! )ranslation "y paraphrase: Paraphrase is one of the most common strategies in the translation of idioms. As sometimes it is impossi"le to find the right e*ui#alent or any idiom in the target language, a translator can use this kind of strategy to transfer the meaning of an idiom using a single word or a group of words which roughly corresponds to the meaning of the idiom, "ut that is not an idiom itself. 8! )ranslation "y omission: )his strategy implies that sometimes an idiom may "e omitted. 0mission is allowed only in some cases: first, when there is no close e*ui#alent in the target language' secondly, when it is difficult to paraphrase' finally, an idiom may "e omitted for stylistic reasons. )his strategy is not used #ery fre*uently, howe#er, there are specific situations where the translator may omit some idiom if it is not possi"le to translate it using any of the other strategies.

Conclusion: +diomatic expressions carry a metaphorical sense that makes the comprehension of an idiom difficult if not impossi"le, since its meaning cannot "e deduced from the meaning of its constituent parts. +n addition, the source and the target cultures ha#e a great influence on the comprehensi"ility as well as the translata"ility of idioms. +n such cases when the %& idioms do not ha#e e*ui#alents in the )&, a translator has to choose an appropriate strategy to translate the idiom taking into account se#eral factors. )hese factors include the significance of the specific lexical items which make up the idiom as well as the appropriateness or inappropriateness of using idiomatic expressions in a gi#en register in the target language.