Recategorization
• Recategorization = translation strategy which
consists in changing the grammatical category of
the element keeping at the same time the
equivalence of meaning.
• Keep refrigerated = Conservare al fresco,
conservare in frigorifero.
• From = mittente.
When is recategorization used?
• The syntactic structures of the source language may
differ from the syntactic structures of the target
language. Recategorization becomes advisable or
mandatory when the structures of the two languages
either are different or have different levels of frequency.
The application of this strategy results in a modulation of
the text. Among other results, this modulation can
produce nominalization or denominalization.
• Nominalization = verb or adjective in the ST → noun in
the TT.
• I’d rather exercise than eat too much = Preferisco
l’esercizio al troppo cibo
• Denominalization = noun in the ST →
verb in the TT:
For patrons only = riservato ai clienti
Recategorization implies a change in
grammatical category. A more general
change is brought about by transposition,
where other elements may be changed.
Recategorization may be internal (within a
given language), or may be a result of the
passage from SL to TL.
• Non credo che verrò
• Credo che non verrò
•
•
•
•
Non penso che sia vero
Penso che non sia vero
Direi che è falso
Secondo me è falso
Recategorization in translation
•
•
•
•
No smoking → ……………….
No waiting → ……………….
No parking → ……………….
No entry → ……………….
Requests
(oral/written)
Requests are a typical example of different
attitudes in the formulation:
• Shut the door, please
• Keep the window shut, please
• Will you please shut the window
Of course, different formulas can be used in the
SL too, what we have to take into account is
their original formulation and our approach in
translation. How do we behave when
translating?
Denominalization
• As time goes by
Colloquial: Man mano che il tempo passa
But in case of denominalization:
• Con il passare del tempo.
Notice the function of the infinitive: con il passare
and analyze the effect it produces.
• At the end of the day
Colloquial: Alla fine del giorno/della giornata
But in case of denominalization:
• Sul finire del giorno.
Here too, analyze the effect produced by the use of the
infinitive. Is it a verb? What impression does this form
convey?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Recategorization:
adjective+noun → noun+ suffix
use of suffixation (English→Italian)
A nasty word
A nasty look
A nasty temper
A light wind
A tiny box
A big man
Recategorization and sentence
structure
• Though their life was modest they believed
in eating well
• There was no sign of Gabriel and his wife
• Gabriel glanced at her
• Listening to the skirts that swept
• It had gone off in splendid style
Recategorization and sentence
structure
• For an Arab owned her
• Ne era proprietario un arabo
• As the buttons of his overcoat slipped with a
squeaking noise through the snow-stiffened
frieze, a cold fragrant air from out-of-doors
escaped from the crevices and folds.
• Via via che i bottoni uscivano scricchiolando fuor
dal tessuto, la fragranza fredda e pungente
dell’aria esterna sfuggiva dalle pieghe e dalle
aperture del mantello.
snow
stiffened
irrigidito
Morbida
fredda
e
soffice
frieze
(tessuto di
lana morbido
e soffice)
Adjective and adverb
• Nervous, the man opened the parcel
=
• Nervously, the man opened the parcel
• Nervous= nervously = ?
Recategorizing adverbs in
translation
•
•
•
•
Aunt Kate frowned severely = ?
Gabriel laughed nervously = ?
She said, almost testily = ?
It had gone off in splendid style = ?
Recategorization of adverbs
• Aunt Kate frowned severely = Zia Kate
aggrottava le sopracciglia severa
• Gabriel laughed nervously = Gabriel rise
nervoso
• She said, almost testily = Disse in tono
un po’ brusco
• It had gone off in splendid style = Era
sempre riuscito splendidamente
Sentence structure
• By the expression sentence structure we mean the
order in which the elements appear. This order is
common but by no means fixed. It is a principle of
sentence organization that what is contextually familiar
comes early (relatively early) while the part which has to
be emphasized or which conveys the greatest
information is given the prominence of end focus.
• The normal string is SVO
• The emphatic string stresses other elements of the
sentence.
• Both strings may be used, in English and in Italian.
• Translators in the European Parliament
must meet the highest standards of
accuracy in their work and ensure
consistency with a very large corpus of
documents.
• The highest standards of accuracy must
be ensured when working for the
European Parliament.
• Consistency must be ensured when
working with a very large corpus of
documents.
• All documents are checked and proofread by
translators before delivery.
• Translators check and proofread all documents
before delivery.
• The European Council has decided to relaunch
the Lisbon Strategy through a partnership for
growth and jobs.
• The Lisbon Strategy has been relaunched by the
European Council through a partnership for
growth and jobs.
• It is through a partnership for growth and jobs
that the European council has decided to
relaunch the Lisbon Strategy.
English vs Italian
• What about the presence and position of the
subject in Italian?
• What about the presence and position of the
subject in English?
– I’ll think about it/I’ll think about it
Italian: 1) Ci penso io 2) Ci penserò
- She said she would come
Italian: Ha detto che sarebbe venuta
- I can’t tell him
Italian: Non posso dirglielo/Non glielo posso dire
Sentence structure
• Agreement of verb with subject. Different
rules in English and in Italian
– Notional concord (agreement of verb with
subject according to the idea of number rather
than actual presence of grammatical marker
for that idea)
• The government have passed four bills
And in Italian?
……..
Sentence structure
Proximity principle in concorde
(agreement of the verb with noun or
pronoun closely preceding it,
sometimes in preference to agreement
with headword of subject)
• No one except his closest friends
agree with him
• Either my wife or I am going
And in Italian?
Sentence structure
The proximity principle does not apply if the
conjunction and links the two subjects
My wife and I are now ready
Your problem and mine are similar
In case of abstract nouns both sing. and
plural may be used, since one can decide if
they represent one quality or two:
Your fairness and impartiality has/have been
much appreciated
Sentence structure
Attributive adjectives premodify
nouns in English.
But what about Italian?
Le vecchie tubature hanno ceduto
Le tubature vecchie hanno ceduto
Un’esperienza unica (A unique/An
exceptional experience)
Un’unica esperienza (Only one
experience)