Филологические науки/6.Актуальные проблемы перевода

Mykytiuk I.M., Ph.D.

Chernivtsi National University, Ukraine

Some Challenges of Newspaper Texts Translation

Newspapers as physical objects of printed media appeared in Europe in the 17^th century. Newspapers and magazines today are periodical publication containing news regarding current events, informative articles, diverse feature articles, advertisements. In modern times of globalization processes the necessity to translate news and information materials topical for certain countries into other languages presents a real challenge to the translators.

The information in the newspapers is structured according to certain categories. Thus, “The Guardian” features such sections: news, sport, comment, culture, business, money, life and style, travel, environment, tech, TV, video, dating, offers, jobs. In “The New York Times” the readers may find information under the headings: world, U.S., N.Y., business, technology, science, health, sports, opinion, arts, style, travel, jobs, real estate, and autos. Not all of these materials may be referred to the newspaper style texts. Newspaper texts are unbiased and objective news stories that convey direct facts about recent happenings. Such texts are characteristic of newspaper only and not found in other publications. Newspaper texts include: breaking news; articles of purely informative character; advertisements and announcements.

A news article differs from other informational pieces in the specific way it structures information: a limited word count, a one-sentence leading statement, the basics of the event, additional information (names of countries, territories, institutions, individuals, dates, contact information or addresses, quotes from interviewees), concluding sentence (usually a restatement).

News writing attempts to answer all the basic questions about any particular event in the first two or three paragraphs and the task of the translator is to adequately reproduce the necessary information. These basic questions are as follows:

Who? U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey R. Pyatt and Minister of Education and Science Dmytro V. Tabachnyk [1] – Посол США Джеффрі Р. Пайєтт та Міністр освіти і науки Дмитро Володимирович Табачник [2];

What? signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) officially launching the first jointly-funded Fulbright program between the United States and Ukraine [1] – підписали Меморандум про взаєморозуміння про офіційне запровадження Освітньої програми імені Фулбрайта, що спільно фінансується урядом США та України [2];

When? On Friday, November 1 [1] – У п’ятницю, 1 листопада 2013 року [2];

Where? Kyiv [1] – Київ [2];

Why? The Fulbright Science and Technology Education Program or “STEP” is a pilot project that will fully fund the travel and studies of up to 10 Ukrainian graduate students at U.S. universities for the 2014 Academic year [1] – Нова програма імені Фулбрайта у галузі науки і техніки (надалі – «Фулбрайт-STEP») – це новий пілотний проект, що повністю профінансує навчання до 10 українських студентів-старшокусників в університетах США в 2014 академічному році [2].

This form of structure presentation is called the “inverted pyramid,” to refer to decreased importance of information as it progresses.

The language of newspaper materials may be defined as a system of interrelated lexical, syntactic, and graphical means that serve the purpose of informing the reader. This purpose imposes decisive requirements on the style of the newspaper text: the language is specific, emphatic and concise; there are no overly positive or negative statements that could be construed as support or criticism; there are no reiterations to save the readers’ time and the newspaper’s space; there are no rare and bookish words, uncommon abbreviations, neologisms, additional information in parenthesis.

To protect the reader from incomprehension and boredom the information conveyed is clear, full and precise, the topic is stated simply but completely, the meaning is unmistakable and succinct. To attract the reader’s attention to the news, special eye-catching graphical means are used: font change, specific headlines, space ordering, etc.

In some newspapers, for example, in the British weekly newsmagazine “The Economist”, the articles are often not signed which contributes to uniformity of the paper’s tone and voice.

Graphically, the newspaper style is notable for the system of headlines. The headlines have formed themselves into a specific genre. They combine two functions: gripping the readers’ attention and providing information. To perform these functions newspaper headlines must be sensational, informative and expressive.

Syntactically headlines are short sentences or phrases of a variety of patterns: 1) full declarative sentences; 2) interrogative sentences; 3) nominative sentences; 4) elliptical sentences; 5) sentences with articles omitted; 6) phrases with verbals; 7) questions in the forms of statements; 8) complex sentences; 9) sentences including direct speech.

The newspaper style has its specific vocabulary features and is characterized by an extensive use of: 1) special political, economic and technical terms: nanotechnology – нанотехнології, Fulbright Alumni – випускники програми імені Фулбрайта; 2) non-term political vocabulary: bi-national panel of experts – двонаціональна комісії експертів, by legislation – згідно закону; 3) newspaper clichés: ongoing partnership – тривале співробітництво, by competitive process – на конкурсній основі, the flagship educational exchange program – найпрестижніша програма академічного обміну, currently active – наразі функціонує; join a community – долучатися до спільноти; 4) standard abbreviations: MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) – Меморандум про взаєморозуміння; STEP (Science and Technology Education Program) – Фулбрайт-STEP.

The following grammatical peculiarities of news items are of paramount importance, and may be regarded as grammatical parameters of newspaper style: 1) complex sentences with a developed system of clauses; 2) verbal constructions; 3) syntactical complexes; 4) attributive noun groups; 5) specific word order.

English advertising has a long-established tradition; it is characterized by an elaborated system of psychological, psycho-linguistic and linguistic means of expression.

There are two basic types of advertisements and announcements in modern newspapers and magazines: classified and non-classified (separate). In classified advertisements and announcements various kinds of information are arranged according to their subject-matter into sections, each bearing an appropriate name. As for separate advertisements and announcements, the variety of language form and subject-matter is so great that hardly any essential features common to all of them can be pointed out.

Language peculiarities of the text of advertisement depend on the type of the promotional means in which this text is used, on the place where the advertisement is held and on the audience this advertisement is aimed at.

Thus, the translator of the newspaper texts should be prepared to adequately deal with: special graphical means; special political and economic terms; non-term political vocabulary; newspaper clichés; abbreviations; complex sentences with a developed system of clauses; verbal constructions; syntactic complexes; attributive noun groups; specific word order.

Bibliography:

1. Ambassador Pyatt Launches New Fulbright STEP Program / November 1, 2013 [Електронний ресурс] – Режим доступу : http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/events/amb-step.html – Назва з екрану.

2. Посол США Джеффрі Р. Пайєтт підписав Меморандум про запровадження Освітньої програми імені Фулбрайта / 1 листопада 2013 р. [Електронний ресурс] – Режим доступу : http://ukrainian.ukraine.usembassy.gov/uk/events/amb-step.html – Назва з екрану.