Lukyanenko Oleksandr, PhD in History

Salnikova Oleksandra, second year-student of Poltava Language center “European choice”

NATIONAL COLORING IN TRANSLATION OF GOGOL’S “THE FOREWORD” TO “EVENINGS ON A FARM NEAR DIKANKA”

The works of Mykola Gogol are famous in the world. His works were translated into different languages not once. For example, the book “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka” translated by K. Garnett saw the world in London in 1926 [1]. This book was reprinted in a few years. English translation of Gogol is too difficult: there are specific terms in author’s language which are understandable only to the Ukrainians or to proficients of their culture. Many linguists have tried their best in translation of works of outstanding Ukrainian. Even more researchers have tried to give scientific analyze of this problem. Our task is to look at the translation of the specific and ethnographic terms in master’s creativity. We’ll analyze the ethnographic component of his language. The first object of analyze was “The Foreword” to “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka” [2].

After work with the path of writing we divided all exponents of “Ukrainian spirit” in several groups: folk cries and expressions, nouns with ethnographic lexical meaning, specific verbs and original adjective.

Let’s start the analyze of specific of use of the nouns which have a specific ethnographic coloring. Most of them have the certain analogues in English, but quite don’t convey their contents. In a case of translation them in English we think as necessary to leave their way of writing, more approached to Ukrainian- sounding. Instead we advice to do the reference or the footnote with interpretation of word’s meaning for explanation to foreign reader of their lexical meaning.

Among these words is “пан” (“pan”). At first it was used of all possible lexical meaning as designation of person who took a privileged position in the society and was an intelligent [3].

It can be translated in English as “landowner”, “gentlemen”, “sir” or “mister”. But the fist will refer solely to economic activity of a person, the other three forms are appeals during the dialog. The most approached translation is a “gentlemen” but this term doesn’t convey the meaning of Ukrainian appeal too (because gentlemen is a person who keeps accepted in the society rules of a behavior or a person who excels refined clothes and manners [4]. So we advise to keep the word “pan” for translation in the transliteration (“pan”).

Other “word with problem” is “кум” (kum). In Ukrainian culture kum is a godfather in relation to godson’s parents and in relation to child’s godmother or father in relation to godmother and godfather. During the translation of word in English it is usually offered to use words and phrases “godfather of one’s child” or just “friend”. In “The Foreword” the word “kum” the first was used in meaning “godfather of one’s child”. But for Ukrainian culture the limit between family and friendly relationship of kums is really nominal and often is absent. We advice to leave the term “kum”, because in Ukrainian culture it has a bit other meaning that mafia’s “godfather” has.

Specific term is “вечорниці” (“vechornytsi”). This is only Ukrainian ethnographic term for designation of meeting of young people in the evenings where despite of the meeting they did the work or arranged the hollow feasts on the holidays [5]. We must use English “party” for translation (it shows only entertainment side) and “gathering” (only unifying characteristics) and “workshop” (only work side of action). So we advise to leave term “vechornytsi” without changing.

The word “книш” (“knish”) means the oiled or greased white bread with wrapped sides. The translation of the word as “bread”, “white bread” or “wheat bread” can’t convey the differences this food product from the usual bread. So we must make a reference with interpretation of use of term “knish”.

We think a specific term is the word “курінь” (“kurin”). For Ukrainians this is lodge on the site and a poor house and the separate part of Zaporozhye army and house for the cossaks what made such part of army. The translation gives the words “hut”, “Cossack dwelling” and of course “kuren” what means “unit of Zaporozhian Cossack troop”. In “The Foreword’s” text the best translation is the word “hovel”.

“Хутір” (“khytir”) is only Ukrainian administrative-territorial unit. It can be treated as ringfence farm economy with owner’s farmstead and as not big village which rose in consequence of resettlement of people from the villages [8]. The translation in English is possible with use of the words “farmstead”, “small village”, “hamlet” or “bowery”. The using of terms “hamlet” and “bowery” zooms to understanding of the word “khutir” to British and American term as a little village. But if these terms have a coloring of saxon world it is a question: have we to leave the word “khutir” for saving the Ukrainian coloring? We must translate directly the term “хуторянин” (“khutoryanyn”). It can be an owner, or inmate of khutor, or person with narrow outlook [9]. For the Gogol’s work the most fits the translation of word as English “Farmer” because “villager” means only the life in the village and “peasant” only the work on the ground.

The separate we use the profession “підсудок” (“podsudok”). In classical meaning it is the scribe in the zemstvo judge [10]. If you want to give the direct translating of this term which will be understandable to the foreign reader you must wide it as “deputy judge” or “assistant judge”. If this word stands instead the scriber the best translation will be “clerk”. But in Ukrainian traditions the podsudok played two roles in the same time. He was the scriber and helper for judge. So we think as right to leave word “podsudok” with explanation of this term in the reference. In the same row stands the word “земський суд” (“zemskiy sud”). This court in Ukraine of the XIX century was police and judge office in the counties. To leave the authenticity of this term we leave the first part of the name - “zemstvo court”

Let’s analyze the translation of the group of nouns which add to Gogol’s language the folk color and must have the same “folk color” in the translation. Among them is the word “невидаль” (“nevidal’ ”). It means something unreal. The dictionaries give some phrases for the translation of Gogol’s “nevidal”: what a wonder!; here is a wonder indeed!; big deal! and some prize! The author opens his work with these words. So the best fits the first variant - what a wonder

Among other colorful words we can find “сброд” (“sbrod”) (rabble), “охота” (“ohota”) (in the meaning of wish), “болтовня” (“boltovnya”) (bear chatter) and “захолустье”(“zaholust’e”) (Podunk or back of beyond). To the word “мастерица” (“masteritsa”) the best fits “good hand” not “misteress” because M.Gogol wanted to show the talents of the woman in cooking dinners. For the translation the word “лачужка” (“lachuzhka”) (hut) we can use the row of synonyms hovel, hut, shanty and shack. But we think the word “hut” is nearer in translating to the Ukrainian “хата, халупа” (“khata, khalupa”).

Noteworthy is using of the set expressions and shouts. For example the shout “батюшки мои!” (“batyushki moi!”) has some analogs in English: lord (saints) alive!; holysaints! good Lord (Heavens)!; Heavens above!; good gracious!; good grief!; oh dear! and more. For the explanation of impossible action as it use Gogol the best will fit “oh dear”. The good one is using the shout “ей богу!” (“ey bogu!”). The speaker asked why he was named Rudoi (redhead) Pan’ko. The synonyms’ dictionary has a row of phrases: really, by golly, Heaven knows!, By god!, By Jesus!, By Jove!, By Jupiter!. For surprise the best fits the phrase «Heaven knows!».

In the other place the author uses the phrase “хоть убей” (“hot’ ubey”) in the meaning “you don’t understand absolutely nothing”. To the symonyms’ row of translation are added phraseological units “I can't do it for the life of me!”; “I couldn't do it to save my life!”; “so help me!” “I couldn't do it even if my life was at stake”; “I couldn't do it however hard I tried”. The most right can be “You understand nothing, for the life of yours”. The last of the shouts we want to comment is “прости Господи” (“prosti Gospodi”). The translating is possible as «God forgive me»; «may God forgive me for saying it»; «so help me!» and more. The author uses it to pray the using word “devil”. So the best way of translation will be “may God forgive me for saying it”.

The most of the adjectives don’t difficult for translation in English. But there are some of them having ratio to the ethnographic heritage of Ukraine. So, in one paragraph is description of clothe as «цвіту застуженного картофельного киселя» (“tsveta zastuzhenogo kartofel’nogo kiselya”). In this case “zastuzhenogo” means not “cought cold” but only Ukrainian “studen’ ” or “kysil” so and the translation is “jellied”. The other characteristic of the close is “pestryadevyi”. This word is not usual for the eyes of today’s reader. It means usually handmade linen or cotton material with color treads. The English analog is “coarse motley” or “cotton fabric”. The specific is the translation of term “бумурманин” (“busurmanin”) (“infidel). It comes from noun “busurman” what was used in the old times to show the foreign person, the person with the other faith (mostly Muslim). The nearest variant is «infidel». But here is possible variant “Muslim”. At last we say about the translation of “вещее моё” (“veshchee moyo”) where the author says it about his own heart. There are mane varieties of the translation of this word but we can use “prophetic” or “wise” with advantage of the first adjective.

The further work with the text of “Evening on a Farm near Dikanka” puts the other focuses in the translation of the work and leaves the place for translation’s maneuvers of coloring Ukrainian verbs what can become the material for the separate research.

References

1. Gogol N.Y. Evenings on a farm near Dikanka // The works of Nikolay Gogol in V vol. IV vol. / from the Russian by Constance Garnett. London, 1926. – 328 p.

2. Hoholʹ N.V. Izbrannye proizvedeniya v 2-kh tomakh. Tom 1. – K., «Dnipro», 1979. – S. 2-12.

3. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 6, 1975. – S. 41.

4. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 2, 1971. – S. 262.

5. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 4, 1973. – S. 396.

6. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 4, 1973. – S. 198.

7. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 4, 1973. – S. 409.

8. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 11, 1980. – S. 176.

9. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 11, 1980. – S. 177.

10. Slovnyk ukrayinsʹkoyi movy: v 11 tomakh. – Tom 6, 1975. – S. 511.