Bobrovnyk S.M.
NTUU “Kiev Polytechnic University”, Ukraine
MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE OF SYNONYMS
Clarity of translation is the key when it comes to
business writing and translation. Nobody likes to feel confused. When we don’t understand something, we
tend to reject it. And word choice plays a crucial role in how easy it is for
the audience to understand your message. The concept of choice is easy to
define; it is simply the usage of the best words for getting your point across.
Words are powerful tools and when used correctly, they are all you need to
compel your audience to action. However, words can also be dangerous weapons
that can backfire on you by leading the audience amiss, leaving them puzzled or
turning them off completely. It is important to learn how to spot problematic
words and replace them with clear, influential ones so that your translation
can be as effective as possible. With all the synonyms available, choosing the
right word can be a difficult task. Each word has a meaning but most words also
have connotations, which twist the meaning in a particular direction. The
toughest part of choosing the right word is trying to get it right. The aim of
tutors is to teach how to choose the proper word among synonyms to make the
context clear. Teaching synonyms can improve vocabulary and orientate in large
thesaurus of English lexis, i.e. to define correctly the main sense of the
material and specific differences of other synonymous words. Synonyms, as it is
known, are words which are close in meaning. Every word has its hue of sense
and stylistic difference. On the one hand, a large choice of words promotes
language flexibility and helps to avoid repetition and sameness, and on the other hand, it causes many problems
and mistakes when there is a need for a specific choice of the right word from
a number of synonymous. For example,
convince and persuade, they are
translated into Russian as “убеждать”,
e.g. We couldn’t convince him of his mistake. But when we need to say that a person is made to accept something
we preferably use the word “persuade”,
e.g. We couldn’t persuade him to give up
his stupid plan.
If we take the synonyms of the Russian word “решать” to decide, to determine, to make
up one’s mind. To decide means to
come to a solution, to define future actions, etc. For example, I just can’t decide what to do. – Я просто не могу решить, что делать. What have you decided
about this matter? – Что вы решили по поводу
этого дела?
Jane didn’t know which dress to choose, and in the end she decided on the green
one. – Джейн не знала, какое платье
выбрать, и в конце
концов остановилась
на зеленом.
To determine means to firmly decide what to do, focuses on firmness of the
decision, e.g. They determined to
struggle to the end. – Они решили бороться
до конца.
After much thought, Steve determined to tell the truth, come what may. – После
долгих размышлений
Стив решил
сказать правду,
и будь
что будет.
The phrase to
make up one’s mind means to make a
decision what to do after some fluctuations and thoughts; it focuses on the
process of making a decision. It differs from other synonyms in style as it
refers to phrasal verbs, e.g. John has
made up his mind to go to college after school. – Have you made up your mind as to where you are going for your
holidays? – Вы уже решили куда поедете
в отпуск? Really, Bob, make up your mind! – Послушай, Боб, решай же что-нибудь наконец!
It’s high time you made up your mind. – Вам бы уже давно пора принять
решение. Don’t
delay. You really must make up your mind. – Не откладывай! Ты действительно должен
решить!
The words to
burn, to combust can be translated as «гореть», but the hues in translation
can be found. For instance, to burn –
гореть, пылать, e.g. There was a fire
burning in the large fireplace. — В большом камине горел огонь. When I arrived
one of the vehicles was still burning. — Когда я прибыл, одна из машин ещё
горела. Let's leave the fire to burn down and go into our tents. — Пусть костёр
догорает, а мы пошли по палаткам. The fire burned away for five days. — Пожар
полыхал пять дней. Something's wrong with the air conditioner -- smell of
burning V-belts in the air."Что-то случилось с кондиционером – чувствуется
запах приводных ремней. And the
word to combust – гореть,
воспламеняться 2) разгораться, вспыхивать,
e.g. The whole country was combusted with great troubles. — Вся страна была
охвачена большими волнениями и беспорядками. For example, combustion – 1) горение, возгорание, сжигание 2) процесс окисления 3) беспокойство, возбуждение, e.g. I heard some kind of
combustion among the women-servants. (D. Defoe, Colonel Jack, 1722) — Я заметил какое-то необычное волнение
среди служанок. The two principal combustion products are water vapor and carbon dioxide. – Основные продукты
сгорания – это водяной пар и углекислый газ. The
word burning can be
translated as жгучий; нестерпимый, e.g.
burning shame — жгучий стыд, burning pain — жгучая боль, burning thirst — нестерпимая жажда. For instance, I had
a burning desire to win. — Я горел желанием выиграть. He sat gazing into the
burning flame of the candle. — Он сидел, созерцая пламя свечи. They blamed the
disaster on a worker who dropped a burning cigarette butt. — Они возложили вину
за катастрофу на работника, бросившего окурок.
If we want to translate Russian word «выбор», we can find the following synonyms: choice, selection, option. The
problem is to choose the proper word to reflect the meaning. If we need the
equivalent for the following concepts: выбор, альтернатива, ассортимент,
избранник, отбор, we will choose the
words choice, e.g. And it actually was the right choice,
probably, to try to make it out – this way. – И это был правильный выбор,
наверное, попытаться выбраться — таким образом. If we need the concept – подбор,
селекция, we will take the word selection,
e.g. ...Darwin's principles of natural selection...- принципы естественного отбора
Дарвина. If we need the concept выбор, альтернатива, (возможный) вариант we will take the word option, e.g. They had an option to buy the team. — Они
могли купить команду.
Trying to figure out the best word choice can make it
difficult to get your message across, but focus first on what you want to say,
then go back to make sure you are saying it clearly and try to choose the
proper word.
1.
Моисеев М.Д., Английская лексика, правильный выбор слова.
/ М.Д.Моисеев. – М.: Аквариум. – 127 с.