Recategorization

1
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.

2
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.
• Id rather exercise than eat too much
  Preferisco lesercizio al troppo cibo

3

• 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.

4

• 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

5
Recategorization in translation

• No smoking ? .
• No waiting ? .
• No parking ? .
• No entry ? .

6
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?

7
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?

8
Recategorization adjectivenoun ? 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

9
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

10
Recategorization and sentence structure

• For an Arab owned her
• Ne era proprietario un arabo

11

• 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
  dellaria esterna sfuggiva dalle pieghe e dalle
  aperture del mantello.

12

stiffened
snow
frieze
(tessuto di lana morbido e soffice)
irrigidito
Morbida e soffice
fredda
13
Adjective and adverb

• Nervous, the man opened the parcel
• Nervously, the man opened the parcel
• Nervous nervously ?

14
Recategorizing adverbs in translation

• Aunt Kate frowned severely ?
• Gabriel laughed nervously ?
• She said, almost testily ?
• It had gone off in splendid style ?

15
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

16
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.

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• 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.

18

• 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.

19
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?
• Ill think about it/Ill think about it
• Italian 1) Ci penso io 2) Ci penserò
• She said she would come
• Italian Ha detto che sarebbe venuta
• I cant tell him
• Italian Non posso dirglielo/Non glielo posso
  dire

20
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?
• ..

21
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?

22
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

23
Sentence structure

• Attributive adjectives premodify nouns in
  English.
• But what about Italian?
• Le vecchie tubature hanno ceduto
• Le tubature vecchie hanno ceduto
• Unesperienza unica (A unique/An exceptional
  experience)
• Ununica esperienza (Only one experience)