Classification of Translation Units

The major task of the translator is to find a minimum language unit in the original text (this does not mean the simplest one), which must be translated. In translation theory this unit is called the unit of translation and corresponds to language levels in linguistics. It is a unit in original language (source language, SL), which has an adequate equivalent in target language (TL). Such unit may have a complicated form, i.e. it may be composed of simpler language units in the original text. But its parts, if taken separately, are not translated. It means that in TL one can not find equivalents to them, even if in the SL they have their own, relatively independent meanings. Each word, taken separately in word-combinations, given below, does not mean what the entire expression does. Here a word-for-word translation is inadmissible. It means we must not descend here to the word level, but consider the expression on the level of word-combinations; otherwise we will get nonsense, unreadable literal translation:

On cloud nine – very happy: When he got his promotion, he was on cloud nine.

At loose ends –restless, unsettled, unemployed: Jane has been at loose ends ever since she lost her job.

To be at sea (about smth.) – confused, lost and bewildered (as if one were lost at sea): Mary is all at sea about getting married.

To be at sixes and sevens – disorderly, lost and bewildered: Mrs. Smith is at sixes and sevens since the death of her husband.

Begin to see the daylight – to begin to see the end of a long task: I’ve been so busy. Only in the last week have I begun to see daylight.

Every level of language hierarchy assumes a curtain (ascending) position in the language hierarchy and includes the previous levels. Each language level has its own translation units.

In linguistics we used to think, that a morpheme is a minimum meaningful unit. Even phoneme as a minimum meaningful unit, counts for nothing, though we dare prove the contrary. In translation theory the level of intonation (interpretation) is also a unit of translation. The following units of translation are distinguished by scolars:

1. level of intonation in oral translation (interpretation);

2. level of phonemes (for written language – graphemes);

3. level of morphemes;

4. level of words;

5. level of word-combinations;

6. level of sentences;

7. level of text.

8. Situational level (Trust me. – Це я вам точно кажу, Don’t ask me. – Я вас дуже прошу. Are you kidding me? – За що це мені?, Forget it! – Відчепись!)

Accordingly, we are interested in the translation on the level of intonation, phonemes (graphemes), morphemes, words, word-combinations, sentences and a text.

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