Rendering a text from a source onto a target language is a linguistic procedure that presupposes simultaneous operations of compressing the original text to the limits of its informational necessity and sufficiency and choosing the most effective linguistic means of the target language to convey the message of the original text.
To render a newspaper article consider the following points:
1) Read the original text to define its problematic issue.
2) Render the headline of the original text into English. Newspaper headlines are often written in a special style, which is very different from ordinary English. In this style, there are some special rules of grammar, and words are often used in unusual ways. Rules of structuring headlines in the Ukrainian and English languages differ much, cf.:
· cербська влада занепокоєна протестами населення з приводу арешту генерала младіча
ü serbia alert over mladic protests
So, while rendering newspaper headlines from Ukrainian into English mind the following grammar rules:
| A | Headlines are not always complete sentences. Many of them consist of noun phrases with no verb. · кількість загиблих у результаті торнадо в штаті міссурі вже досягла 139 осіб ü missouri tornado death toll now 139 |
| B | Headlines often contain strings of three, four or more nouns; nouns earlier in the string modify those that follow. · працівники меблевої фабрики страйкують з приводу зменшення заробітної плати ü furniture factory pay cut row |
| C | Headlines often leave out articles and the verb be. · японська ас не готова до тайфуну ü japan plant unready for typhoon |
| D | In headlines, simple tenses are often used instead of progressive or perfect forms. · компанія apple веде боротьбу з виробниками неліцензійного програмного забезпечення систем безпеки ü apple fights fake security makers The simple present is used for both present and past events. · барселона виграла лігу чемпіонів ü barcelona win champions league The present progressive can be used, especially to talk about changes. Be is usually dropped. · київ робить серйозні спроби розширити економічні зв’язки з тегераном ü kiev seriously seeking to expand economic ties with teheran |
| E | Many headline words are used as both nouns and verbs, and nouns are often used to modify other nouns. See “B”. |
| F | Headlines often use infinitives to refer to the future. · обама відвідає місто джоплін, що постраждало в результаті торнадо ü obama to tour tornado-hit joplin |
| G | Auxiliary verbs are usually dropped from passive structures, leaving past participles. Forms like held, attacked are usually past participles with passive meanings, not past tenses (which are rare in newspaper headlines). · в афганістані вбито високоповажного генерала поліції ü top afghan police general killed |
| H | A colon (:) is often used to separate the subject of a headline from what is said about it. · шанель № 5: історія, що стоїть за класичним парфумом ü chanel № 5: the story behind the classic perfume Quotation marks (‘…’) are used to show that words were said by somebody else, and that the newspaper does not necessarily claim that they are true. · планета марс «все ще залишається в зародковому стані» ü mars ‘remains in embrionic state’ A question mark (?) is often used when something is not certain. · кінець британського кулінарного ренесансу? ü is british food renaissance over? |
3) Write the introductory paragraph mentioning the newspaper the article was published in, the name of the author and the problematic issue he / she raises in the article.
4) Write the main body (no more than 2 paragraphs). In the main body of your paper,
- render the facts from the article in the order they are stated in the original text;
- mind the rules of paragraphing. Each paragraph starts with the topic sentence that contains the idea of the paragraph. The topic sentence should be concise and clear. Note that one sentence does not make a paragraph;
- avoid a word-for-word translation. Instead, synthesize the basic facts deducing cause(s) and result(s) and highlighting the author’s standpoint;
- leave out the details (unless they are of crucial importance in the original text), numbers, statistic data, and names of secondary importance;
- use “umbrella / blanket” terms rather than specific ones;
- use generic terms for strings of enumerated elements;
- stick to the present tenses only. In case it is necessary to state the priority of action, use the Present Perfect;
- avoid contracted forms (
don’t→ do not); - provide coherence and cohesion to the paper;
- punctuate the paper in accordance with the rules of academic writing;
- avoid evaluative language;
- provide the neutral tone.
5) Write the concluding paragraph expressing in a friendly tone your own opinion on the problem raised in the article.
