Translation of the gerund performing its nominal or verbal functions in the sentence usually does not create great difficulties. Care should be taken, however, when identifying the nature of the -/ngform verbal, which may influence its way of translation. Thus, the -/ngform moving in the sentence below, where it has an attributive function, may be taken by mistake for the present participle. In reality, however, it has the nature of a gerund which is also proved by its syntactic function:
Chester liked a moving day to ,
be dry and fair. (Cheever)
.
| Nouns and infinitives are usually employed in Ukrainian as functional equivalents for the English non-prepositional and prepositional gerundial objects: |
| The noun or the infinitive is also used in Ukrainian to convey the |
| The adverbial functions of the gerund are conveyed in Ukrainian with the help of the diyepryslivnyk or a phrase with the diyepryslivnyk. When paraphrased, the gerund may be translated as an adverb (sometimes as a subordinate clause): |
As can be seen, moving, though it performs an attributive function to the noun (day) is nevertheless a regular gerund by its nature, as it always is in the compounds like dressing-table, dressing-gown, sitting-room, writing-table, etc.
Translation of the indefinite or perfect gerund in its nominal function of the subject, object or a predicative usually presents no great difficulty either, provided it is not used idiomatically. When used in idioms, proverbs or sayings, the gerund may acquire some transparent meaning and not express its direct lexical meaning. The translator should choose then some similar means of expressing their idiomatic meaning in Ukrainian. For example:
1) Doing is better than saying. ,
(Saying) . (³ ,
)
2) Cunning is the fools' sub-
stitute for wisdom. (Saying) (nop.
).
Translation of the indefinite gerund, as has been said, mostly depends on its function and meaning in the sentence. Gerunds of nominal functions, therefore, are usually translated into Ukrainian as nouns of the corresponding lexical meaning:
Crying and graying followed all
over the house. (Hughes) .
The ugliest habit of our teen-
agers today is smoking. (NfUkr.) - /.
Predicative and subjective gerund may also be translated with the help of the infinitive or infinitival phrase:
Deciding is acting. (Saying) - /
.
Note. On rare occasions the indefinite gerund may be translated into Ukrainian as the finite verb:
I've heard of making a ga- , -
rage out of a stable, Tom was , - -
saying to Gatsby. (Fitzgerald) /, -
...
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Usually infinitival or substantival are also the Ukrainian functional equivalents of the gerund used as part of the compound modal
and aspect verbal predicates: The phone went on shrilling.
(Cusack)
Anthony finished cutting and
bu ttering the rolls. (London)...the house wanted painting.
(Fitzgerald)
We know a thing or two about fi nancing plays now. (Maugham)
Marriage doesn't prevent you le aving a woman - does it? (Greene)
gerund in its attributive function: / hated the idea of turning out.
(Maugham)
The prospect of getting away
fr om the m isery... made it easier
to bear. (Ibid.)
After watching him walk away... Soames returned to the drawing-room. (Galsworthy)
He spoke without shifting his position, without even turning to look at her. (E.Seghal)
...no one could very well slip in or out of that house without b eing seen - (Dreiser)
.
.
... / /
- .
' , ?
.
... .
... .
³ , .
ͳ/ / .
The prepositional gerund in the function of the object may sometimes be translated into Ukrainian as a diyepryslivnyk introducing a subordinate clause:
What had Tom meant by say- ,
ing that she ate out of his hands? ,
(Maugham) ? (
)
Depending on the meaning expressed in the sentence, a simple/indefinite gerund may sometimes be translated into Ukrainian as a subordinate clause:
There are some advantages jn ,
being fifty and an old hand, ',
(J.Priestley) .
Still other simple/indefinite prepositional gerunds in the function of an object are often translated into Ukrainian through a prepositional noun or a subordinate clause:
I look forward to hearing
you. (Cronin) / .
The perfect gerund is usually translated with the help of the subordinate clause:
He did not remember ever hav- ³ , -
ing been in that room. (Galsworthy) /
thanked him for having .
helped me. (Ma ugham) .
.
This perfect gerund can naturally be translated by means of a prepositional noun as well, with the predicate verb referring to the past, which may be indicated by the corresponding adverb: // .
Translation of the passive gerund is equally predetermined by its function in the sentence. The main means of conveying the meaning and function of the indefinite passive and perfect passive gerund are the same as those employed to express the active voice gerund.
They are as follows:
1) A noun or a corresponding nominal subordinate clause:
... I am indebted to Miss Betsey for having been born on a Friday. (Dickens)
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' ' ,
'. ' ( ).
2) A verbal word-group or a subordinate clause:
... the need for being loved began to wrestle with her pride. (Eliot)
1)... 2) ,
- ,
, .
3) An infinitival sentence introduced by the conjunction or an
object subordinate clause:
Only to think of being married to such a girl. (Dreiser)
1) , 2) ,
,
. 3) A subordinate clause and no other means:
She could not bear being read /
to any longer. (. Sha w) , .
... she felt a strange certainty... /
of being watched... (Galsworthy) ,
.
