Peculiarities of use and methods of translation of english adjectives of dimension to denote the general small size (based on the films of the BBC channel “The Blue Planet” and “Life”)

Abstract

Aim of investigation. This scientific research aims to describe English adjectives of dimension to denote the general small size and ways to reproduce them in Ukrainian and Russian based on BBC films “The Blue Planet” and “Life”. The main research methods are a complex translation, inductive and deductive methods for generalization of the selected language material and derivation of new provisions on the basis of well-known ones. In addition, the method of continuous sampling was also used – to form the body of the studied material; method of comparative and translation analysis of original texts and translations and contextual analysis; method of linguistic description – for direct study of the phenomenon in the text, systematization and generalization of adjectives of dimension translation features. The scientific novelty of the article is that, despite the significant achievements of domestic and foreign linguistics in the study of English adjectives of dimension, the problem of their field semantics with a fairly wide range of lexical compatibility still remains insufficiently studied. Therefore, this study highlights the problem of adequate translation and selection of a lexical equivalent from a wide range of synonyms that are part of the lexical and semantic group of adjectives of dimension. Also new is the research material – English-language films and their simultaneous interpretation, which we recorded in writing. Conclusions. Thus, adjectives of dimension of the micro field to denote the small overall size such as small, little, tiny, minute, microscopic, miniature, slight are translated in an appropriate way. Unlike other adjectives of dimension of the same micro field, small and tiny are used with a large number of comparative structures. Adjective of dimension small is often combined with collective nouns and words meaning representatives of flora and fauna. In contrast to the above- mentioned adjectives, adjective of dimension tiny has a wider range of equivalents, lexical and grammatical transformations are rarely used in its translation. In addition, the article identifies differences in the structures of the conceptual space of English adjectives of dimension to denote the general small size. Besides this, the basic stylistic and semantic differences between English adjectives of dimension that belong to the same micro field are established. The main methods and translation techniques of the adjectives of dimension to denote the general small size from English into Ukrainian and Russian are determined. The use of such lexical and grammatical transformations in translation as replacement of a word of one part of speech with a word of another (nominalization, adverbialization), lexical (contextual) replacement, semantic development, antonymous translation is mostly noticed.