Институт международных отношений

Basic types of changing sentence structure

For the sake of the adequate translation translators often have to convert one sentence in the SL into 2 or more TL Sentences (outer partitioning) or replace a simple SL sentence by complex or compound TL sentence (Inner partitioning). It is generally known as partitioning of the sentences. On the other hand, sometimes it is necessary to put together 2 single sentences into 1 complex or compound sentence or convert complex or compound sentence into the simple sentence.
Because of certain peculiarities of the English language in English-Russian translation partitioning is more widely used than integration.

Конспект
Reasons for partitioning

Integration
Putting together 2 single sentences into one compound or complex sentence
Reasons for integration:

Compound sentence may be converted into the simple sentence:
It was so dark that I couldn't see her - Я не міг її бачити в такій темряві
The principal clause may become a subordinate clause & vice versa.
A compound or complex sentence may have a conjunction in SL or it may have no conjunction at all
a)The partitioning of the sentence is mainly used for translating into Russian/ Ukrainian some specific English equivalence-lacking constructions. Usually the inner partitioning is used.
Simplest: I want you to speak English — Я хочу, чтобы вы говорили по-английски.
The partitioning of the sentence is also widely used for translation of absolute constructions. Both types are used (inner, outer)
Often the need for partitioning arises as a result of peculiar semantic structure of words combinations in source language
The General's good man to keep away from. — Генерал, конечно, неплохой человек, но лучше от него держаться подальше. (My variant: Генерал — это как раз тот человек, от которого лучше держаться подальше)
She broke off under the strain of her illiteracy and an overloaded stomach — we cannot translate such a sentence as она остановилась под давлением своей безграмотности или под напряжением перегруженного желудка, so we shall separate the reason and the result by splitting the sentence:
Она остановилась: эти обьяснения слишком утомили ее невежественный ум и пергруженный желудок
In this case partitioning is combined with semantic development in translation (смысловое развитие при переводе)
Partitioning of sentences is also used for better transference peculiar genre and stylistic features in the SL sentence.
It is typical for English press to combine in one sentence a few heterogeneous, comparatively independent thoughts. Such a “needling” or “sewing” is not characteristic for the Russian language. Preserving of such structures in translation may result in either loss of real meaning or construction of cumbersome phrases, unacceptable in Russian/Ukrainian.
A police Advisory Board composed of 12 representatives from police authorities, 9 from the Federation, 3 representing superintendents, and 8 representing Chief Officers with the Home Secretary or Home Office representative in the chair, has a general consultative and advisory function on police matters but the Home Secretary need not accept its advise.
Существует также Полицейское консультативное бюро, состоящее из 12 представителейй полицейских властей, 9 представителей Федерации, 3 делегатов от надзирателей и 8 представителей главных констеблей. Председателем является министр внутренних дел или представитель министерства. Это бюро имеет общи консультативные функции по делам, касающимся полиции, но министр внутренних дел не обязан принимать его рекомендации.
In some cases necessity of partitioning arises not from heterogeneity of thoughts, but from their independent character and necessity to distinguish each of them in the translation.
Finally, Argentina, very reluctantlly and under great presure from the masses of its people and the allied powers, at least formally, broke of relations with Germany in January 1945.
Вконце концов, в январе 1945 года Аргентина также порвала дипломатические отношения с Германией, по крайней мере формально. Она пошла на это очень неохотно, под сильным давлением народных масс у себя в стране и союзных держав.
Preservation of the structure of the English sentence is especially difficult when messages relating to the different time periods are combined in the sentence.
And here at times, when his mother’s and father’s financial difficulties were greatest, they would be found thinking, or as Asa Griffith was wont helplessly to say at times, praying their way out, a rather ineffectual way, as Clyde began to think later.
И здесь же в периоды наибольших финансовых затруднений отец и мать сидели и размишляли или, как иногда беспомощно говорил Эйса Гриффитс, молили Бога указать им выход из положения. Впоследствии Клайд стал думать, что это был довольно бесплодный путь.

Integration
is used comparatively more rarely then partitioning. Reasons of integration are nearly similar with partitioning reasons, they are also connected with grammatical and stylistic peculiarities of the English text.
Grammatical reasons of integration
sometimes the very grammatical pattern of the English sentence makes necessary its joining with another sentence in translation. It should be mentioned that there are grammatical incomplete sentence in some English texts, for example, starting with conjunctions or or nor. It is not typical for written Russian, so integration should be used.
The Chartists had not planned to assemble in arms on Kensington Common. Or march thence to the Houses of Parliament.
Чартисты и не помышляли о том, чтобы прийти на Кенсингтонский луг с оружием в руках и организовать оттуда вооруженное шествие к парламенту.
Integration because of close semantic relation
at the same time with the typical for the English language integration of heterogeneous thoughts in the same sentence there are some cases of separation of interconnected thoughts as independent sentences. Such a type connection usually makes translator to put them together.
Despite all opposition these sections have organized a powerful trade-union movement. Over the years, also, the mass of the Civil Servants have successfully established important political rights for themselves.
Несмотря на все противодействие, эти слои гос. служащих организовали мощное профсоюзное движение, и большая часть гос. служащих добилась для себя значительных политических прав.
Integration because of stylistic reasons
It’s the most rare case of integration in translation. Stylistic aspect of integration is used mainly for emphatic opposition (эмфатическое противопоставление).
Jesse stood quiet. Inside he was seething.
Джесси стоял спокойно, но внутри он весь кипел.
Partitioning and integration are directly connected. Often these two methods are used together. It results in smth like grammatical & semantical redistribution of the elements of sentence.
For 5 years Sandino conducted a heroic struggle in the jungles against the very much better equipped United States marines. Finally, unconquered, he agreed to a peace conference.
На протяжени 5 лет Сандино вел в лесных зарослях героическую борьбу против значительно лучше вооруженной морской пехоты США, но не был побежден. Наконец, он согласился на мирные переговоры.