1.2 Theoretical background of computer slang translation

Translation of slang units is an informational process, which means that the translator should render information transmitted as fully as possible. This can be achieved only if certain structural and semantic changes are introduced. These changes, which are caused by lexical and grammatical differences between languages (and broadly speaking — by the differences between the respective cultures), are called transformations in translation. In theory of translation lot of different classifications exist, which we can apply to translation the slang units [22, p. 120].

Lexical transformations in the process of translation slang describe formal and semantic relations. This group contains transliteration, transcription, loan translation and lexico-semantic transformations such as concretization, generalization and modulation.

Transliteration is representation of the spelling of the foreign word with the TL letters.

E.g. OMG (OH MY God) — ОМГ, LOL ("laugh out loud" or "laughing out loud”) — ЛОЛ, IMHO (In My Humble/Honest Opinion) — ІМХО.

During translation the slang units the transcription is used. It is representation of the pronunciation of the foreign word with the TL letters.

E.g. Display — дисплей, Warner Brothers — Уорнер Бразерс, Apps — Апси.

Slang units can be translated with the help of loan translation is formatting a new word or word combination according to the structure. In loan translation changing of component order or translation of one word and transcription of the other are possible.

E.g.  caddy — кедді, keyboard-twister — клаво-скручувач.

A group of lexico-semantic transformations of slang words includes operations involving certain semantic changes. As a result, the meaning of a word or word combination source language may be more specific, more general or somewhat modified as a way to discovering an appropriate equivalent in target language.

The method of concretization is used in the translation of slang units. It is the choice of a more specific word in translation, which gives a more detailed description of the idea than does the word in the source language.

E.g. chilling (out) — відпочінок, відхід, wheels — опора, the thing — справа, положення, відпочинок.

Generalization is the use of an equivalent with a more general meaning.

E.g.  Did you ever get that virus off your compy? (Compy — a computer) — Ти почистив компьютер від вірусів?

I saw this stuff in chrome page (Chrome — computer browser) — Я бачив ці речі на одній сторінці.

Modulation is replacing a unit in ST with a TL unit the meaning of which can be logically deduced from it and which is just another way of referring to the same object or an aspect of the same situation. In such cases the substitute often has a cause-and-effect relationship with the original.

E.g. I have vb 0day (commercial software available for piracy on the same day it is released to the public) — Вже наступного дня ця інформація була в інтернеті.

I have 2 go. 143 (2 — two: 143 — "I love you". 1, 4, and 3 are the number of letters in the corresponding word. Used especially in SMS ("text") messages) — Я побігла. Цілую тебе.

Another group of translating procedures comprises all types of transformations involving units of source language grammar. Word-for-word translation, partitioning, integration and grammatical replacement constitute grammatical transformations. Word-for-word translation (or zero transformation) is preservation of the syntactic structure of the source language using the analogous of target language grammatical forms.

E.g. Hugs and Kisses — Обіймаю, цілую.

The speeded way of translation the slang units is partitioning. It is breaking an original sentence into two parts or replacing a simple sentence in the original with a complex one in the translation, comprising one or several subordinate clauses.

E.g. I miss you very much and WYWH — (WYWH — Wish You Were Here) Я дуже сумую за тобою. Хочу, щоб ти був поруч.

I am asking you to stop it because you get me nervous — Зупини це. Ти мене дратуєш.

Trаnslаtіon of the slang units frоm оnе lаnguаgе іntо аnоthеr іs nоt аn еаsу tаsk. One of the way of translation this units is iintegration. It is combination of two or more original sentences into one or compressing a complex sentence into a simple one.

E.g. The Chartists had not planned to assemble in arms on Kensington Garden. Or march thence to the Houses of Parliament — Чартисти і не думали про те, щоб прийти на Кeнсігтонскій луг зі зброєю в руках і організувати звідти збройну ходу до парламенту.

Grammatical replacement (substitution) is translator’s refusal to use analogous grammatical units. It tries to render the meaning of source language units by changing the grammatical form of a word, the part of speech or the type of the sentence.

Replacement is any change in the target text at the morphological, lexical and syntactic levels of the language when the elements of certain source paradigms replaced by different elements of target paradigms. The replacements are necessary because English and Ukrainian possess different language systems. Thus, replacement is a universal and widely used translation method in the translation the slang units.

E.g. I am searching for a dog everywhere — (Dog — a friend) Я всюди шукав друга.

I am a very rapid packer — Я дуже швидко укладуюсь.

Finally, there is a group of transformations which ensure the required degree of equivalence by a number of changes of both lexical and grammatical nature. They involve a different arrangement of ideas, a different point of view and other semantic modifications whenever a direct translation of a source language unit proves impossible. Thе group of lexical and grammatical transformations consists of antonymous translation, explicatory translation and compensation.

Antonymous translation is description of the situation from the opposite point of view and rendering an affirmative SL structure by a negative TL one or vice versa.

E.g. I didn’t believe it until I saw that they were mess with my enemy (mess with — to joke around with someone) — Я повірив цьому лиш тоді, коли побачив це своїми очіма.

Explicatory translation is a complex change in which a source language unit is replaced by a target language word combination describing or defining its meaning.

E.g. It really frosts my muffin that she stole my homework (frost (one's) muffin — to really annoy or upset) — Я відчула сильне засмучення, коли викрила, що моє домашнє завдання було вкрадене).

Another way to translate the slang units is the compensation. It is a deliberate introduction of some additional elements in translation to make up for the loss of similar elements at the same or an earlier stage.

E.g. You could tell he was very ashamed of his parents, because they said “he don’t” and “she don’t” and stuf like that — Було видно, що він соромиться своїх батьків, тому що вони говорили «хочать» і «хочете» і все в такому роді.

So, as we can see, in the translation of english slang items the methods of grammatical, lexical and lexical and grammatical translation are used. Lexical transformations describe formal and semantic relations. This group contains transliteration, transcription, loan translation and lexical and semantic transformations such as concretization, generalization and modulation. The predominant method of translation is transliteration, concretization and generalization. It can be seeing from examples which were provided above. Thе group of lexical and grammatical transformations consists of antonymous translation, explicatory translation and compensation, which also used in translation the English slang units.

As a result of the research, we can say that we can translate the slang units with the help of every transformation. To sum it up, slang and especially youth slang, brings verities into our speech; makes it more expressive and vivid. But we should keep in mind that slang ought to be used carefully, we should know what, where, when and how to use it.