Transcript clauses

The clause level
• Each type of phrase performs one or more
grammatical functions in a sentence
• There are 5 grammatical functions:
subject, verb, object, complement, adverbial
Subject
• Noun/pronoun phrase
• Subordinate clauses
– Finite What we can offer is competitive prices
– Non-finite Travelling abroad is fascinating
• The subject can be extraposed.
– It was a big mistake for me to come here
– It is said that profits may not be a reward for being
enterprising but…
In this case there will be two subject slots:
1. anticipatory it
2. finite and non finite clauses
Verb
• Verb phrase
• The class of the lexical verb determines whether
there will be an object (or two objects – direct and
indirect) and/or a complement.
–
–
–
–
–
Intransitive S + V I walk
Intensive S + V + C I am Australian
Mono-transitive S + V + dO I sell computers
Di-transitive S + V + iO + dO I sold her a computer
Complex-transitive S + V + dO + C I find English exciting
Object
• Direct – the person or thing directly affected
• Indirect – the recipient
The object function can be performed by
• Noun/pronoun phrases (dO)
– I sold my computer/it
• Noun/pronoun/prepositional phrases (iO)
– I sold Giulia/her my computer
– I sold I sold my computer to Giulia
• Finite/non finite subordinate clauses
–
–
–
–
We think (that) you are taking the right decision
I know who sent you the flowers
I like swimming
He tried to ring you all day
• Most transitive verbs can be used in the
passive voice
• Di-transitive verbs allow two constructions
– Richard’s parents gave Sara a warm welcome
iO
dO
– Sara was given a warm welcome by Richard’s
parents
– A warm welcome was given to Sara by Richard’s
parents
Translation problems
• Mostly related to the use of an objective,
impersonal style in specialized registers, both in
English and Italian
• English:
– passive
• Italian:
– passive (with essere or venire)
– si-passivante
La gente mangia i gelati (obj)
Si mangiano i gelati (subj)
Translation strategies Eng>Ita
Active to passive
• Active (imperative) > Modal passive form
When returning the product, include your full name, address and an
explanation of the defect
Il prodotto deve essere accompagnato dalle vostre generalità complete di
indirizzo, indicando il difetto.
• Active > passive (essere/venire)*
The display will show the remaining time
Sul display viene indicato il tempo rimanente
• Modal active > modal passive
You can view the clock is the system is in Standby mode
L’orologio può essere visualizzato se il sistema è in …
* Essere vs venire
• Venire used necessarily when the past participle of the verb
can be mistaken for an adjective (especially with “present”
and “imperfetto”)
• La porta è chiusa
• Copula + adjective or auxiliary + past participle ?
(state)
(process)
• La porta viene chiusa
(process)
• Venire is never used in complex tense forms (tempi
composti)
• Il verbo venire si usa per esprimere chiaramente la costruzione passiva
quando il participio passato del verbo portante ha anche valore di
aggettivo e quindi con l'uso di essere il significato passivo non risulterebbe
evidente: dicendo "il vetro è pulito", "la porta era aperta", indichiamo
normalmente condizioni in atto (con il verbo essere in funzione di copula,
seguito da un aggettivo) e non descriviamo, in forma passiva, azioni
compiute da qualcuno.
• Con altri participi passati invece il rischio non c'è: "Paolo è amato",
"l'annuncio era diramato" sono sentiti come passivi.
• Nei casi ambigui, per esprimere il passivo si ricorre perciò al verbo venire:
"il vetro viene pulito (da ...)", "la porta veniva aperta (da ...)".
• Tale impiego di venire è limitato ai tempi semplici (soprattutto presente e
imperfetto dell'indicativo e del congiuntivo: viene, veniva, venga, venisse,
e condizionale verrebbe, per fare esempi solo di terza persona singolare; si
aggiunga il gerundio venendo; meno necessario l'uso di verrà per sarà e
di venne per fu) perché l'ambiguità sussiste solo per questi tempi.
Translation strategies Eng>Ita (2)
• Impersonal passive > si-construction
– It is recommended to use the supplied speakers
– Si raccomanda di utilizzare…
• Passive > passive (beware of subject position!)
– If “CHECK TAPE” is displayed the protection tab has been
removed
– Quando viene visualizzata l’indicazione “CHECK TAPE”, la
linguetta di protezione è stata staccata.
– A fine needle biopsy was carried out
– Fu eseguita una biopsia ad ago sottile
• Passive> si-contruction
– Si effettuò una biopsia ad ago sottile
Complement
• Subject complement
I am a full-time English lecturer
• Object complement
The Americans have elected Bush president
• The complement follows intensive (or copular)
verbs
• Be, become, seem, appear, feel, look…
• The complement slot can be filled by
• a noun/pronoun phrase
– I am Australian / It’s me!
• An adjective phrase
– This new job will make you rich
• Finite/non-finite subordinate clause
– This is what I mean
Adverbial
• Adjunct adverbials: give extra information about time,
duration, manner, place, reason…
– I’ve been studying English for three years.
• Disjunct adverbials: convey the speaker’s attitude
towards the content of the sentence
– Frankly/honestly, of course I’m quite fed up.
• Conjunct adverbials: link clause or sentences together.
– I was really late last night, however I managed to catch the
train on time.
An adverbial can be filled by
• An adverb phrase: They lived happily
• A preposition phrase: I prefer to stay at home
on Sunday night
• A noun phrase: She phones me every evening
Translation problems/strategies
• Reordering
– Adverbial position
– Subject (dropped/added)
– It reveals a different era of Scottish culture in the
many mementoes of family life of the day
– Attraverso i suoi numerosi ricordi di vita familiare
dell’epoca, ___rivela una diversa era della cultura
scozzese
Task
• Neutrality and protection symbolized by the red cross emblem is
being ignored
• The military action in Iraq is being conducted in spite of world
opinion
• No more than 35 highly qualified graduates will be admitted for
study.
• We have been told that the Environment secretary’s decision
normally takes three weeks.
• No date for the appeal court hearing has been set.
• Priority was given to ensuring that the final course examination
would be conducted in sign language.
• This is a security announcement. Passengers are reminded to keep
their luggage with them all the time.
• p. 131
The sentence
Main clause
Subordinate clause
– Main clause + main clause > compound sentence
(parataxis)
– Main clause + subordinate clause> complex
sentence (hypotaxis)
Subordinate clauses
Finite
• That-clause
• Adverbial clause
• Wh-clause
•
•
•
•
•
•
Non-finite
Bare infinitive
To infinitive
For-infinitive
wh-infinitive
-ingparticiple
en(ed)-participle
Subordinate clauses
Finite
• That-clause
She rejected claims that she had lied
complementizer
• Adverbial clause
As we move from the Cold War to the global village,
the scope of change is immense
• Wh-clause
– Relative clauses begin with a wh-word which has the
function of complementizer and a grammatical
function within its own clause
– Reported questions , type of reported speech
Relative clauses
which, who(m), that, why, where,
when,whose
1. Defining
I wrote to the lady who/that owns the hotel
Unilever is a company (that/which) we know quite well.
2. Non-defining
Next year, when we are going to Australia, you are coming
with us
3. Free (or headless)
She guesses which was your favourite drink
4. Indefinite
Whoever comes to my party will be welcome
4. Sentential
She offered to help me, which was very kind of her
Reported questions
• Please ask the hostess why the plane is so
late (S+V)
• Her question is who is going to tell him the
truth
Subordinate clauses
Finite
• That-clause
• Adverbial clause
• Wh-clause
•
•
•
•
•
•
Non-finite
Bare infinitive
To infinitive
For-infinitive
wh-infinitive
-ingparticiple
en(ed)-participle
Subordinate clauses
Non-finite
• Bare infinitive
– We saw Mark leave the office in a hurry
– I’ll let my hair grow long
• To infinitive
– To open an account, originals of your identification are
essential.
• For-infinitive
– It was a mistake for me to come here
• wh-infinitive
– The question is which house to rent
• -ing participle
– In Poland there are two million farms employing over a
quarter of the population
• en(ed)-participle
– Our cat remained hidden under the bed for two days
Translation strategies/problems
•
•
•
•
Two complex sentences > compound complex s.
Compound sentences > complex sentences
Complex + single s.
> compound-complex s.
Simple sentence
> complex sentence
cf. chapter 12.5 pag. 171-172
ST: Eng (EU) translate into Italian
• EU agricultural product quality policy
• Quality is an issue for every farmer and buyer, whether
dealing with commodities produced to basic standards
or with the high-end quality products in which Europe
excels. EU farmers must build on high quality
reputation to sustain competitiveness and profitability.
• EU law lays down stringent requirements guaranteeing
the standards of all European products. In addition, EU
quality schemes identify products and foodstuffs
farmed and produced to exacting specifications
• http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/index_en.htm
ST: Eng (EU) translate into Italian
• EU agricultural product quality policy
• Quality is an issue for every farmer and buyer, whether dealing with
[adverb cluase, with whether as a subordinating conjuction, -ing infinitive]
> sia che si tratti di… o di prodotti di alta qualità commodities produced to
basic standards rispondenti a requisiti minimi or with the high-end quality
products in which Europe excels. EU farmers must build on high quality
reputation to sustain competitiveness and profitability. La qualità è infatti
il fattore su cui devono puntare I produttori europei per mantenee
competitività e profittabilità.
• EU law lays down stringent requirements guaranteeing che garantiscono
la/a garanzia della qualitàthe standards of all European products. In
addition, EU quality schemes identify products and foodstuffs farmed and
produced to exacting specifications
• http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/index_en.htm
• “Mangia bene, vivi meglio!” (Eat well, live better!)
is Eataly’s motto. The essential Italian mantra that
eating well leads to a better life is celebrated.
• Unire due frasi brevi
• Da passivo a Si-construction
• Subject/verb position
• … è il motto di Eataly, dove si/che celebra il
fondamentale mantra italiano secondo cui il buon
cibo migliora la vita.
• “Mangia bene, vivi meglio!” (Eat well, live better!)
is Eataly’s motto. The essential Italian mantra that
eating well leads to a better life is celebrated.
• Unire due frasi brevi
• Da passivo a Si-construction
• Subject/verb position
• … è il motto di Eataly, dove si/che celebra il
fondamentale mantra italiano secondo cui il buon
cibo migliora la vita/se si mangia bene, si vive
meglio.
• Eat, learn, shop! Education is the key here, as
they sell recipe books, and chart wheels on what
products you can find in which season, such as
fruit and fish. Eataly aims to teach children about
the story of food in its varying regions of Italy. For
example there is a restaurant on the top floor
that changes chef and region every six weeks.
Diversity keeps this project fresh, as there will
always be a new and exciting flavor to savor for
your next trip.
• Eat, learn, shop! Education is the key fattore determinante
here, as e infatti si trovano in vendita they sell recipe books,
and chart wheels grafici on what products you can find in
which season, such as fruit and fish. che illustrano quali
sono i prodotti di stagione per cibi quali frutta e pesce).
• Eataly aims to teach children about the story of food in its
varying regions of Italy (nelle diverse regioni). For example
there is a restaurant on the top floor that changes chef and
region (varietà regionale) every six weeks. Diversity keeps
this project fresh vivo/stuzzicante, as (poiché/dal momento
che) there will always be a new and exciting flavor to savor
for your next trip (il vostro/nel prossimo viaggio).
• Slow Food is an international organization
committed to ensuring everyone has the right
to access and enjoy good food: good for
eaters, producers and the environment. It was
founded as a non-profit organization in 1989
to combat the spread of fast food culture and
the disappearance of local food traditions and
works to raise awareness of the impact our
food choices have on the world around us.
• Slow Food is an international organization
committed to ensuring everyone has the right to
access and enjoy good food: good for eaters,
producers and the environment. It was founded
as a non-profit organization in 1989 to combat
the spread of fast food culture and the
disappearance of local food traditions and works
to raise awareness of the impact our food choices
have on the world around us.
• Fondata nel… si impegna affinché