Equivalents of gerund are in Russian translation

Equivalents of gerund are in Russian translation

Министерство Образования и Науки Украины

Таврический Экологический Институт

Факультет иностранной филологии

Кафедра______________________

Специальность 7.030502-«Язык и литература»

Курсовая работа

Тема: Equivalents of gerund are in Russian translation

Исполнитель: студентка 5 курса

Старцева Марина Александровна

Научный руководитель:

доцент Цвет Л.Я.

Симферополь, 2003

Contents

Introduction

Section I. General characteristics of the gerund

1.1 The double nature of the gerund

1.2 The tense distinctions of the gerund

1.3 The voice distinctions of the gerund

1.4 Predicative constructions with the gerund

Section II The use of the gerund

2.1 The use of the gerund

2.2 The function of the gerund in the sentence

Section III. The gerund and the other verbals

3.1 The gerund and the infinitive

3.2 The gerund and the participle

3.3 The gerund and the verbal noun

Section IV. Comparison of the English gerund and its equivalents in Russian

The conclusion

List of literature

INTRODUCTION

The aim of my paper is the analysis of the translation and the opportunity to transmit the meaning of the gerund in Russian. I have set this aim because of a superficial translation the reader cannot see what is written between the lines. The translator doesn’t always know grammar and grammar are left behind the limits of the translation.

When one compares an original text with the translation, one can see that some difficult places are omitted or changed. For example, if the noun expresses the subject, the translator can translate this noun with an adverb, because of it sounds better than if it were translated without an adverb (6, 31).

The theme of the course paper is analysis of Russian equivalents of the gerund. The main problem of this paper is to show how one can translate gerund in all situations, how to render a gerund by other means of the language, how gerundial constructions are used. In a complex clause one can omit the translation of a gerund because of it’s difficult to express the idea in the Russian language.

There aren’t any gerunds in the Russian language. There is only a verbal noun. The English gerund cannot be translated as a verbal noun. I’ll try to show this difficulty of translation in Russian.

I’ve chosen this theme, because rendering gerund in Russian is ambiguous and difficult for a student. I want to do my own contribution in the analysis of this problem.

My course paper consists of the introduction, the two chapters and the conclusion.

Section I. General characteristics of the gerund

Origin and Development. The gerund was originally a verbal noun in –ing (until about 1250 also with the form –ung).thus it differed from the present participle in meaning, which was originally an adjective and until about the fourteenth century had a different ending, namely, ende (or inde, ynde, ande), so that the two suffixes were farther apart in form and meaning than they are today. They have both in course of time acquired more verbal force, but the gerund is still a noun and the present participle is still an adjective. [22-101]

. In the combination possessive + gerund, as in I do not like his coming here so often-мне не нравится, что он часто приходит сюда. The oblique case may be substituted for the possessive, so that the gerund becomes a present participle: I do not like him coming here so often. The difference — if any — appears to be that in the former construction the logical emphasis is on the possessive, in the latter on the verb. But there seems also to be a tendency to give up the latter construction altogether, as if it were a mere variation of I do not like him possessives: “in honors of its being Christmas day I …”-в честь Рождества я … “when metal came into use, men were able to make their knives much longer, without their being afraid of their breaking”-с появлением металла появилась возможность изготовлять более длинные ножи, не боясь, что они поломаются. In the last sentence they could be omitted but not changed into them.

So also the genitive in who told you of your wife's being there? May be made into the common case— of your wife being there. In such constructions as I cannot accept the notion of school-life affecting the poet-я не могу принять понятие о школьной жизни, которая влияет на поэта, to this extent the common case is preferred to the genitive(24-92).

"Ing" is used here as a comprehensive technical term for those English forms which from a syntactical point of view must be considered as two different things, a gerund and a participle ("first participle", generally called "present participle"). [23-129]

In order to understand the definition “gerund” we should know all its meanings and word-combinations.

The gerund developed from the verbal noun, which in course of time became verbalized, preserving at the same time its nominal character.

The gerund is formed by adding the inflection -ing to the stem of the verb and coincides in form with Participle I (15 – 170).

1.1                                    The double nature of the gerund

As a natural result of its origin and development the gerund has nominal and verbal properties. The nominal characteristics of the gerund are as follows:

1.   The gerund can perform the function of the subject, an object and a predicative.

They say smoking leads to meditation. – К медитации они посоветовали использовать дымящий свинец.*

I like making people happy. – Я люблю осчастливливать людей.

He went away without saying a word. – Он ушел не сказав ни слова (1 – 222).

2.   The gerund can be preceded by a proposition.

I’m very, very tired of rowing – Я очень, очень устала грести.

He’s fond of skating. – Он увлекается коньками.

You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. – Ты не можешь сделать омлет без яиц.

I’m tired f hearing about that. – Я устала это слушать (5 – 137).

3.    Like a noun the gerund can be modified by a noun in the Possessive Case or by a possessive pronoun.

“I wonder at Jolyon’s allowing this cugagement”, he said to aunt Ann. – «Меня удивляет, что Джолиoн допустил эту помолвку», сказал он тетушке Энн.

Is there any objection to my seeing her? – Кто-нибудь возражает против того, чтобы я повидался с ней? (7 – 259).

The verbal characteristics of the gerund are the same as those of the participle:

1)    The gerund of transitive verbs can take a direct object.

I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking their language. – Сейчас я сделал хорошее продвижение в понимании и говорении их языка.

2)    The gerund can be modified by an adverb.

She burst out crying bitterly. – Она горько расплакалась.

3)    The gerund has tense distinctions; the gerund of transitive verbs has also voice distinctions. The forms of the gerund in modern English are as follows (2 – 624).

There is no gerund in the Russian language and the English gerund is rendered in Russian in different ways:

a)   by a noun.

Dancing had not begun yet. – Танцы еще не начались (10 – 232).

b)  by an infinitive.

He had tea with Cipriano before leaving. – Перед тем, как уйти, она выпила чай с Kиприано.

It is no good hiding our heads under our wings. – Бесполезно прятать голову под крыло. * (Here and there the translation is mine)

c)  by деепричастие.

And without waiting for her answer he turned and left us. – И не дожидаясь ее, он повернулся и вышел.

On seeing Bella he stopped, beckoned her to him, and drew her arm through his. – Увидев Беллу, он остановился, подозвал ее к себе и взял под руку (16 – 19).

d)  by a subordinate clause.

He regretted now having come. – Теперь он сожалел, что пришел.

It should be observed that though the active forms of the gerund may be rendered in different ways, the passive forms are nearly always rendered by a clause.

As she contemplated the wide windows and imposing signs, she became conscious of being gazed upon. – Когда она рассматривала широкие витрины и внушительные вывески, она почувствовала, что на нее смотрят.

After having been informed of the conference in my lady’s room,… he immediately decided on waiting to hear the news from Frizinghall. – После того как ему сообщили о совещании в комнате миледи,… он сразу решил подождать, чтобы узнать новости из Фризингхолла (15, 171).

1.2The tense distinctions of the gerund

The tense destinations of the gerund, like those of the participle, are not absolute but relative.

The Indefinite Gerund Active and Passive denotes an action simultaneous with the action expressed by the finite verb it may refer to the present, past, or future.

He can swim for any number of hours without tiring. - Он может плыть много часов подряд, не уставая.

She walked on without turning her head. – Она шла, не поворачивая головы.

Gwendolen will not rest without having the world at her feet. – Гвендолен не успокоится, пока весь мир не будет у ее ног.

No one could pass in or out without being seen. – Никто не мог ни войти так, чтобы его не видели (12 – 105).

However, a prior action is not always expressed by a perfect Gerund; in some cases we find an Indefinite Gerund. This occurs after the verbs to remember, to excuse, to forgive, to thank and after the prepositions on (upon), after and without.

I don’t remember hearing the legend before. – Я не помню, что бы я раньше слышала о легенде.

Thank you for restraining me just now. – Благодарю тебя, что сдержал меня сейчас.

On leaving the house we directed our steps to the nearest shade. – Покинув дом, мы осматривались к ближайшей тени.

After walking about ten yards, he found the hat among the leaves. – Пройдя около десяти ярдов, он обнаружил шляпу среди листьев.

She passes through and disappears in the village without noticing the young lady. – Она проходит мимо и исчезает в деревне не замечая юную леди (14 – 210).

The Perfect Gerund may also be used after the above mentioned verbs and prepositions.

He did not remember having been in that room. – Он не помнил, чтобы когда-ни будь был в этой комнате.

After having denied herself to everybody, Miss Rachel, to our astonishment, walked into the midst of us of her own accord. – После того как мисс Рэчел отказалась видеть кого бы то ни было, она к нашему удивлению, вышла к нам по своему собственному желанию.

They parted at Cohen’s door without having spoken to each other again. – Они расстались у двери дома Коэна, не сказав друг другу ни слова (15, 173).

1.3The voice distinctions of the gerund

The gerund of transitive verbs has special forms for the active and the passive voice.

He liked neither reading aloud nor being read aloud to. – Он не любил ни читать вслух, ни слушать чтение.

It’s to observed that after the verbs to want, to need, to deserve, to require and the adjective worth the gerund is used in the active form, though it is passive in meaning.

“The slums want attending to, no doubt”, he said. – «Без сомнения трущобами надо заняться», – сказал он.

He realized that his room needed painting. – Он понял, что его комнату надо покрасить.

The child deserves praising. – Ребенок заслуживает того, чтобы его похвалили.

They were not worth saving. – Их не стоило спасать (4 – 66).

1.4                        Predicative constructions with the gerund

Like all the verbals the gerund can form predicative constructions, i.e. constructions in which the verbal element expressed by the gerund is in predicate relation to the nominal element expressed by a noun or pronoun.

Like a verb, a gerund may have a subject, but, like earlier verbal nouns, its subject is in the genitive, here, however, only the old subjective genitive in -s, or instead of the genitive the person implied in a possessive adjective, my, his, etc., which were originally genitives of the personal pronouns and are still often used as such ; 'I am provoked at John's talking so rudely' (or 'at his talking so rudely').-Я против того,чтобы Джон так со мной грубо разговаривал. Many common substantive limiting adjectives, as this, these, those, any, several, all, two, three, etc., have no s-genitive. Here, of course, as the genitive is impossible, we have to use the accusative: 'Was it thou who didst tell the boy this foolishness of these being our arms?-Был ли это именно ты, кто сказал мальчику эту глупость, что он в наших руках'. 'Some families may possibly have moved away on account of the repeated failure of crops, but I do not know of any having done so.-Некоторые семьи возможно уехали бы из-за постоянных неурожаев, но я никого не знаю, кто бы так поступил. ' There are also nouns that have no genitive form. Here we must have recourse to the accusative: 'I am not surprised at young or old falling in love with her.' There is no hope of good coming from it.' 'There is no expectation of the French withdrawing their demands.'-Больше нет сил ждать, когда Франция предоставит свои требования (22-102).

I don’t like your going off without any money. – Мне не нравится, что вы уходите без денег.

Here the gerund going off is in predicate relation to the pronoun your, which denotes the doer of the action expressed by the gerund (14, 173).

The nominal element of the construction can be expressed in different ways.

1)  If it denotes a living being it may be expressed:

a)   by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun.

His further consideration of the point was prevented by Richard’s coming back to us in an excited state. – Его дальнейшие размышления были прерваны тем, что вернулся Ричард в чрезвычайно возбужденном состоянии.

Do you mind my smoking? – Вы ничего не имеете против того, чтобы я курил?

b)  by a noun in the common case.

I have a distinct recollection of Lady Chiltern always getting the good conduct prize! – Я отлично помню, что леди Гильтерн всегда получала награды за примерное поведение.

NOTE. – Thus in modern English there are two parallel constructions or the type: Fancy David’s courting Emily! and Fancy David courting Emily! These two constrictions may be used in differently, but sometimes there is a slight difference in meaning in the first example the action (the verbal element of the construction) is emphasized, whereas in the second the does of the action (the nominal element of the construction) is emphasized (9, 89).

Occasionally examples are found where the nominal element of the construction is expressed by a pronoun is the objective case.

I hope you will forgive me disturbing you. – Надеюсь, что вы простите меня за то, что я вас побеспокоил.

There are cases when the nominal element of the construction, though denoting a living, cannot be expressed by a noun in the possessive case, but only by a noun in the common case, namely when it consists of two or more nouns or when it is a noun modified by an attribute in past-position.

I object to Marry and Jane going out on such a windy day. – Я против, чтобы Мэри и Джейн вышли на улицу в такой холод.

He felt no uneasiness now in the thought of the brother and sister being alone together. – Его теперь не смущала мысль о том, что брат и сестра остались вдвоем.

Did you ever hear of a man of sense rejecting such an offer? – Слышали ли вы когда-нибудь, чтобы разумный человек отказался от такого предложения? (15, 174).

2)    If the nominal element of the construction denotes a lifeless thing, it is expressed by a noun in the common case (such nouns, as a rule, are not used in the genitive case) or by a possessive pronoun.

I said something about my clock being slow. – Я сказал, что мои часы отстают.

…Piggott spoke of… my room, and of its being ready for me. – …Пеготт говорила… о моей комнате и о том, что она уже приготовлена для меня (3 – 475).

3)    The nominal element of the construction can also be expressed by a pronoun which has no case distinctions, such as all, this, that, both, each, something.

I insist on both of them coming in time. – Я требую, чтобы они оба пришли вовремя.

Again Michael … was conscious of something deep and private stirring within himself. – Михаил опять почувствовал, что в его душе шевельнулось что-то глубокое и затаенное.

NOTE. – Some grammarians recognize the existence of two separate constructions: the gerundial construction (a construction whose nominal element is expressed by a noun in the genitive case or by a possessive pronoun) and a construction with a half gerund (a construction whose nominal element is expressed by a noun in the common case, a pronoun in the objective case, or a pronoun which has no case distinctions) (15, 175).

A general construction is nearly always rendered in Russian by a subordinate clause, generally introduced by то, что; тем, что; как, etc.

He being a foreigner, an ex-enemy was bad enough. – То, что он был иностранцем, бывший неприятель, было уже плохо.

The door opening gently interrupted her thoughts at last. – Ее мысли были наконец прерваны тем, что дверь тихонько открылась.

I began to picture to myself… my being found dead in a day or two, under some hedge. – Я начал представлять себе, как через день или два меня найдут мертвым под каким ни будь забором (13, 56).

Section II The use of the gerund

2.1 The use of the gerund

In modern English the gerund is widely used and often competes with the infinitive.

In the following case only the gerund is used.

1)    With the verbs and verbal phrases: to avoid, to burst out, to deny, to enjoy, to excuse, to fancy (in imperative sentences as an exclamation of surprise), to finish, to forgive, to give up, to go on, to keep on, to leave off, to mind (in negative and interrogative sentences), to postpone, to put off, cannot help and some others (6, 256).

He avoided looking at Sabina. – Он избегал смотреть на Савину.

… She burst out crying. – … она расплакалась.

She denied having been at the station that evening. – Она отрицала, что была в тот вечер на станции.

Excuse my leaving you in the dark a moment. – Извините, что я на минуточку оставила вас в темноте.

Fancy finding you here at such an hour! – Я даже представить себе не мог, что застану вас здесь в такое время!

Forgive my speaking plainly. – Простите, что я говорю так прямо.

When Committee had finished deciding on its politics, he had gone home. – Когда комитет кончил разрабатывать свой план действий, он пошел домой.

They went on talking. – Они продолжали разговаривать.

The doctor keeps coming and having a look at me. – Доктор продолжает навещать меня и осматривать.

It was quite rough, but I kept on rowing. – Озеро было неспокойно, но я продолжал грести.

I have left off shooting. – Я перестал охотиться.

Do you mind me asking you one or two more questions? – Вы ничего не имеете против того, чтобы я задал вам еще один-два вопроса?

2)    With the following verbs and verbal phrases used with a preposition: to accuse of, to agree to, to approve of, to complain of, to depend on, to feel like, to insist on, to look like, to object to, to persist in, to prevent from, to rely on, to speak of, to succeed in, to suspect of, to thank for, to think of, to give up, the idea of, to look forward to, not to like the idea of, to miss or the opportunity of and some others.

He was surprised at having been asked about it. – Он был удивлен, когда его спросили об этом.

He is proud of having won the first place in the chess tournament. – Он гордится, что занял первое место в турнире по шахматам.

We insisted on being informed by cable of the arrival of the ship. – Мы настаивали, чтобы нас проинформировали по кабелю о прибытии корабля.

He objects to having to come here every day. – Он против, чтобы принудительно приходить сюда каждый день (6, 28).

They accuse me of having dealt with the Germans. - Меня обвиняют в том, что я имел дело с немцами.

It was clear now … that Abraham never had agreed to their being married today. – Теперь было ясно, что Авраам никогда не соглашался на то, чтобы они поженились сегодня.

You did not approve of my playing at roulette. – Вы не одобряли того, что я играла в рулетку.

All the happiness of my life depends on you loving me. – Все счастье моей жизни зависит от того, полюбите ли вы меня.

I don’t feel like going out. – Мне не хочется выходить.

I don’t want to bore you with all this, but I feel like talking. – Я не хочу надоедать вам всем этим, но мне хочется поговорить.

I insist on being treated with a certain consideration. – Я настаиваю на том, чтобы ко мне относились внимательнее.

It looks like raining. – Похоже, что будет дождь.

I object to his having any acquaintance at all with me sister. – Я против того, чтобы он был знаком с моей сестрой.

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