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Semantic Translation

Semantic Translation. Polysemy, meaning change and multiple interpretations. Final Presentation. Review. Eve Sweetser, From Etymology to Pragmatics Uses cognitive theory to study mappings of a form to multiple meanings in: Perception verbs Modality Conjunction Conditionals. Modals.

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Semantic Translation

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  1. Semantic Translation Polysemy, meaning change and multiple interpretations. Final Presentation

  2. Review Eve Sweetser, From Etymology to Pragmatics Uses cognitive theory to study mappings of a form to multiple meanings in: • Perception verbs • Modality • Conjunction • Conditionals

  3. Modals (must, have, need, ought, ...) Obligation, permission, ability, necessity, probability, or possibility in: • Root(real world, deontic) “Mom said that you mustbe home by ten.” • Epistemic (reasoning) “You musthave been home last night.” Root modal meaning is metaphorically extended into the epistemic domain

  4. Modals Root: intentional, directed forces and barriers in the socio-physical domain “John may go.” > John is not barred by (my or some other authority) from going. Epistemic: epistemic forces applied by body of premises to influence the speaker “John may be there.” > I am not barred by my premises from the conclusion that he is there.

  5. Application • Analysis of modal translation (CZ > EN) in:

  6. Modal Translation Moci (be able to, can, may) Mít (should, have to) Muset (have to, must) • mappings to English modals • modal negation • Epistemic usage • Root vs. Epistemic polysemy

  7. Moci “Můžeš jít.” You can go. “Mohli jsme jen kroužit nad letištěm.” All we could do was circle the airfield. “Můžu na tebe sahat?” May I touch you?

  8. Translation of “moci”

  9. Mít “Měl jsi ho zabít!” You should have killed him! “Mám já to nahlásit?” Shall I report it? “Měli bychom si raději tykat.” We needn’t be so formal.

  10. Translation of “mít”

  11. Muset “Já za ní musím!” I have to see her! “Já musím neco říct tobě.” I need to talk to you. “Musíš se obálky zbavit.” Lose the envelope.

  12. Translation of “muset”

  13. Modal mapping CZ > EN may can ought to have to need to must “moci” “mít” “muset” Are the Czech modals less “strong”?

  14. Modal Negation “A z nás nemusíte mít strach.” And there is no reason to be afraid of us. “To nesmíš Barčo.” You mustn’t do this, Barča. musíš :: nemusíš≠must :: must not smíš :: nesmíš≠ may :: may not

  15. Epistemic Usage “Proč já musím před každým letem mít takovouhle sračku?” Why do I have to get the shits before each flight? “Vlastně jsme ho měli dávno ztratit.” By all rights we should have lost him.

  16. Root / Epistemic Polysemy “Ale měl by jsi je vidět.” (Root) But you should see them. (Root / Epistemic) But you should [go] see them [yourself]. (R) But you should [be able] see them. (E)

  17. Root / Epistemic Polysemy “Měl jsi ho zabít!” (Root) You should have killed him. (Root / Epistemic) You should have killed him [by now]. (E) You should have [gone and] killed him. (R)

  18. Conclusion Czech modals moci, mít and muset: • do not have exact equivalents in English • seem “weaker” than English counterparts • have different negation meanings in English • translate comparably into both Root and Epistemic domains • can cause to Root / Epistemic Polysemy after being translated

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