STRATEGIES FOR TRANSLATING IDIOMS

1)Translation by ommission

“The most unaccountable will I ever heard! I should say he was not in his right mind
when he made it.”
(Eliot, George, Middlemarch, at www.gutenberg.org, p.253)

“Este cel mai iresponsabil testament pe care l-am vazut vreodata! Cred ca era nebun
cand l-a facut.”

2) Using an idiom similar in meaning but different in form

“If Mr. Donaldson doesn’t take it the way it’s meant he can take himself off, and good
riddance.”
(Maugham, Sommerset, Of Human Bondage, at www.gutenberg.org, p.500)

Daca domnul Donaldson nu intelege asa cum trebuie n-are decat sa se ia si sa se duca
naibii.

3)Translation by paraphrase

“Why Mr. Wrench should neglect his children more than others, she could not for the
life of her understand.”
(Eliot, George, Middlemarch, at www.gutenberg.org, p.196)

De ce domnul Wrench i-ar fi neglijat pe copii ei mai mult decat pe ceilalti nu putea
intelege nici in ruptul capului.

4) Translating by using an idiom similar in meaning and form

a)“’You were the life of the party last night, Ma’am, you know’,returned Flowers,
‘and you suffer for it today, you see.’”
(Dickens, Charles, Dombey and Son, at www.gutenberg.org, p.450)

Aseara ati fost sufletul petrecerii, doamna, replica Flowers, iar azi platiti pentru asta.

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 b)”You delude me with a false assent, and then I am at the mercy of your own
devices. If you meant to resist every wish I express, say so and defy me.”
(Eliot, George, Middlemarch, at www.gutenberg.org, 502)

“Ma amagesti cu un fals consimtamant si apoi eu ma aflu la mila tertipurilor tale.

Daca intentionai sa te opui tuturor dorintelor mele, spune-o si sfideaza-ma.”

“There’s a moral in everything, if we could only avail ourselves of it. It will be our
own faults if we lose sight of this one.”
(Dickens, Charles, Dombey and Son, at www.gutenberg.org, p.13)

Exista o morala in toate, numai de ne-ar folosi la ceva. Va fi numai vina noastra daca o
pierdem pe asta din vedere.

c)“It was doubtful whether the recognition had been mutual, for Mr. Casaubon was
looking absently before him; but the lady was quick-eyed, and threw a nod and a ‘How do
you do?’ in the nick of time.”
(Eliot, George, Middlemarch, at www.gutenberg.org, p.36)

Era indoielnic daca recunoasterea se recunoscusera reciproc, fiindca domnul Casaubon

privea in gol; dar doamna dinaintea lui avea o privire patrunzatoare si, dand din cap, arunca
un ‘Ce mai faceti?’ tocmai la tanc.