O (nie)przetłumaczalności związków frazeologicznych – polskie ekwiwalenty zerowe frazeologizmów zoonimicznych w języku niemieckim

Abstract

The main objective of this article is to answer the question concerning the borderline between translatable and untranslatable idioms. They are often “tough nuts to crack” for interpreters or translators. The research material consists of German animal idiomatic expressions and their Polish equivalents. In the analysis the author concentrated on the role of zero equivalence in filling in the gaps in the phraseological system of the target language. Zero equivalents were interpreted as nonphraseological lexemes, loose collocations, proverbs and sayings as well as paraphrases. The research showed that, apart from neutral paraphrases (deprived of stylistic quality), most Polish equivalents fall into the category of stylistic expressions which evoke the sender’s or/and receiver’s emotional response. Application of diminutives, augmentatives or appropriate adjectives makes it possible to render the meaning of German idioms. Polish lexemes used in their metaphorical function may develop connotations and representations similar to those rooted in the (literal) meaning of German idiomatic expressions. The above assumptions give ground to the claim that the borderline between translatable and untranslatable idioms further surpasses the one suggested by the line between partial and zero equivalence.