Abstract
The aim of the paper deals with the preliminary verification of the hypothesis concerning the impact of the source text structure on the choice of translation strategy (form-oriented or sense-oriented) in the process of rendering a text in a native (Ukrainian) into a foreign (English) language by university students majoring in Translation.
 The methods of the research included a comparative analysis of the target texts (English) translated (within a predetermined time limit) from the source text (Ukrainian) related to the domain of economics. The structure of the source text, while remaining grammatically acceptable in the Ukrainian language, had been deliberately made structurally non-congruent with that of the direct word order, which is most frequently used in English. The subjects, the fourth-year BA students majoring in Translation, whose command of English ranged between B2 and C1 levels within the CEFR classification, had been properly motivated to achieve the maximum possible result. The analysis of the target texts was based on a number of parameters, which included the preservation of the source text information and its structure in them.
 Results. It was established that in translating from a native into a foreign language, the subjects have a tendency to replicate the structure of the source text at the levels of clauses and sentences. However, it does not always result in the distortion of the source text sense or/and the violation of the target language norms as the subjects often managed to render the said sense and to keep to the said norms by means of changing the functions of the words in the sentence. The probability of the subjects’ abandoning the source text structure increases when the latter is evidently unsuitable for replication, in which case they switch over to the sense-oriented strategy. The correlation of the two strategies in translating sentence segments is generally identical to the one related to clauses and sentences, while the form-oriented strategy generally prevails in rendering phrases.
 Conclusions. The source text structure has a certain impact on the choice of translation strategy increasing the share of the form-oriented approach. However, this impact is not unequivocal and may depend on a number of factors, which require additional study. The paper outlines the prospects of further research.
Highlights
The translation process research is an essential instrument of its model development, which could provide a sound theoretical basis for the formulation of relevant hypotheses and their further testing
We suggested the following hypothesis: in translating from a native language into a foreign one, students majoring in Translation have a tendency to rely on the source text (ST) structure, which induces the source language (SL) structure interference resulting in the violations of the target language (TL) norms or/and distortion of the ST sense in the TT
The extreme form of literal translation, i.e. the one, which involves the ‘mechanical exchange of language signs’ and ‘prevents any checking on the sense of the TL text’ (Lӧrscher, 2005: 598) is seldom seen at the subjects’ level of communicative and translation competence development. Even when they resort to literal translation, it causes only deviations from the TL norms, as the subjects mostly manage to preserve the ST sense by changing the functions of the words in the sentence
Summary
The translation process research is an essential instrument of its model development, which could provide a sound theoretical basis for the formulation of relevant hypotheses and their further testing. According to the available data (Lӧrscher, 2005; Tirkkonen-Condit, 2005; Balling, Hvelplund & Sjшrup 2014), we may distinguish different translation strategies, depending on the approach to the source text (ST). The development of the professional translator’s competence may be regarded as a gradual decrease of the literal translation operations share (though they remain available for the translator) accompanied by the parallel increase of the sense-oriented operations share in the translator’s performance. The dynamics of this process has not been sufficiently researched and requires additional study to develop the translation psychological mechanisms model. It provides for the relevance of this paper
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
