7 Maket 2010 nor_N:Layout 1.qxd Idioms in Colours All languages possess a great number of word-groupswhich are known as idioms. The use of idioms much depends on the context. Proceeding from the assumption that individual meanings of polysemantic words can be observed in a certain context it is argued that idioms are to be defined through specific types of context. Free word-groups make up variable contexts, where- as the essential feature of idioms is a non-variable or fixed context. Non-variability is understood as the stability of the word-group. In variable contexts which include polyseman- tic words, substitution of one of the components is possible within the limits of the lexical valency of the word under consideration (Ginzburg 1979:72). Idioms are to a great extent a product of culture. They come into being on the basis of the specific worldview of a particular speech community and reflect its empirical, historical and spiritual experience. As a manifestation of national wit as a particular sort of national creativ- ity, idioms through the system of images, symbols and stereotypes fixed in them, carry on from generation to generation the accumulated culture and thus ensure national identity. Idioms are claimed to have powerful cohesive force. Being institutionalized units of the language they are shared by all members of a given speech community or various subgroups within it and bind the members of such groups together as a manifestation of their identity. At the same time idioms have the power of keeping out non-members of the group and distinguishing such groups from others (New Developments in Modern Anglistics 1997:118). Taking into account all these peculiarities, idioms should be trans- lated with special care. Our research has shown that the idioms with colour terms that are found in the novels of British and American authors are translated in different ways into Armenian and Russian. The first variant of translation is to use the equivalent idiom existing in Armenian or Russian. On the other hand, if a corresponding equivalent is non-existent, idioms can be translated with the help of non-idiomatic expressions. A certain number of examples are adduced below: And round Crum were still gathered a forlorn hope of bluebloods with a plutocratic following. (Galsworthy 104) ºí øñáõÝÇ ßáõñç ¹»é ѳí³ùí»É ¿ÇÝ ½áõñ ÑáõÛë»ñáí ï³ñí³Í ³½Ýí³Ï³ÝÝ»ñÁª ¹ñ³Ù³ï»ñ ÁÝÏ»ñÝ»ñÇ ßù³ËÙμáí: (Galsworthy 145) Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics 62 Kristine Harutyunyan È âîêðóã Êðóìà âñå åùå ñîáèðàëèñü ïåðäñòàâèòåëè ãîëóáîé êðîâè ñ èõ áûëûìè íàäåæäàìè, à çà íèìè òÿíóëàñü ïëó òî êðà - òèÿ. (Galsworthy 438) It always ends up making you blue as hell. (Salinger 94) ØÇßï ¹ñ³Ýó å³ï׳éáí ïñ³Ù³¹ñáõÃÛáõݹ ÁÝÏÝáõÙ ¿: (Salinger 120) Âå÷íî èç-çà íèõ ðàññòðàèâàåøüñÿ. (Salinger 320) In the first example the idiom blue blood has equivalents both in Armenian and Russian languages (though it is not introduced in the Armenian translation), whereas the idiom blue as hell is translated without the use of colour terms. The colour term blue has the meaning of sadness and gloominess only in the English language: I`ve been thinking of the past and I am as blue as the devil. (Maugham 62) ÐÇßáõÙ ¿Ç ³ÝóÛ³ÉÁ áõ ³ÛÝå»ë ïñ³Ù³¹ñáõÃÛáõÝë ÁÝϳí: (Maugham 72) ß äóìàëà î ïðîøëîì, è ó ìåíÿ òåïåðü ñòðàøíàÿ õàíäðà. (Maugham 246) I just felt blue as hell. (Salinger 125) Ðá·Ý³ÍáõÃÛáõÝ ã¿Ç ½·áõÙ, ³éѳë³ñ³Ï áãÇÝã ã¿Ç ½·áõÙ, μ³óÇ ëáëϳÉÇ ïñïÙáõÃÛáõÝÇó: (Salinger 160) Âîîáùå íè÷åãî íå ÷óâñòâîâàë, êðîìå æóòêîé òîñêè. (Salinger 349) You are seeing blue tonight, old thing. (Galsworthy 223) ²Ûëûñ ³Ù»Ý ÇÝã Ùé³ÛÉ »ë ï»ëÝáõÙ, ëÇñ»ÉÇë: (Galsworthy 680) Armenian Folia AnglistikaLinguistics 63 Ñåé÷àñ òåáå âñå ïðåäñòàâëÿåòñÿ â ìðà÷íîì ñâåòå. (Galsworthy 455) I have absolutely got to have an interest in life, or this country will give me the blues. (Galsworthy 348) ºë ³Ý å³Û Ù³Ý å»ïù ¿ ÙÇ Ñ» ï³ùñù ñáõà ÛáõÝ áõ Ý» ݳ٠ÏÛ³Ý ùáõÙ, û ã¿ ³Ûë »ñ ÏÇ ñÁ ë¨ áõñ μ³ ÃÇ å»ë Ù» ɳ Ù³Õ Óáï Ϲ³ñÓ ÝÇ ÇÝÓ: (Galsworthy 456) Ìíå ïðîñòî íåîáõîäèìî íàéòè êàêîé-òî èíòåðåñ â æèçíè, èíà÷å ýòà ñòðàíà íàãîíèò íà ìåíÿ çåëåíóþ òîñêó. (Galsworthy 651) The last example seems to be more vivid and interesting as the idiom to give the blues is translated both into Armenian and Russian with the help of the idioms containing colour terms different from the original, i.e. black and green. Though the translators have used different colour terms, the translations are very appropriate as they reflect exactly the same mood that is expressed in the original. The fact that sadness in Armenian is of the black colour whereas in Russian it is green, can be explained by national and cultur- al peculiarities of the given languages. One did not reach him or so it was reported by members of the family who, out of old-time habit or absent-mindedness, would drive up once in a blue moon and ask after their surviving uncle. (Galsworthy 38) Üñ³ Ùáï ³Ý Ï³ ñ» ÉÇ ¿ñ ÙïÝ»É, ¨ ϳ٠³Û¹ å»ë ¿ÇÝ ³ ëáõÙ ·»ñ ¹³ë ï³ - ÝÇ ³ÛÝ ³Ý ¹³Ù Ý» ñÁ, á ñáÝù ÑÇÝ ëá íá ñáõÃ Û³Ý áõ Åáí, ϳ٠¿É óñí³ - ÍáõÃ Û³Ý ÙÇ ñá å»ÇÝ, ·³ ÉÇë ¿ÇÝ Ñ³ ½³ ñÇó Ù»Ï áõ ѳñó ÝáõÙ Ç ñ»Ýó áÕç Ùݳ ó³Í Ñá ñ»Õ μáñ ³ éáÕ çáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ: (Galsworthy 440) Äî íåãî íå äîáðàòüñÿ, èëè òàê, ïî êðàéíåé ìåðå óòâåðæäàëè òå èç ðîäíè, êòî ïî ñòàðèííîé ïðèâû÷êå èëè ðàññåÿííîñòè íåò- íåò, à çàõîäèëè ñþäà ïðîâåäàòü ñâîåãî ïîñëåäíåãî äÿäþ. (Galsworthy 641) Then all of a sudden, out of a clear blue sky, old Sally said, “Look, I have to know”. (Salinger 106) Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics 64 Ð³Ý Ï³ñÍ, ³ é³Ýó ³Ûɨ³Û ÉáõÃ Û³Ý ê³É ÉÇÝ ³ ëáõÙ ¿. – È ëÇñ, »ë áõ ½áõÙ »Ù ѳë ï³ï Ç Ù³ ݳÉ: (Salinger 136) Âäðóã íè ñ òîãî íè ñ ñåãî, Ñàëëè ñïðàøèâàåò: - Ñëóøàé, ìíå íàäî òî÷íî çíàòü. (Salinger 331) The idioms once in a blue moon and out of a clear blue sky have no equivalents in Armenian and Russian. The majority of the idioms with the colour term white (ëåÇï³Ï, áåëûé) have pos- itive meaning, whereas the idioms with the colour term black (ë¨, ÷åðíûé) are negative. Yet there are some exceptions: white elephant, to show the white feather in the black; ³ãùÇ ë¨Á ëåÇï³Ï ³Ý»É, ë¨ÇÝ ëåÇï³Ï ³ë»É, ëåÇï³Ï μÇÍ, ëåÇï³Ï ç³ñ¹; áåëàÿ ãîðÿ÷êà, øòîïàòü áåëûìè íèòêàìè, etc. His truly English pragmatism, could not help feeling that Michael would be well rid of a white elephant. (Galsworthy 66) êáÙ ½Á Çñ μáõÝ ÇëÏ ³Ý· Édz Ï³Ý åñ³· Ù³ ïǽ Ùáí, åÇ ïÇ áõ Ý» ݳñ ³ÛÝ ½·³ óáõ ÙÁ, áñ سÛù ÉÁ, ÷³éù ³ëï Íá, ³ ½³ï í»ó ÙÇ ×ÝßáÕ μ» - éÇó: (Galsworthy 455) Ñîìñ êàê èñòûé àíã ëè ÷à íèí, ñêëî íÿâ øèé ñÿ ê ïðàã ìà òèç ìó, êîíñòà òè ðî âàë áû ñ îá ëåã ÷å íèåì, ÷òî Ìàéêë îò äå ëàë ñÿ îò ãðî - ìîçä êî ãî áðå ìå íè. (Galsworthy 311) The idiom white elephant is typical only of the English language. Plenty of straight men racing but a lot of blackguards hanging about the sport. (Galsworthy 92) ²½ ÝÇí Ù³ñ ¹ÇÏ ß³ï Ï³Ý Ódzñ ß³ íÇ ³ë å³ ñ» ½áõÙ, μ³Ûó ùÇã ã»Ý ݳ¨ ëñÇ Ï³ Ý» ñÁ, á ñáÝù åïïíáõÙ »Ý ³Û¹ ëåáñ ïÇ ßáõñ çÁ: (Galsworthy147)  ìèðå ñêà÷åê äîñòàòî÷íî ÷åñòíûõ ëþäåé, íî ñêîëüêî ìåðçàâöåâ ïðèìàçûâàåòñÿ ñî ñòîðîíû! (Galsworthy 568) Armenian Folia AnglistikaLinguistics 65 Well, he would tackle it, write to Jon, and put the whole thing down in black and white. (Galsworthy 176) ² Ûá, Çñ Ó»é ùÁ Ïí»ñó ÝÇ ËÝ¹Ç ñÁ, Ï·ñÇ æá ÝÇÝ, ë ̈ áí ëåÇ ï³ ÏÇ íñ³ Ïß³ ñ³¹ ñÇ ³Ù μáÕç ³Û¹ ³Ýó Û³É å³ï Ùáõà Ûáõ ÝÁ: (Golsuordi 641) Îí íàïèøåò Äæîíó, èçëîæèò âñå êàê åñòü - ÷åðíûì ïî áåëîìó. (Galsworthy 778) - War-paint? -Yes, white waistcoat. (Galsworthy 78) - ÈñÇí å³ßïáݳϳ±Ý: - ²Ûá, ëåÇï³Ï μ³×ÏáݳÏ: (Galsworthy 82) - Ïîëíûé ïàðàä? - Äà, áåëûé æèëåò. (Galsworthy 58) The idioms black and white and white waistcoat are translated with the help of the same colour terms. On the other hand the translation of blackguards is different. This was early in December, so that when Black Week came, he was enabled to say to everybody… (Galsworthy 130) ¸»Ï ï»Ù μ» ñÇ ëÏǽμÝ ¿ñ ¹³, ³ÛÝ å»ë áñ »ñμ §ê¨ ß³ μ³ ÃÁ¦ íñ³ ѳ - ë³í, ÜÇ ùÁ ɳ ëÁ ϳñ Í»ë Ç ñ³ íáõÝù ëï³ ó³í μá Éá ñÇÝ Ñ³Û ï³ ñ³ ñ» - Éáõ… (Galsworthy 183) Ýòî áûëî â ñàìîì íà÷àëå äåêàáðÿ, òàê ÷òî, êîãäà ïðèøëà “×åðíàÿ íåäåëÿ”, îí ìîã âñÿêîìó ñêàçàòü.. (Galsworthy 465) Black week is 10-15 December, 1899. During this short period the English army suf- fered a number of defeats. This expression can be understood correctly in case of one’s good knowledge of the history of Britain (cf. Black Tuesday). Coming hastily out of a door, he received simultaneously a black eye. (Galsworthy 99) Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics 66 Þï³å ¹áõñë ·³ Éáí ÙÇ ¹éÝÇó, ݳ Ùdz ų Ù³ Ý³Ï »ñ Ïáõ ѳñ í³Í ëï³ ó³í` Ù»ÏÝ ³ã ùÇ ï³Ï, áõñ ϳå ï»ó: (Galsworthy 503) Ïîñïåøíî âîéäÿ â óìûâàëüíóþ, îí òîò÷àñ æå ïîëó÷èë ñèíÿê ïîä ãëàçîì. (Galsworthy 343) In this example again the colour term black is replaced by another one. And he would live to a green old age, like his dear father. (Galsworthy 242) àõ áÕç-³ éáÕç ϳå ñÇ ÙÇÝ㨠Ëáñ Í» ñáõà ÛáõÝ, Çñ ëÇ ñ» ÉÇ Ñ³Û ñÇ ÏÇ ÝÙ³Ý: (Galsworthy 344) È îí äî æè âåò äî ãëó áî êîé ñòà ðîñòè, êàê åãî äî ðî ãîé îòåö. (Galsworthy 577) “Well”, he said,”they brought me up to do nothing, and here I am in the sear and yellow, getting poorer every day”. (Galsworthy 14) -¸»Ñ, - ³ ë³ó ݳ,- ÇÝÓ Ù³Ý Ïáõà Ûáõ ÝÇó ëá íá ñ»ó ñ»É »Ý á ãÇÝã ã³ Ý»É, ¨ ³ ѳ ÑÇ Ù³, »ñμ ï»ñ¨Ý»ñë ¹»Õ ÝáõÙ áõ ó÷ íáõÙ »Ý ³ñ ¹»Ý, û ñÇó ûñ ³ í» ÉÇ »Ù ³Õ ù³ ï³ ÝáõÙ: (Galsworthy 406) -Äà,- ñêà çàë îí,- ÿ òàê âîñ ïè òàí, ÷òî áû íè ÷å ãî íå äå ëàòü, è âîò òå ïåðü, íà ñêëî íå ëåò ìîèõ, íè ùàþ ñ êàæ äûì äíåì. (Galsworthy 618) The colour terms green and yellow refer to an old age only in English. However, in Armenian we can see a translation - ï»ñ¨Ý»ñë ¹»ÕÝáõÙ »Ý where another colour term is used. I am one of these very yellow guys. (Salinger 75) ºë Ç μÝ» í³ËÏáï »Ù: (Salinger 95) ß ïî ïðèðîäå òðóñ. (Salinger 302) Armenian Folia AnglistikaLinguistics 67 It is funny kind of yellowness, wthen you come to think of it, but it is yel- lowness, all right. (Salinger 76) î³ ñû ñÇ Ý³Ï í³Ë Ïá ïáõà ÛáõÝ ¿, áñ Ùï³ ÍáõÙ »ë, μ³Ûó ³Û Ýá õ³ Ù» Ý³Û - ÝÇí, í³Ë Ïá ïáõà ÛáõÝ ¿: (Salinger 97) Ñòðàííàÿ òðóñîñòü, åñëè ïîäóìàòü, íî âñå æå ýòî òðó ñîñòü. (Salinger 303) The colour term yellow in English is connected with cowardice and sensation. The meaning of sensation is reflected in Armenian and Russian (æåëò àÿ ï ðåññà, ¹»ÕÇÝ Ù³ÙáõÉ), but yellow in the meaning of cowardice is peculiar only to English. People live in the world full of colours which acquire different symbolic meanings. The meaning of the idioms containing colour terms is connected with the symbolic asso- ciations that exist in the particular speech community. This fact can’t be neglected in the process of translation. Idiomatic paremiological dictionaries are full of amusing periphrases of well- known idioms, proverbs and sayings, which, in fact, have very little to do with the complex meaning of the corresponding unit. It is not surprising therefore that these rather impressionistic definitions are of no or very little help to the user of language who is unable to form the necessary link between the meaning of an idiom and an appropriate discourse situation. Especially it affects foreign learners who fail to make a proper choice to match a particular speech event (New Developments in Modern Anglistics 1997:110). References: 1. Ginzburg, R. et al. (1979) A Course in Modern English Lexicology. M.: Vyshaya shkola. 2. New Developments in Modern Anglistics (1997) M.: Moscow University Press. Sources of Data: 1. Galsworthy, J. A. (1975) The Forsyte Saga. Books 1, 2. M.: Progress Publishers. 2. Galsworthy, J. A. (1975) Modern Comedy. Books 1, 2. M.: Progress Publishers. 3. Galsworthy, J. A. (1973) Saga o Forsaytakh. Tr. by N. Voljina, M. Bogoslavskaya, N. Bobrova, Vol. 1, 2, 3. M.: Khudozhestvennaya literatura. 4. Galsworthy, J. A. (1973) Sovremennaya komedia. Tr. by R. Rayt-Kovaleva, A. Krivcova, M. Lorie. Vol. 1, 2, 3. M.: Khudozhestvennaya literatura. Armenian Folia Anglistika Linguistics 68 5. Galsworthy, J. A. (1977) Forsaytneri patmutyun. Tr. by K. Surenyan. Vol. 1, 2, 3. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. 6. Galsworthy, J. A. (1980) Jamanakakic katakergutyun. Tr. by K. Surenyan. Vol. 1, 2, 3. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. 7. Maugham, W. S. (1985) Theatre. M.: Vyshaya Shkola. 8. Maugham, W. S. (1983) Teatr. Tr. by G. Ostrovskaya. M.: Pravda. 9. Maugham, W. S. (1985) Tatron. Tr. by J. Hovhannisyan. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. 10. Salinger, J. D. (1982) Catcher in the Rye. New-York: A National General Company. 11. Salinger, J. D. (1982) Nine Stories. M.: Progress Publishers. 12. Salinger, J. D. (1982) Raise the Roof Beam, Carpenters. M.: Progress Publishers. 13. Salinger, J. D. (1999) Nad propostyu vo rji. Tr. by R. Rayt-Kovaleva. Kharkov: Folio. 14. Salinger, J. D. (1999) Devyat rasskazov. Tr. by R. Rayt-Kovaleva. Kharkov: Folio. 15. Salinger, J. D. (1999) Vyshe stropila, plotniki. Tr. by R. Rayt-Kovaleva. Kharkov: Folio. 16. Salinger, J. D. (1978) Tarekani artum andundi ezrin. Tr. by A. Ghukasyan. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. 17. Salinger, J. D. (1978) Tspeghneri bardzr ataghdzagortsner. Tr. by A. Ghukasyan. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. 18. Salinger, J. D. (1978) (1978) Iny patmvatsq. Tr. by A. Ghukasyan. Yerevan: Sovetakan grogh. ¶áõݳÛÇÝ ¹³ñÓí³ÍùÝ»ñ ¶áõ ݳ ÝáõÝ Ý» ñÁ ß³ï ѳ ×³Ë û· ï³ ·áñÍ íáõÙ »Ý ¹³ñÓ í³Íù Ý» ñáõÙ: ¸³ñÓ - í³Íù Ý» ñÁ Ù» ͳ å»ë Ùß³ ÏáõÛ ÃÇ ³ñ¹ ÛáõÝù »Ý: ¸³ñÓ í³Íù Ý» ñÇ Ç Ù³ë ï³ μ³ Ýáõà - Û³Ý ÑÇÙ ùáõÙ ß³ï ѳ ×³Ë ÁÝ Ï³Í »Ý ïíÛ³É ³½ ·ÇÝ ¨ Ùß³ ÏáõÛ ÃÇÝ Ñ³ ïáõÏ å³ï Ï» - ñ³ óáõÙ Ý»ñ ¨ ·³ Õ³ ÷³ñ Ý»ñ: ¸³ñÓ í³Íù Ý» ñÇ ï³ñ ñ» ñÁ É»½ í³ Ï³Ý Ï³ éáõÛ óáõÙ ÉÇ - Ý» Éáí Áݹ Ñ³Ý ñáõÛÃ` ÙǨÝáõÛÝ Å³ Ù³ Ý³Ï Ý³¨ ³ Ù» ݳ³Ï ݳ éáõ É»½ í³ Ï³Ý ³ é³ÝÓ - ݳ ѳï Ïáõà ÛáõÝ Ý»ñÝ »Ý, á ñáÝù ³ñ ï³ Ñ³Û ïáõÙ »Ý ³Ûë ϳ٠³ÛÝ É»½ íÇ ³½ ·³ ÛÇÝ Ñ³ï ϳ ÝÇß Ý» ñÁ, Ýñ³ μ³ é³ Ï³½ Ù³ ϳÝ, ù» ñ³ ϳ ݳ Ï³Ý ¨ á ׳ Ï³Ý Ýñμ» ñ³Ý· Ý» - ñÁ: ¶áõ ݳ ÝáõÝ Ý»ñ å³ ñáõ ݳ ÏáÕ ¹³ñÓ í³Íù Ý» ñÇ Ç Ù³ë ïÁ ϳå í³Í ¿ ïíÛ³É Ñ³ - ë³ ñ³ ÏáõÃ Û³Ý Ù»ç ·á Ûáõà ÛáõÝ áõ Ý» óáÕ ·áõ ݳ ÛÇÝ ËáñÑñ ¹³ ÝÇß Ý» ñÇ Ñ»ï: ²ÏÝ Ñ³Ûï ¿, áñ ³Ûë ÷³ë ïÁ ãå»ïù ¿ ³Ý ï»ë íÇ Ã³ñ· Ù³ Ýáõà ÛáõÝ Ý»ñ ϳ ï³ ñ» ÉÇë: Armenian Folia AnglistikaLinguistics 69