The idiom stems from the fact that carrying coal, in Shakespeare's time, was considered to be a demeaning job and was disrespected; thus, people then might hurl insults at coal carriers. The translator opted to translate the idiom by paraphrase, leaving the figurative nature of the idiom out in his translation. Although the ST denotative meaning was conveyed in the translation, the idiomatic sway of the use of the idiom was overlooked in the translation. The audience of the translation may get the meaning, but definitely, they will not get the sense, drift, or nuance of the meaning of the idiomatic language by the ST author.
The ST idiom was said by Prince Escalus, warning miscreants that he will torture them if they do not stop fighting. He described them as misused weapons because the miscreants used them to fight among each other instead of fighting their antagonists.
It refers to weapons that are made for a harmful purpose. However, in context, this meaning to disarm; to disengage from fighting each other was probably understood. The idiom was said by Benvolio to Romeo, asking him to start dancing the moment they enter the ball they are not invited to, and which is organized by the Capulets.
The translator opted to render the ST idiom by paraphrase, which made it lose its aesthetic value. The denotative meaning is conveyed; however, the connotative meaning, which connotes how Benvolio advises Romeo to look to their legs the means with which to dance as a reference to dancing and forgetting about anything else, was lost.
This statement is said by Mercutio to his friend Romeo. This was the first time Shakespeare used this idiom. This idiom is likened to a game - Methinks their "wits" were likened to a game, and the speaker is saying there is no competition, that the other guy is far superior in terms of "wits".
The idiom is "run the wild goose chase". Of course, Shakespeare might be using plain English. He might be using a metaphor, for example, which compares things whereby a horseman does complicated maneuvers that ordinary people need only to repeat. The game is named after the flight pattern of a flock of wild geese that obediently follows the leader-goose. The translator failed to find an equivalent idiom in the TL or even to transfer the idiom to the TT.
Instead, he opted to paraphrase the meaning of the idiom, which made it lose its play and aesthetic value in the TT. The ST idiom in example 5 was said by Mercutio while he was dying after being stabbed by Tybalt, a result due to his reaction to Tybalt's provocation. He was killed because he reacted to the provoke he received from Tybalt, who refused Romeo and Mercutio's presence to the all without being invited. Mercutio, whose antagonism towards each other created the environment which instigated his death in this idiom.
The translator opted to paraphrase the ST idiom, conveying a similar meaning to the ST. In this example, the translator did a good job of capturing the emotion of the moment. It appears that Mercutio is basically saying Curse the Montagues and Capulets. I am dying. It is implied that he is dying because of them - the feuding between them, so sad and tragic! Sometimes a translator renders an ST idiom to a semantically similar TT idiom but which is lexically different.
Examples of such strategies are provided below. In this idiom, Gregory tells Sampson that they should do their best to stay out of trouble while they can when they are alive and free to do so.
It might imply to do this in a stealthy way or to keep a low profile. The translator translated the ST idiom using a similar idiom in Arabic but in different wording. The ST idiom means "so long as you live, do your best to keep out of difficulties, and that this was said merely for the sake of the pun on colliers, choler, and collar.
The intended meaning could also be, for example, while you are alive or while you can, do your best to stay out of trouble. If you do not want to go to hell, do something to save your soul while you are alive, of course.
However, the TT idiom means to have keep one's necks out of a collar to escape punishment under the law, which is used for the purposes of creating a pun. The TT meaning is similar but not the same as the ST idiom. The translator translated the ST idiom using a similar idiom in Arabic but different wording. The ST idiom means literally to get our necks out of the gallows, which denotes saving our souls.
However, the TT idiommeans to have necks out of a collar, which is used mostly for a pun purpose. The TT meaning is not precisely the meaning of the ST idiom, but it is similar to it. The ST meaning was, however, conveyed in the TT. The ST idiom in example 7 was said by Sampson to Gregory informing him that they should not start fighting with their enemies so as not to be legally convicted. The form of the TT, however, is not far in meaning from the ST in trying to escape the gallows or punishment by acting within the law.
The concept of law, however, is quite different from the concept of truth. The omission is one of the strategies employed by some translators when they feel that the ST idiom is challenging to render to the TT or that the ST idiom is not important enough to sacrifice the naturalness of the TT for the purpose of conveying the ST idiom meaning.
An example of such a strategy is provided below. In this idiom, Shakespeare refers to women as weaker vessels, the "weaker sex" who "are ever thrust to the wall", depicting the attitude towards women in the 17th century and how women could be humiliated and downgraded.
During the Elizabethan Era, women were viewed as being submissive and weak, while men were seen as dominant. In the reading of this text, one would gather that violence is prevalent in this culture where the weaker ones women or men had to give way to or were pushed aside by their "superiors" or enemies. However, the translator failed to find an equivalent idiom in the TL and opted for the omission of the idiom.
This, however, downplayed the aesthetic and connotative value of the ST idiom in the TT. A translator sometimes renders an idiom by the omission of a play on it, as he may succeed inconveying the denotative meaning, but he may not be able to convey the play on the idiom. Examples of such a strategy use are provided below.
In example 9, Sampson uses this idiom, "bite my thumb at someone " which is a gesture of insult to those who are bitten the thumb at. However, the translator rendered the idiom leaving out the play on the idiom, preserving the concrete meaning of the idiom. The translation thus failed to convey the ST meaning. The translator translated the ST idiom, in example 10 literally, leaving out the play on the idiom.
The translation partially conveyed the meaning of the ST. Borrowing is a translation strategy that a translator uses to render some items either because of a lack of equivalents or because he wants to flavor the TT with the SL culture. Examples of the use of borrowing as a strategy are provided below. The translator borrowed the ST idiom and translated it metaphorically to the TT. Who decided to attend the ball organized by the Capulets without being invited? The ball attendees were assumed to wear masks because it was a masquerade.
The idiom shows how Mercutio feels that he is an ugly person who is wearing a mask over his ugly face, which he considered as another mask or visor.
The translator thus decided to borrow the idiom from the SL to convey the meaning in the TL. The borrowing strategy seems to have succeeded in conveying the intended meaning. In example 12, Romeo is stating the fact that it is easy for Mercutio to joke about Romeo's predicament because Mercutio has never experienced such feelings. Mercutio is joking about something he has no knowledge or understanding of. Romeo is saying that those who have not experienced wounds will never feel them.
He is referring to those who blame him for his love stories, the first love story with Rosalina, and the second one with Juliet. The translator could convey the ST idiom through borrowing it in the TT. In example 13, Romeo is drawing similitude between Juliet soft light in the window and the rising sun.
The Sun reawakens the world each day, bringing and sustaining life, and similarly, Juliet enlivens and enlightens - brings life to the heart of Romeo, makes him come alive, feel alive.
The light in that scene is actually candlelight that illuminates the darkness of the night. Romeo feels that Juliette is as radiant and brilliant and dazzling as the rising sun. He is bedazzled, completely smitten. And the sun. The sun brings life to the world, and similarly, Juliet brings life and happiness to the heart of Romeo. Juliet is rising in the east, like the sun. The translator could render the ST by borrowing it in the TL.
The ST meaning was conveyed accurately. No one compares to Juliet. The translator could transfer the meaning of the ST idiom to the TT through the strategy of borrowing. The nurse does not really approve of a secret marriage between Romeo and Juliet, fearing that it would cause the animosity between the Capulets and the Montagues to flare up once their secret is discovered.
The nurse wants to ensure Romeo has good intentions towards Juliette, is serious about her. In an attempt to protect the interests of Juliette, the nurse both pries for information and appeals to Romeo's sense of duty and manliness. The nurse is basically saying,. Therefore, if you mislead her, it would really bedespicable maybe doubly so , so unbefitting of any noble or good woman, and deplorable behavior on your part. The nurse is also warning Romeo that it would not look too good on him if he treated a lady like that.
Anyone would understand by reading this passage that the Montagues would not tolerate such a thing. Arabic speakers do not use such an idiomatic expression, which affected the conveyance of the ST meaning.
One of the translation strategies that were discussed by Baker is using an idiom in the TL, which has a similar meaning and form to the idiom of the ST. Examples of the use of such a strategy are provided below. He said that dancing is only for people who are care-free, not for those who are suffering from lovesickness, as it is the case with Romeo.
You will hear them in movies and TV shows and can use them to make your English sound more like that of a native speaker. These English idioms are used quite regularly in the United States. You may not hear them every day, but they will be very familiar to any native English speaker. You can be confident using any of them when the context is appropriate. These English idioms and proverbs are familiar and easily understood by native English speakers, but they are not usually used in everyday conversation.
If you haven't mastered the more frequent idioms yet, they are a better place to start, but if you're already familiar with those expressions, the idioms below will further spice up your English. Home Welcome to EF. Programs See everything we do. Offices Find an office near you. About EF Who we are. Idioms evolve the language; they are the building blocks of a language and civilization. They also have great intensity to make a language exciting and dynamic.
Idioms have a sense of mystery and fun about them. So what makes idioms difficult? The answer is their meanings. Idioms are not easy to understand — especially for non-native speakers, because their intentions are usually symbolic. This characteristic makes them strange and difficult to understand for English learners. List of top 10 most common English idioms and phrases, with their meaning and examples for students and teachers.
They are also frequently asked in competitive exams. Though the popularity of the idioms may vary from region to region, still the list is rather popular around the globe. Meaning: a controversial issue or situation that is awkward or unpleasant to deal with.
Example: The subject of bullying and fighting in my school is a hot potato. Read on. Example: Learning English is a piece of cake as long as you do it with our website.
Example: I go to visit my grandfather only once in a blue moon; he lives in a remote farm house. Example: Taking care of my younger sister is no bed of roses; she is very silly.
Example: I wanted to go to play outside, but it was raining cats and dogs yesterday. Example: William will keep quiet only when pigs fly.
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