2 Read the text about collocations and say if the statements (1–8) are true or false.

1 Words collocate freely in English.2 Logic is of little help with collocations.3 Collocations in different languages are very

similar.4 Mistakes in combining the words are not

important.5 It is recommended to learn collocations, not

separate words.6 It’s better to learn collocation by topic, than

by word.7 You can use any learner’s dictionary to learn

more collocations.8 Specialised dictionaries of collocations are

even better for this purpose.

3 Read the text again and translate the highlighted collocations into Russian.

Collocations are common word combinations, such as bright idea or work hard, and are the essential building blocks of natural-sounding English. Collocation is a sequence of words that go together more often than would be expected by chance. It is partly or fully fixed expression that becomes established through repeated use.

Foreign learners of the language have to specially learn collocations, as it’s often impossible to guess what words and how could go together. Logic does not help and is often misleading. What sounds right to the native speaker may sound strange and unexpected to a foreign learner and vice versa. For example, the adjective fast collocates with cars and food, not with glance or lunch: fast cars, fast food, but a quick glance and a quick lunch. Some more examples:

The use of collocations in speech is crucial for sounding natural and being easily understood. Learning collocations requires a consistent approach and determination. Be aware of collocations and try to recognise them when you see or hear them. Read as much as possible, paying attention to the regular occurrence and

combinability of words. Do the same when you listen to spoken English. As collocations are single blocks of language, learn them as such, not as separate words, e.g. learn ‘strongly support’, not ‘strongly’ + ‘support’. When you learn a new word, write down other words that collocate with it (remember rightly, remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly). Revise what you learn regularly. Practise using new collocations in context as soon as possible after learning them. Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, money, family) or by a particular word (take action, take a chance, take an exam). Use any good learner’s dictionary, or specialised dictionaries of collocations, like Oxford Collocations Dictionary.

There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective etc. Some of the most common types are:

• adjective + noun: strong tea, strong argument, bad/heavy cold, only child

• noun + of + noun: a bar of chocolate, a piece of advice, a piece/item of furniture, an article of clothing

• noun + verb: lions roar, bees buzz, boats sail, people swim/sail

• verb + noun: make a complaint, earn a living, gain weight, take an exam, pass an exam, fail an exam

• verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears, go on a diet, put up with sth

• verb + adverb: speak (English) fluently, work hard, run fast, stare hard

• adverb + adjective: completely satisfied, fully aware, totally brilliant

4 Translate the sentences from English into Russian, paying special attentions to collocations.

1 Queen Elizabeth I started a fashion for wigs in England.

2 I don’t usually follow fashion – I just wear what I like.

3 We are all fashion victims when we force our feet into tiny pointed shoes with enormous high heels! And it shows on our faces!

4 This beautiful young actress with brown eyes and blonde hair has played various parts in numerous films.

5 Think Back! Do you remember what is meant by collocations? Why should we learn collocations and not just words? Why should we translate collocations and not just words?

Collocations

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We sayin English

poor or small appetite

make an eff ort

watch TV

powerful engine

ancient mountains

make mistakes

We don’t sayin English

� bad appetite

� do an eff ort

� look TV

� strong engine

� antique mountains

� do mistakes

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6 Match the collocations (1–17) with the right type (a–e) and translate them into Russian. What difficulties did you face when translating the collocations?

1 to practise a sport2 to play chess3 perfect combination4 to bring the idea to life5 peaceful game 6 violent sport 7 to follow strict diet routine 8 to end in a draw 9 references to the game

10 to stop sth for thirty years 11 to return to the throne12 to describe sth in a way that 13 to do sth in six minutes 14 to train for a World Cup15 to commit crimes16 violent crimes 17 extremely violent

Types of collocationsa adjective + nounb noun + nounc verb + nound verb + expression with prepositione adverb + adjective

Commonly confused wordspractice – a noun (BrE)practise – a verb (BrE)In American English both words are spelt with the letter c.

7 Work in pairs. Student A, give a Russian sentence with a collocation from Exercise 6. Student B, give its English translation. Take turns.

1 social problems2 social sciences3 social life4 social worker5 social and

political change 6 final match7 final decision8 final results9 final exams

10 final scene11 final chapter

12 domestic animal13 domestic

appliances14 domestic flight15 domestic

advertising16 domestic policy 17 capital city18 capital flow19 with a capital

letter20 capital error 21 capital

resources22 capital

punishment

a социальные и политические измененияb общественные/социальные наукиc социальные проблемы d социальный работникe общение с друзьями/светская жизньf окончательные результатыg финальный матч h последняя/заключительная глава i выпускные экзаменыj окончательное решениеk заключительная сцена l внутренний рейсm реклама внутри страны n домашнее животное o внутренняя политика p бытовая техникаq финансовые ресурсы r высшая мера наказанияs с заглавной буквыt движение капитала u столичный городv роковая ошибка/заблуждение

LEXICAL TRANSFORMATIONS1 Translate the sentences into Russian, paying

special attention to the verb to go. Can we use one and the same Russian word for it in all the sentences?

1 They went on foot.2 They went by train.3 They went by plane.4 The job interview went really well.5 The day went very quickly.6 All his brothers went to college.7 We’re planning to go to London this

spring.8 What time are you going tomorrow?9 He went into hospital for an operation

last Tuesday.

8 Many English words of Greek and Latin origin have Russian equivalents of the same origin. However, these words are translated differently in different collocations. Match English collocations (1–22) with their Russian equivalents (a–v). Think of 5 sentences with these collocations.

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TRAN

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6–

866

––88

From the boxing ring to the skating rink, and from the tennis court to the golf course, you’ll find participants and spectators who can’t live without the drug of their choice. It could be a good thing. After all, despite being addictive, it’s true that�

In fact, it’s one of the world’s largest indoor ski slopes. It covers an area of 22,500m² which is about the same size as three football pitches, and the temperature is a constant –1° to –2°C. However, the strangest thing about this place is that it’s in the middle of the desert! It’s called Ski Dubai and the outside temperatures can rise to more than 40°C!

Justifying opinionsThe reason why … is …I mean …The thing is …Look at …If you think about it …

Read the description of Edinburgh again. Which of these things are mentioned?

Background information Things to see and do

• the population • the surrounding area• the geographical • tourist sights

location • shops• how to get there • nightlife• local transport • sports and leisure

2 Read the text in Exercise 8 on page 95. Can you find any other verbs with a wide general meaning which should be specified in the Russian translation? Think of other English sentences with this verb(s) and translate them into Russian.

inburgh again. Which of

3 Can you think of any English nouns with a wide meaning which should be specified in the Russian translation? Read the extracts (1–9) from various texts of your Student’s Book and find such a noun in them. Translate the sentences with this noun into Russian.

‘When Duncan retired we thought it’s time to relax … and it’s a chance to finally have all those little things done around the house. So we’ve already had all the windows replaced and we had a new roof put on the garage last month.

Dear Sir/Madam,I am writing in response to Judy Boyle’s article, which appeared in your paper on March 22nd. Although I agree with many of the things Ms Boyle wrote, I feel she didn’t mention some important points.

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1

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6

8

4 Study Train Your Brain. Why do you think the Russian term конкретизация has several English equivalents and is still used rarely in English? Can you think of an example to illustrate the last point in Train Your Brain?

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN Lexicaltransformations

1 When translating words with a wide general meaning from English into Russian, use a Russian word with a more specific, more concrete meaning. The choice of this word in Russian depends on the context. This transformation is called in Russian конкретизация. In English it can be called concretisation, particularisation or specification, though these terms are used very rarely and they are used mainly by translation specialists who are non-native speakers of English.

2 Generalisation (генерализация) is another type of the lexical transformations. The translator substitutes a word of the source language with a narrow meaning by that of the target language with a wider meaning.

5 Translate the sentences from English into Russian using generalisation.

1 She stared at me in disbelief.2 They wanted their dinner. 3 He had a tattoo on his right arm.4 Mary looked at her wristwatch, it was time

to leave.5 The policemen examined every inch of the

ground.

6 Translate the word combinations and sentences from English into Russian, paying special attention to the words good, bad, thing, to be.

7 Read the following sentences and explain their meaning in English. What are the words/expressions difficult for translation into Russian? How can we translate them into Russian so that they carry the same meaning but sound natural for native speakers of Russian?

1 They were snowed in for three days last winter.

2 Your clothes want a brush.3 Everyone could see that Eliza was close to

tears.4 The phone kept ringing, but she couldn’t

bring herself to answer it.5 To be a good comedian, you have to be a

friend of the audience.6 He always made you say everything twice.

1 good book good citizen good film good food good menu good pupil good water

2 bad accident bad decision bad effect bad habit bad mistake bad moment bad smell

3 At the end of 2010, things started to change.4 He left his swimming things at home.5 It won’t cost you a thing.6 The first thing to do is to give them food and

shelter.7 She wants to be a teacher when she leaves

school.8 The performance was last night.9 There were two books on the table.

10 Where are they now?11 Your telephone is in the drawer.

Check it out

Modulation

In some cases translators have to paraphrase the sentence because the logical relationship between words in the two languages is diff erent. It is usually a cause-and-eff ect relationship between things or events.• The English sentence names the eff ect, the

Russian translation gives the cause insteadYour clothes want a brush. – У тебя грязная одежда.

• The English sentence names the cause, the Russian translation gives the eff ect instead.They were snowed in for three days last winter. – Прошлой зимой они не могли выйти из дома целых три дня.

In English this transformation is called modulation. The corresponding Russian term is модуляция, or смысловое развитие.

8 Translate the following sentences into Russian using modulation.

1 Two long years had passed since I tasted my mother’s cooking.

2 Everyone felt embarrassed, and Anna was near tears.

3 On this voyage I shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table.

4 Many towns in the Golden Ring are readily reached from Moscow.

5 I don’t think she came back home yesterday. Her bed wasn’t slept in.

6 It has been my good fortune to have lived a very long and a very full life, one in which I have been at the heights but also at the depths.

7 While each individual must confront old age in his own way, some basic guidelines apply to everyone: keep fit, keep active, keep up with what’s going on in the world.

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