Dresden, 10/30/2012 Berit Meier, Maria Tober Faculty of Linguistics, Literature and Cultural Studies Institute of English and American Studies Idioms Dresden, 10/30/2012 Berit Meier, Maria Tober

Content Introduction Definition Translating Idioms Exercises Sources TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

1. Introduction Text Source: http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/djstokes/idioms/feelingblue.jpg TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

2. Definition \ˈi-dē-əm\ 1 a : the language peculiar to a people or to a district, community, or class : dialect b : the syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language 2 an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically (as no, it wasn't me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday week for “the Monday a week after next Monday”) 3 a style or form of artistic expression that is characteristic of an individual, a period or movement, or a medium or instrument <the modern jazz idiom>; broadly : manner, style <a new culinary idiom> (Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiom) Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

2. Definition \ˈi-dē-əm\ 1 a : the language peculiar to a people or to a district, community, or class : dialect b : the syntactical, grammatical, or structural form peculiar to a language 2 an expression in the usage of a language that is peculiar to itself either grammatically (as no, it wasn't me) or in having a meaning that cannot be derived from the conjoined meanings of its elements (as Monday week for “the Monday a week after next Monday”) 3 a style or form of artistic expression that is characteristic of an individual, a period or movement, or a medium or instrument <the modern jazz idiom>; broadly : manner, style <a new culinary idiom> (Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiom) Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

3. Translating Idioms prerequisites: idioms must be recognized, understood and analyzed in the source language (SL) use of idioms in the target language (TL)  fluently and completely difficulties: - fixed expression  no literal translation possible - culture-bound  unknown to the translator  no equivalent in the TL  frequency of use is different in SL and TL Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

3. Translating Idioms translation strategies: - using an idiom of similar meaning and form (example: jmd. das Herz brechen  to break sb.‘s heart) - using an idiom of similar meaning but dissimilar form (example: Andere Länder, andere Sitten  When in Rome, do as the Romans) - translating by paraphrasing (example: den Weg ebnen  create a good/suitable situation for something to take place) - translating by omission - compensation TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises a) Es war ein Schlag unter die Gürtellinie, als Jack seine Mutter beschuldigte, nie für ihn da zu sein. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises a) Es war ein Schlag unter die Gürtellinie, als Jack seine Mutter beschuldigte, nie für ihn da zu sein. Jack hit below the belt when he accused his mother of never being there for him. (also possible: low blow, to go blue, to strike below the belt, cheap shot, etc.) Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012 Source: McLay 55

4. Exercises b) Als Emma für ein Jahr nach Kanada ging, um dort als Kindermädchen zu arbeiten, hielt sie ihre beste Freundin immer auf dem Laufenden. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

When Emma went to Canada, in order 4. Exercises b) Als Emma für ein Jahr nach Kanada ging, um dort als Kindermädchen zu arbeiten, hielt sie ihre beste Freundin immer auf dem Laufenden. When Emma went to Canada, in order to work as a nanny for one year, she always kept her best friend posted. (also possible: to keep sb. current/ in the loop/ informed/ up to date, etc.) Text Source: McLay 68 TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises c) Peter musste in den sauren Apfel beißen und seinen Urlaub abbrechen, da ihn sein Chef ins Büro bestellt hatte. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises c) Peter musste in den sauren Apfel beißen und seinen Urlaub abbrechen, da ihn sein Chef ins Büro bestellt hatte. Peter had to bite the bullet and cut his vacation short because his boss had summoned him to the office. (also possible: to grasp the nettle, to swallow the bitter pill) Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises d) Politiker haben die Angewohnheit, den Mund im Wahlkampf zu voll zu nehmen. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises d) Politiker haben die Angewohnheit den Mund im Wahlkampf zu voll zu nehmen. Politicians have the habit of biting off a lot more than they can chew during their campaigning. (also possible: to talk too big, to mouth off (at sb./sth.), etc.) Text Source: Wright 137 TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises e) Wenn du mir nicht glaubst, dann sprich einfach selbst mit ihm und erfahre es aus erster Hand. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012

4. Exercises e) Wenn du mir nicht glaubst, dann sprich einfach selbst mit ihm und erfahre es aus erster Hand. If you don't believe me, go talk to him and hear it straight from the horse's mouth. Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012 Source: http://www.abelincoln.com/cliffhangers/images/1-44.jpg

4. Sources Eftekhari, Negar. A Brief Overview On Idiomatic Translation. Oct. 2008. Web. 29 Oct. < http://www.translationdirectory.com/articles/article1739.php>. McLay, Vera. Idioms At Work. Boston, MA : Thomson Heinle, 2002. Print. Mustonen, Sanna. Translating Idioms: A case study on Donna Tartt's “The Secret History” and its Finnish translation. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. < https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/ bitstream/handle/123456789/25001/urn:nbn:fi:jyu- 201009142572.pdf? sequence=1>. Seidl, Jennifer. Idioms in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987. Print. Wright, John. Idioms Organizer. Organized by metaphor, topic and key word. Boston, MA : Thomson Heinle, 2002. Print. http://www.abelincoln.com/cliffhangers/images/1-44.jpg http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idiom http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/djstokes/idioms/feelingblue.jpg Text TU Dresden, 10/30/2012