Rendering of Stylistic Meaning in Translation

Every word is stylistically marked according to the layer of the vocabulary it belongs to. Stylistically words can be subdivided into literary and non-literary. The greater part of the literary layer of the Modern English vocabulary is formed by words of general use (i.e. words of general purpose) possessing no special stylistic reference and known as neutral words. Neutral words comprise common colloquial words and common literary words as well. Colloquial words and some groups of literary words are expressive while neutral words are not.

The stylistic function of the different strata of the English vocabulary depends not so much on the inner qualities of each of the groups as on their interaction when opposed to one another.

“My dear Copperfield”, said Mr. Micawber, “this is luxurious. This is a way of life which reminds of a period when I was myself in a state of celibacy, and Mrs. Micawber had yet not been solicited to plight her faith at the Hymeneal altar.

(Ch. Dickens)

Mr. Micawber’s speech is characterized by highly literary, pompous words and phrases.

«Мой дорогой Копперфильд», - сказал мистер Микобер, - «Это роскошно». Этот образ жизни напоминает мне о том времени, когда я сам был в состоянии безбрачия, а миссис Микобер еще не умоляли принести клятвы на алтаре Гименея.

If you don’t keep your yap shut … (J.Salinger)

Если ты не заткнешься …

Then he really let one go at me.

Тут он мне врезал по-настоящему.

The examples from Salinger are in marked contrast to the quotation from Dickens. The words are not colloquial, but slang words, i.e. emphatically non-literary.

It would be an error to translate a neutral or a literary word by a colloquial one or a colloquial word by a literary one or to introduce a colloquial word in a literary context. A mistake of this nature occurs in the excellent translation of “The History of Henry Esmond” by E.Kalashnikova:

“She had recourse to the ultimo ratio of all women and burst into tears”.

Она прибегла к ultimo ratio всех женщин и ударилась в слезы.

The combination of a Latin phrase with a non-literary phrase is certainly jarring. The set expression “ to burst into tears ” is neutral and its equivalent would be залиться слезами. They possess an equal degree of expressiveness.