Inverted (or Reversed) Epithet and its Translation

An unusual structural variety of epithet is the so-called inverted or reversed epithet. This kind of epithet is composed of two nouns linked in an of-phrase: the giant of a man, a devil of a job, the hook of a nose where the modified word stands in the position of the modifier. The change in the position gives the modified noun high emotional colour­ing. Such epithets are, in a way, compressed similes or metaphorical epithets, and are easily transformed into similes or epithets of a more habitual structure where there is no logical-syntactical contradiction. C.f.: the giant of a man - a gigantic man or a man like a giant, a devil of a job - a devilish job, the hook of a nose – a nose like a hook or hook-like nose.

The inverted epithet is very expressive and should be rendered in Ukrainian by an appropriate expressive means or stylistic device. To translate the inverted epithets into Ukrainian, one should transform the phrase with an epithet to obtain an ordinary combination, and then apply a more appropriate for the context device in translation:

1. Substitution of the trope: an inverted epithet usually is rendered in translation with simile, e.g.: the hook of a nose – ніс, як гачок, or metaphor, e.g.: the crow of a woman – ворона (про жінку).

2. Translation with a structurally simple epithet, e.g.: the giant of a man – велетенський чоловік; the scarecrow of a house - облізла будівля. The translation may involve an additional element, e.g.: the devil of a woman — неймовірно хитра (розумна, надзвичайна тощо) жінка;

3. Translation with the other expressive device, e.g.: What scarlet horror of a boat. – Яке жахіття цей червоний човен!

4. Omission of an epithet or neutralization, e.g.: The ghost of a smile appeared on his face. – На його обличчі промайнула посмішка. Omission of the epithet is compensated with the expressive verb “промайнула”.

Не нашли, что искали? Воспользуйтесь поиском: