Collocations

Collocations are common word combinations, such combinability of words. Do the same when you as bright idea or work hard, and are the essential listen to spoken English. As collocations are single building blocks of natural-sounding English. blocks of language, learn them as such, not as Collocation is a sequence of words that go together separate words, e.g. learn ‘strongly support’, not more often than would be expected by chance. It ‘strongly’ + ‘support’. When you learn a new word, is partly or fully fixed expression that becomes write down other words that collocate with it established through repeated use. (remember rightly, remember distinctly, remember vaguely, remember vividly). Revise what you Foreign learners of the language have to specially learn regularly. Practise using new collocations in learn collocations, as it’s often impossible to guess 8 context as soon as possible after learning them. what words and how could go together. Logic does

Learn collocations in groups that work for you. You – not help and is often misleading. What sounds could learn them by topic (time, number, weather, right to the native speaker may sound strange and 6 money, family) or by a particular word (take unexpected to a foreign learner and vice versa. For action, take a chance, take an exam). Use any good example, the adjective collocates with fast cars learner’s dictionary, or specialised dictionaries of and , not with or : fast cars, fast food glance lunch collocations, like Oxford Collocations Dictionary. food, but a quick glance and a quick lunch. Some more examples: There are several different types of collocation made from combinations of verb, noun, adjective We say We don’t say etc. Some of the most common types are:

in English in English UNITS 6–8 • adjective + noun: strong tea, strong argument, bad/heavy cold, only child poor or small appetite bad appetite

• noun + of + noun: a bar of chocolate, a piece | make an eﬀ ort do an eﬀ ort of advice, a piece/item of furniture, an article of clothing watch TV look TV • noun + verb: lions roar, bees buzz, boats sail, powerful engine strong engine people swim/sail • verb + noun: make a complaint, earn a living, ancient mountains antique mountains gain weight, take an exam, pass an exam, fail an exam make mistakes do mistakes • verb + expression with preposition: burst into tears, go on a diet, put up with sth The use of collocations in speech is crucial for sounding natural and being easily understood. • verb + adverb: speak (English) fluently, work Learning collocations requires a consistent hard, run fast, stare hard approach and determination. Be aware of • adverb + adjective: completely satisfied, fully collocations and try to recognise them when aware, totally brilliant you see or hear them. Read as much as possible, paying attention to the regular occurrence and

2 Read the text about collocations and say if the 4 Translate the sentences from English statements (1–8) are true or false. into Russian, paying special attentions to collocations. 1 Words collocate freely in English. 2 Logic is of little help with collocations. 1 Queen Elizabeth I started a fashion for wigs 3 Collocations in different languages are very in England. similar. 2 I don’t usually follow fashion – I just wear 4 Mistakes in combining the words are not what I like. important. 3 We are all fashion victims when we force our 5 It is recommended to learn collocations, not feet into tiny pointed shoes with enormous separate words. high heels! And it shows on our faces! 6 It’s better to learn collocation by topic, than 4 This beautiful young actress with brown eyes by word. and blonde hair has played various parts in 7 You can use any learner’s dictionary to learn numerous films. more collocations. 8 Specialised dictionaries of collocations are 5 Think Back! Do you remember what is meant by even better for this purpose. collocations? Why should we learn collocations and not just words? Why should we translate AND INTERPRETING 3 TRANLSATION 3 Read the text again and translate the collocations and not just words? highlighted collocations into Russian. 113 6 Match the collocations (1–17) with the right 8 Many English words of Greek and Latin type (a–e) and translate them into Russian. origin have Russian equivalents of the same What difficulties did you face when translating origin. However, these words are translated the collocations? differently in different collocations. Match English collocations (1–22) with their Russian equivalents (a–v). Think of 5 sentences with these collocations.

1 social problems 12 domestic animal 2 social sciences 13 domestic 3 social life appliances 4 social worker 14 domestic flight 5 social and 15 domestic political change advertising 6 final match 16 domestic policy 7 final decision 17 capital city 8 final results 18 capital flow 9 final exams 19 with a capital 10 final scene letter 11 final chapter 20 capital error 21 capital resources 22 capital punishment

1 to practise a sport a социальные и политические изменения 2 to play chess b общественные/социальные науки 3 perfect combination c социальные проблемы 4 to bring the idea to life d социальный работник 5 peaceful game e общение с друзьями/светская жизнь 6 violent sport f окончательные результаты 7 to follow strict diet routine g финальный матч 8 to end in a draw h последняя/заключительная глава 9 references to the game i выпускные экзамены 10 to stop sth for thirty years j окончательное решение 11 to return to the throne k заключительная сцена 12 to describe sth in a way that l внутренний рейс 13 to do sth in six minutes m реклама внутри страны 14 to train for a World Cup n домашнее животное 15 to commit crimes o внутренняя политика 16 violent crimes p бытовая техника 17 extremely violent q финансовые ресурсы r высшая мера наказания Types of collocations s с заглавной буквы a adjective + noun t движение капитала b noun + noun u столичный город c verb + noun v роковая ошибка/заблуждение d verb + expression with preposition e adverb + adjective LEXICAL TRANSFORMATIONS 1 Translate the sentences into Russian, paying Commonly special attention to the verb to go. Can we use one and the same Russian word for it in all the confused words sentences? practice – a noun (BrE) 1 They went on foot. practise – a verb (BrE) 2 They went by train. 3 They went by plane. In American English both words are spelt with 4 The job interview went really well. the letter c. 5 The day went very quickly. 6 All his brothers went to college. 7 We’re planning to go to London this 7 Work in pairs. Student A, give a Russian spring. sentence with a collocation from Exercise 6. 8 What time are you going tomorrow? Student B, give its English translation. Take 9 He went into hospital for an operation last Tuesday. 114 turns. Readthedescription ofEdinburgh again.Whichof 3 7 lcltasot sportsandleisure • nightlife • touristsights thesurroundingarea • • localtransport • howtogetthere • thegeographical • thepopulation • akrudifrain Thingstoseeanddo Background information these thingsare mentioned? 1 outside temperatures canrisetomore than40 It’scalledSkiDubaiandthe middle ofthedesert! strangest thingaboutthisplaceisthatit’sinthe temperature isaconstant–1 the samesizeasthree footballpitches,andthe slopes. Itcovers anarea of22,500m²whichisabout In fact,it’soneoftheworld’slargest indoorski location • shops 9 2 5

ReadthetextinExercise8onpage95.Can

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the drug of their choice. It could be a good thing. thing. good a be could It choice. their of drug the

participants and spectators who can’t live without without live can’t who spectators and participants

the tennis court to the golf course, you’ll find find you’ll course, golf the to court tennis the From the boxing ring to the skating rink, and from from and rink, skating the to ring boxing the From into Russian. sentences withthisverb(s) and translate them Russian translation? ThinkofotherEnglish meaning whichshouldbespecifiedinthe you findanyotherverbs with awidegeneral month. and wehadanewroofputonthegaragelast we’ve alreadyhadallthewindowsreplaced those littlethingsdonearoundthehouse.So relax …andit’s achancetofinallyhaveall ‘When Duncanretiredwethoughtit’s timeto inbur 2 ° to–2 g h a ga ° C. However, the in. Whicho ° C! f

8 3 4 CanyouthinkofanyEnglishnounswitha mention someimportantpoints. the thingsMsBoylewrote,Ifeelshedidn’t March 22nd.AlthoughIagreewithmanyof article, whichappearedinyourpaperon I amwritinginresponsetoJudyBoyle’s Dear Sir/Madam, sentences withthisnounintoRussian. and findsuchanouninthem.Translate the from various textsofyourStudent’sBook Russian translation? Readtheextracts (1–9) wide meaningwhichshouldbespecifiedinthe

If you think about it … it about think you If

Look at … at Look

The thing is … is thing The

I mean … mean I

The reason why … is … is … why reason The Justifying opinions Justifying 115

TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING 3 | UNITS 66–8–8 4 Study Train Your Brain. Why do you think the 7 Read the following sentences and explain Russian term конкретизация has several their meaning in English. What are the words/ English equivalents and is still used rarely expressions difficult for translation into in English? Can you think of an example to Russian? How can we translate them into illustrate the last point in Train Your Brain? Russian so that they carry the same meaning but sound natural for native speakers of TRAIN YOUR BRAIN Lexical Russian? transformations 1 They were snowed in for three days last winter. 1 When translating words with a wide general 2 Your clothes want a brush. meaning from English into Russian, use a 3 Everyone could see that Eliza was close to Russian word with a more specific, more tears. concrete meaning. The choice of this 4 The phone kept ringing, but she couldn’t word in Russian depends on the context. bring herself to answer it. This transformation is called in Russian 5 To be a good comedian, you have to be a конкретизация. In English it can be friend of the audience. called concretisation, particularisation or 6 He always made you say everything twice. specification, though these terms are used very rarely and they are used mainly by translation specialists who are non-native Check it out speakers of English. 2 Generalisation (генерализация) is another Modulation type of the lexical transformations. The translator substitutes a word of the source In some cases translators have to paraphrase the language with a narrow meaning by that of sentence because the logical relationship between the target language with a wider meaning. words in the two languages is diff erent. It is usually a cause-and-eff ect relationship between things or events. 5 Translate the sentences from English into • The English sentence names the eff ect, the Russian using generalisation. Russian translation gives the cause instead Your clothes want a brush. – У тебя грязная 1 She stared at me in disbelief. одежда. 2 They wanted their dinner. • The English sentence names the cause, the 3 He had a tattoo on his right arm. Russian translation gives the eff ect instead. 4 Mary looked at her wristwatch, it was time They were snowed in for three days last to leave. winter. – Прошлой зимой они не могли выйти 5 The policemen examined every inch of the из дома целых три дня. ground. In English this transformation is called modulation. The corresponding Russian term is модуляция, or 6 Translate the word combinations and sentences смысловое развитие. from English into Russian, paying special attention to the words good, bad, thing, to be. 8 Translate the following sentences into Russian 1 good book 2 bad accident using modulation. good citizen bad decision good film bad effect 1 Two long years had passed since I tasted my good food bad habit mother’s cooking. good menu bad mistake 2 Everyone felt embarrassed, and Anna was good pupil bad moment near tears. good water bad smell 3 On this voyage I shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table. 3 At the end of 2010, things started to change. 4 Many towns in the Golden Ring are readily 4 He left his swimming things at home. reached from Moscow. 5 It won’t cost you a thing. 5 I don’t think she came back home yesterday. 6 The first thing to do is to give them food and Her bed wasn’t slept in. shelter. 6 It has been my good fortune to have lived a 7 She wants to be a teacher when she leaves very long and a very full life, one in which school. I have been at the heights but also at the 8 The performance was last night. depths. 9 There were two books on the table. 7 While each individual must confront old age 10 Where are they now? in his own way, some basic guidelines apply 11 Your telephone is in the drawer. to everyone: keep fit, keep active, keep up with what’s going on in the world.

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