Papers by Krystian P Aparta
As simple as it seems, it\u27s often impossible to accurately translate the word you without know... more As simple as it seems, it\u27s often impossible to accurately translate the word you without knowing a lot more about the situation where it\u27s being said. Krystian Aparta describes the specific reasons why it can be difficult, citing examples from many different languages. [Directed by Avi Ofer, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Wonder Boy Audio]. * Which is the hardest word to translate in this sentence? Do you know where the pep rally is? Know is easy to translate. Pep rally doesn\u27t have a direct analog in a lot of languages and cultures, but can be approximated. But the hardest word there is actually one of the smallest: you. As simple as it seems, it\u27s often impossible to accurately translate you without knowing a lot more about the situation where it\u27s being said. To start with, how familiar are you with the person you\u27re talking to? Many cultures have different levels of formality. A close friend, someone much older or much younger, a stranger, a boss. These all may be slightly different you\u27s. In many languages, the pronoun reflects these differences through what\u27s known as the T–V distinction. In French, for example, you would say tu when talking to your friend at school, but vous when addressing your teacher. Even English once had something similar. Remember the old-timey thou? Ironically, it was actually the informal pronoun for people you\u27re close with, while you was the formal and polite version. That distinction was lost when the English decided to just be polite all the time. But the difficulty in translating you doesn\u27t end there. In languages like Hausa or Korana, the you form depends on the listener\u27s gender. In many more, it depends on whether they are one or many, such as with German Du or ihr. Even in English, some dialects use words like y\u27all or youse the same way. Some plural forms, like the French vous and Russian Вы are also used for a single person to show that the addressee is that much more important, much like the royal we. And a few languages even have a specific form for addressing exactly two people, like Slovenian vidva. If that wasn\u27t complicated enough, formality, number, and gender can all come into play at the same time. In Spanish, tú is unisex informal singular, usted is unisex formal singular, vosotros is masculine informal plural, vosotras is feminine informal plural, and ustedes is the unisex formal plural. Phew! After all that, it may come as a relief that some languages often leave out the second person pronoun. In languages like Romanian and Portuguese, the pronoun can be dropped from sentences because it\u27s clearly implied by the way the verbs are conjugated. And in languages like Korean, Thai, and Chinese, pronouns can be dropped without any grammatical hints. Speakers often would rather have the listener guess the pronoun from context than use the wrong one and risk being seen as rude. So if you\u27re ever working as a translator and come across this sentence without any context: You and you, no, not you, you, your job is to translate \u27you\u27 for yourselves ... Well, good luck. And to the volunteer community who will be translating this video into multiple languages: Sorry about that
This thesis overviews conventional conceptual models of TIME, as described by cognitive linguisti... more This thesis overviews conventional conceptual models of TIME, as described by cognitive linguistics, as well as the novel extensions of conventional models of TIME found in science fiction. The first chapter presents an overview of conceptual metaphor theory and a discussion of conventional metaphorical models of TIME, such as the MOVING TIME and MOVING OBSERVER metaphors. Chapter two provides an outline of conceptual blending theory, and presents a conceptual blending account of the structure of conventional models of TIME. The third chapter contains a discussion of the role of episodic memory, mental time travel, and conventional models of LOCATION and CHANGE OF LOCATION in the conceptualization of the MOVEMENT IN TIME, the analysis of novel scenarios of MOVEMENT IN TIME in science fiction, in relation to the model of NATURAL LOCATIONS of the SELF that the particular scenario activates, the discussion of the possible clashes between the frames of MOVEMENT IN TIME and MOVEMENT IN SPACE in time-travel science fiction, and a survey of several extensions of conventional models of CAUSATION, as related to the novel extensions of conventional models of TIME in science fiction. The analyses employ theoretical models provided by cognitive linguistics, notably conceptual blending theory and conceptual metaphor theory. The source texts discussed in the third chapter include science fiction stories by Terry Carr, L. Sprague de Camp, Henry Kuttner and James Tiptree Jr., as well as the novel The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.
of the requirements for the degree
Analiza kilku wydanych tłumaczeń wiersza Lewisa Carrolla „Jabberwocky” w odniesieniu do oryginału... more Analiza kilku wydanych tłumaczeń wiersza Lewisa Carrolla „Jabberwocky” w odniesieniu do oryginału. Czy zarys znaczenia w nonsensie znalazł odwzorowanie w przekładzie polskim?
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok," a humanoid alien race provides a challeng... more In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok," a humanoid alien race provides a challenge to the Universal Translator - they only communicate in metaphors. A cognitive semantic approach is used to discuss the question of whether that language is as strange as it seems, comparing the metaphoricity of Darmok with eponimization and lexicalization. The real oddity of the language is proposed to lie in an innate Theory of Mind impairment in the alien race.
Even if the Star Trek's Universal Translator technology was possible in exactly the same way as p... more Even if the Star Trek's Universal Translator technology was possible in exactly the same way as portrayed in the series, the tool would not be possible due to many linguistic hurdles that even human translators are stumped by. Examples of research into automated translation and language differences are shown as evidence.
Philip Larkin's poem "Love Song in Age" is analyzed against its Polish translation by Stanisław B... more Philip Larkin's poem "Love Song in Age" is analyzed against its Polish translation by Stanisław Barańczak using conceptual metaphor theory. The use of conventional and novel metaphors is compared. Some iconic effects along with their influence on the metaphorical mappings in the original poem and the translation are also compared and contrasted. The differences in the conceptual metaphorical structure of the construals potentially evoked by the original poem and its translation are discussed as possible sources of diminished equivalence between the texts.
This thesis overviews conventional conceptual models of TIME, as described by cognitive linguist... more This thesis overviews conventional conceptual models of TIME, as described by cognitive linguistics, as well as the novel extensions of conventional models of TIME found in science fiction. The first chapter presents an overview of conceptual metaphor theory and a discussion of conventional metaphorical models of TIME, such as the MOVING TIME and MOVING OBSERVER metaphors. Chapter two provides an outline of conceptual blending theory, and presents a conceptual blending account of the structure of conventional models of TIME. The third chapter contains a discussion of the role of episodic memory, mental time travel, and conventional models of LOCATION and CHANGE OF LOCATION in the conceptualization of the MOVEMENT IN TIME, the analysis of novel scenarios of MOVEMENT IN TIME in science fiction, in relation to the model of NATURAL LOCATIONS of the SELF that the particular scenario activates, the discussion of the possible clashes between the frames of MOVEMENT IN TIME and MOVEMENT IN SPACE in time-travel science fiction, and a survey of several extensions of conventional models of CAUSATION, as related to the novel extensions of conventional models of TIME in science fiction. The analyses employ theoretical models provided by cognitive linguistics, notably conceptual blending theory and conceptual metaphor theory. The source texts discussed in the third chapter include science fiction stories by Terry Carr, L. Sprague de Camp, Henry Kuttner and James Tiptree Jr., as well as the novel The Time Machine by H.G. Wells.
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Papers by Krystian P Aparta