Degrees of Comparison in

English and Romanian and

Ways of their Translation
in Jane Eyre by Ch.
Bronte and Robinson
Crusoe by D. Defoe
diploma paper
by

Nastea P
on 12 June 2016
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Transcript of Degrees of Comparison in English and
Romanian and Ways of their Translation in Jane
Eyre by Ch. Bronte and Robinson Crusoe by D.
Defoe
Diploma paper:
Degrees of Comparison in English and Romanian and Ways of
their Translation in Jane Eyre by Ch. Bronte and Robinson
Crusoe by D. Defoe
In our days, people who study languages are always interested in the
semantic structure of word combinations or phrases. And in every
system of the language there are the processes of the relationship
between 2 elements the means of comparison: the object in the
comparison and the cause of comparison.
Morphological, Semantic and Syntactic Characteristics of Degrees of
Comparison in English
In every language system, exists the system of coloring the
descriptions. This system is called degrees of comparison. It is mainly
used with adjectives and adverbs. For instance, the degrees of
comparison are used to describe objects in 3 ways:
Morphological, Semantic and Syntactic Characteristics of Degrees of
Comparison in Romanian
It is known that in Romanian language there only exist the practical
means for the degrees of comparison of adverbs and adjectives, the
syntactical means for the degrees. Hence, we have made the attempt
to find some regularities in the both languages for the theory and
practice of translation.
WAYS OF TRANSLATION OF ENGLISH
COMPARATIVES AND SUPERLATIVES INTO ROMANIAN
Lexical Translation Transformation
Student: Pendiurina Anastasia
gr. 3LM2
Scientific advisor: associate prof. PHD.,
Singhirei Valentina
Chisinau 2016
Introduction
In grammar exists a tradition in the unity of these two units on the
functional and semantic base within the grammatical categories of the
Degrees of Comparison. To render the comparative relationship in the
language there do exist some means. The terms of comparison A and B
are usually expressed by substantives or verbs, but C is marked by an
adjective or an adverb. And by this we mean the Degrees of
Comparison.
According to Alhazova N. D. the comparatives and superlatives are
traditionally forms of the adjectives and adverbs. And also they are the
independent words formation, accordingly 2 lexical and grammatical
classes that are coordinated with the positive forms.
The high impact of the comparative suffixes towards the morpheme
base, can show the traditional opinion about the word formation nature
of er. This particular suffix is the word formational suffix. And
according to this nature of the suffix, the comparatives represent not
the forms of morphological category of the degree of comparison by
the grammar books, but also as the independent word. The additional
proof of these phenomena is the appearance of the occasional
formation, for instance: lesser, worser. The need of the double
emphasis of the inflection proofs that this units are not inflectional.
Most of grammar books give the definition of Degrees which in general
can be replaced by the following; The comparative degree denotes a
higher degree of a quality, the superlative degree denotes the highest
degree of a quantity.
As far as the positive degree is concerned, it is either not mentioned
about at all or they give the brief commentary on it like: The
adjective/adverb in the positive with the conjunction asas expresses
an equal degree. It was noted that similar definitions are oriented on
the quality but the terms of comparison are not singled out. And
moreover, the traditional definition is denied by some researchers
because of the peculiar character of the relativity of the category of
comparison.
There are the factors that showing that the comparatives should be
analyzed apart from the positive degree. On the one hand, the
comparatives are narrower than the adjectives and adverbs: they
include only the qualifiers which could show the qualities of the
different intense and as it follows having the particular semantics.
The Comparatives consist of the 6 significant points: the quantitative
(3 words out of 3322), the total estimated (2 words out of 1012),
temporal (8 words out of 1361), space (18 words out of 732), physical
characteristics (33 words out of 313) and the emotional characteristics
(39 words out of 196).
On the other hand, the comparatives are not only in one part of speech
the adjective or the adverb but also they are the segment of these
2 parts of speech. The comparatives differ from the positive degree by
the large semantic field. Besides that, the comparatives are having two
sides meaning, that means they show the principal character of 2
objects with different characteristics.

The superlative degree also compares, and also is working as a

contrast between two objects. It also denotes the highest degree of
quality. It is used when more than two objects or things are compared.
While analyzing the superlatives we can observe in most of the
adjectives or adverbs in word formation have the suffix -est. It shows
the highest quality of the objects as I mentioned above. Besides that,
the suffixs -est is very strict, because he can be composed with
monosyllabic morphemes. Another general fact of all superlatives the
comparison construction most which explains the sublime position of
the object or a thing.
Alhazova N.D. mentiones that "there is the list of rare superlatives, that
is very rare and large than the list of rare comparatives, for instance
comicallest, beautifullest, damnablest, troublesomest, lovingest,
darnedest, sagaciousest, etc.
From the semantic point of view, the superlatives have the biggest
influence than the comparatives or positive degree, because the
superlatives reflect not only the quality of the object and its contrast,
but it gives the complicated contrast, that comprises the opposition of
the plurality. As the general feature of the superlatives is the
bilateralism. He defines not only the feature of one object, and not only
kind of two objects, but it indicates the degree.
To conclude, we can state as a result that the morphological
characteristics witness about word formation process of the English
comparatives. The analysis of the morpheme structure of comparatives
confirms the hypothesis about the word building nature of the suffix
er. The comparatives as a rule consist of the not more than 3
morphemes, the latter is the comparatives
more/less/further/better/worse. The comparative suffix er has a high
degree of election that is it is freely joined only one-morpheme stem
(56 cases from 101). The addition of this suffix to two-morpheme
stems is limited (only 14). There is only regular addition to two
adjective stems, that is y and ly. The combination with other suffixes
of the stem has on occasional character; in varions English grammar
books give the cases with the comparatives with the stems ending with
the suffixes ed, -ful, -ons, -ish, -able, -al for instance.
In the Romanian language the category of comparison is described as
a paradigm of forms for the adjective and adverb.
In case of Romanian language we can also observe 3 major forms of
the degrees of comparison:
Positive
Comparative
Superlative

The comparative degrees of the adjective are formed only by analytical

means, and namely with the words cel/cea/cei/cele, which are
considered the adjectival articles. In its turn, the superlative degree is
formed by the same analytical formations with the adverb mai which
is used between cel/cea/cei/cele. Hence, the whole paradigm of the
degrees of comparison of the Romanian adjectives is following:
comparative and superlative forms of the comparison are also divided
into several subgroups:
Comparative the superiority is indicated by morphemes: mai i tot
mai, mai bun; the equality is indicated by morphemes: la fel (de), tot
aa (de), tot att (de), deopotriv (de), etc; and the inferiority the
morphemes: mai puin bun
Superlative the relative is indicated in Romanian as cel, cea, cele,
cei mai in Positive degree and cea,cel,cele,cei mai puin for the
Negation in the degrees of comparison; but also the absolute form
indicated in Romanian like foarte, tare, grozav, extrem, etc.

The means of the degrees of comparison could be shown like in the

sentences above or in the proposed sentences: (ex. Maina albastr
este mare. Maina roie este mai mare. / Aerul este curat n ora. La
munte este ns mai curat.)
The comparative degree represents 3 components:
1. the comparative of superiority mai mare
2. the comparative of equality la fel mare, tot atit de mare, tot asa de
mare
3. the comparative of inferiority mai putin mare
The comparative degree are combined with adverb decit or ca ex. Mai
mare decit, mai mare ca. Or with the help of prepositions fata de, in
comparatie cu.

The terms of comparison can be expressed by pronouns, if objects are

known speakers .
The link between two terms of comparison can be expressed by
adverbs with the preposition decit, ca or with the help of fixed or
prepositional expressions.
Sometimes the comparison of equality is indicated only with
complement of the comparative adjective or adverb, that is compared
with a preposition decit and with the adjective form that appears in the
positive awareness.
The adjective can be placed after the complement of the comparative
equality binding to it by the preposition of: 'how tall house,' 'as silk
green'. Adjective complement constructions by comparison are more
expressive, because they highlight the element that makes the
comparison.

The superlative degree: Degree superlative adjectives to look at

acquiring the highest level or the lowest. Superlative degree can be
relative or absolute.
The superlative relative:
It looks relatively superlative learning at the highest or lowest
compared with the same acquiring other learning objects or the same
object in different circumstances. Superlative degree relative is two
ways:

Superiority: Vladeasa is the highest peak of the Apuseni Mountains.

Inferiority: This mountain is the least high of the surrounding
mountains.
When a noun has two or more adjectives superlative degree relatively
article "the, the, the, the 'repeat before all adjectives only if the
speaker wants to pull out more superlative degree of ownership.

Absolutely superlative
The absolute superlative degree express the highest degree of
appropriation of learning without learning to be compared to another
object or acquiring the same object in different circumstances.
Typically, absolutely superlative forms by using the adverb 'very': very
beautiful. More rarely, builds and the adverb 'hard': hard beautiful.
II.The absolute superlative express and by other means that are more
expressive than or adverbs very hard, namely:
-adverbs and adverbial phrases related adjective with the preposition
'of': great, great, great, unimaginable, unbelievable, the way out of
play;
-Different expressions that adjective is accompanied by a noun that
gives him absolute superlative value: smart, fire smart, nice big need
etc .;
-repetarea adjective: a large forest, sea, etc .;
-lungirea and repetition of vowels and consonants: maaare, galllen
In the Romanian language in its turn mai frumos is the comparative
of an adjective and an adverb frumos (beautiful and beautifully as
well). The comparative mai frumos is an analytical form because the
word mai serves only for the formation of the Romanian
comparatives of the adjective and adverbs. This analytical form of
comparative degree embraces the whole lexical and grammatical
classes of Romanian adjectives and the adverbs. As far as its
opposeme mai putine frumos (less beautiful) is concerned, we think
that it is not an analytical form of the comparative of the adjective
frumos or the adverb frumos, but in both cases it is a free
syntactical combination. Mai as an analytical element of the
comparative degree serves to express the comparative degree of the
adverb putin which doesnt lose its semantic meaning. The
comparative form of the adverb putin is combined freely with the
adjective or the adverb frumos.
Many people say that the translation starts where dictionaries end. But
thats not true. Dictionaries list all regular correspondences between
elements of lexical systems of translation. But translation deals not so
much with the system of language, but with speech. I have observed
that some of the examples are having the same translation effect in
the SL and TL.
For example:
... began sooner, or continued longer... incepea mai devreme
sau continua mai mult

This two examples show the lexical transformation. This type of lexical
transformation is used in translating words with wide and non-
differentiated meaning. In this example we observed that the
comparatives sooner and longer in the Romanian language were
transformed in mai devreme and mai mult. This transformation
didnt change the meaning, but changed the structure of the phrase.

Here, their progress has less interrupted... Aici drumul era mai
bun

These two examples fall under the lexical type of translation

transformation. This type is called the compensation it means, that
the word progress was changed in the Romanian drumul. It was
changed lexically in order to emphasize with the degree of
comparison.

Grammatical translation transformation

the biggest end... capetele cele mai groase...

These examples fall under the grammatical transformation. The type of

this transformation is addition. We can observe that the Romanian
translation was reformulated and has the addition. While in English we
cannot observe the addition to the meaning.
the Earth much cooler than before and pleasanter Pamintul era
mult mai rece si mai placut ca inainte

The examples above show the element of replacement of the parts of

the sentence in the target language. In this case we can observe how
one part of speech replaced another part of the speech.
... is far dearer to me than could be any orchestra... ma
intereseaza acum infinit mai mult decit toata muzica
Those examples show also grammatical transformation between the
parts of speech with the usage of the degrees of comparison.

Lexical and Grammatical Translation Transformation

... shall we not feel better assurance of our safety? n-am fi mai
in siguranta?

And now, the last but not the least mixture oft he translation
transformation the Lexical and Grammatical transformation. From the
example above we can see that there are two types of transformation
in one sentence. From the point of grammar we can see in both
languages the stucture of the interrogative sentence. But from the
other point of view, we have observed that in SL the comparative
better was ommitted in the TL and was changed on pronoun mai.
... I was coming into the very Middle Station, or upper degree of low
life which my Father advised me to before... gradul mai bun al
unei vieti marunte

In this example we can see how the sentence from the SL changed
grammatically into the simple sentence in the TL. The comparative
degree upper degree in English and gradul mai bun was changed
lexically.
All these combinations of the transformations show how we can
emphasize or describe the person, the object or the phenomena. The
translation transformations facilitate the main task of the translator
to render the information in both ways orally or in the written form.

The conclusion:
1. The Comparatives and Superlatives are the independent words but
not the forms of the grammatical categories of the degrees of
comparison in adjectives and adverbs.
2. They are two lexico-grammatical degrees. They are called as
analytical degrees of comparison and they represent their sythetical
combinations of the comparatives more/less and superlatives
most/least with the positives.
3. This method can describe fully the morphological, semantic and
synthetic the comparative and superlatives with all their peculiarities.
The framework represents 1 huge Chapter with the description of
Degrees of Comparison in English and Romanian languages and their
translation in the 2nd huge Chapter with the examples.
And as the final conclusion to the work the comparative study of 2
different forms of the comparison is also show in the dialectal relations,
that follows the huge and major characteristics of the Degrees of
Comparison.

Bibliography and sources:

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