TRANSLATION: SENTENCE OR UTTERANCE?

It is traditionally considered that in writing an interpreter translates the text sentence by sentence which in this case is a unit of the text and translation. In case of interpretation (oral translation) the interpreter translates the utterance. The utterance can be complex in structure and produced with pauses that can be used to “insert” the translation. In some cases, the utterance and the sentence may coincide in form. The study of the interpreter's operations and the materials to be translated shows that the traditional difference between the utterance and the sentence with respect to the type of translation (oral or written) is not always valid. The utterance may by its form coincide with the sentence and be relevant to the transla-tion. The presence of pauses while producing the utterance structures the statement turning it into a sequence of short phrases that are convenient for translation. The phrase is a minimum semantic unit suitable for translation. Formally, according to the technology of translation, the phrase should contain the meaning refer-ence points to nominate the subject and the action. In a practical situation, the interpreter can use the para-phrasing technique and fill the missing meaning reference point without changing its volume.