Features of translating phrasal verbs in English-language technical texts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46299/j.isjel.20260501.07Keywords:
phrasal verbs, technical texts, translation strategies, technical translation, semantic transparency, English–Ukrainian translationAbstract
This paper investigates linguistic and translational specifics of English phrasal verbs in technical texts, analyzing translation strategies in Ukrainian. Phrasal verbs constitute specific lexico-grammatical layer of English language, which combines semantic information density with high functionality load. Although phrasal verbs are traditionally associated with informal speech, they are widely used in technical documentation, instructions, and manuals in order to convey operational, procedural meanings. Their polysemy and structural variability make them difficult to translate and can lead to semantic inaccuracy or stylistic inconsistency. The study aims to identify the main types of phrasal verbs used in English technical texts and to determine effective strategies for translating them into Ukrainian. The research material have become a corpus of authentic English technical texts and their Ukrainian translations. The study uses comparative, contextual and structural-semantic analysis to define the frequency of translation decisions. The results of the research proves that the most effective choice of translation is lexical replacement using single-world verb equivalents. It meets the requirements of accuracy, conciseness and stylistic neutrality of technical discourse. Literal translation is applied selectively for phrasal verbs with transparent semantics, while idiomatic and structurally complex constructions require paraphrasing or descriptive translation method. Obtained results confirm the relevance of a functionally oriented and contextual approach to the translation of phrasal verbs in technical texts.References
Badem, N., & various authors. (2022). A comparative corpus-based study on the use of phrasal verbs by Turkish EFL learners and L1 English speakers. ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1339046.pdf
Brady, B. (n.d.). The function of phrasal verbs and their lexical counterparts in technical manuals. Academia.edu. Retrieved October 2023, from https://www.academia.edu/48145091/The_function_of_phrasal_verbs_and_their_lexical_counterparts_in_technical_manuals
Burkivska, A., & Lopatiuk, N. (2017). Spetsyfika aspektualnykh znachen nerozdilnykh frazovykh diiesliv [Specificity of aspectual meanings of inseparable phrasal verbs]. Lviv Philological Journal, (2), 9–14
Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Phrasal verbs and multi-word verbs. English Grammar Today. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/phrasal-verbs-and-multi-word-verbs
Dalpanagioti, T. (2022). Motivated patterns of phrasal verbs and learner’s dictionaries. Phraseology and Paremiology in English, (19). https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/6186
Gao, X. (2023). A comparable corpus-based study of phrasal verbs in academic writing by English and Chinese scholars across disciplines. Corpora, 18(2). https://euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/cor.2023.0283
Garnier, M., & Schmitt, N. (2014). Phrasal verbs in ESL. Sagepub Journals, 19(6). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362168814559798
Garnier, M., & Schmitt, N. (2016). Picking up polysemous phrasal verbs: How many do learners know and what facilitates this knowledge? System, 59, 29–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2016.04.001
Grammarway. (n.d.). Phrasal verbs in English. https://grammarway.com/phrasal-verbs/
Jahedi, M., & various authors. (2015). A review on studies of phrasal verb constructions in ESL context. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 6(1). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1128095.pdf
Karaban, V. I. (2018). Pereklad anhliiskoi naukovoi i tekhnichnoi literatury. Hramatychni trudnoshchi, leksychni, terminolohichni ta zhanrovo-stylistychni problemy [Translation of English scientific and technical literature. Grammatical difficulties, lexical, terminological and genre-stylistic problems]. Nova Knyha.
Shokarova, N. S. (2019). Linhvistychni aspekty vyvchennia frazovykh diiesliv [Linguistic aspects of studying phrasal verbs]. Engineering and Educational Technologies, (1).
Vorobiova, O. S. (2018). Osoblyvosti peredachi anhliiskykh frazovykh diiesliv ukrainskoiu movoiu [Features of rendering English phrasal verbs into Ukrainian]. Technology, Engineering and Science: Proceedings of the International Scientific and Practical Conference, 206–208.
Yablochnikova, V. O. (2019). Perekladatska adekvatnist ta ekvivalentnist [Translation adequacy and equivalence]. Scientific Bulletin of the International Humanitarian University. Series: Philology, (3), 177–179.
Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartvik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. Longman. (Added for completeness in phrasal verb research).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Yelyzaveta Baitsur
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
