{"id":6122,"date":"2024-09-30T15:50:54","date_gmt":"2024-09-30T15:50:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fasttxt.es\/en\/?p=6122"},"modified":"2024-12-23T15:09:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T15:09:36","slug":"syntax-and-translation-characteristics-of-complex-sentences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fasttxt.es\/en\/blog\/syntax-and-translation-characteristics-of-complex-sentences","title":{"rendered":"Syntax and translation: characteristics of complex sentences"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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When we talk about translation, we generally think of the lexicon, that is, the ability to find the appropriate meaning for a word, an expression or a sentence in another language. But what about the syntax? Translators often overlook syntactic aspects when translating, when in fact syntax is the backbone of the body of a text. Thus, although syntax can often express the essence of the style of a text, it is not always taken into account, because we do not put as much effort into its translation as we do into its meaning.<\/p>\n

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Morphology and syntax: two disciplines of grammar<\/strong><\/h2>\n

First of all, we must talk about grammar, which is the part of linguistics that studies the structure of words and the way in which they are combined to form sentences. Within grammar, two main branches can be distinguished: morphology and syntax. These often appear together, as we tend to talk about the ‘morphosyntactic’ aspects of a text. However, it should be noted that these are different disciplines.<\/p>\n

Thus, while morphology<\/strong> studies the internal structure of words and their formation, i.e., the rules governing the inflection, composition and derivation of words, syntax, on the other hand, focuses on the way in which the different structures and linguistic units are combined, focusing on the function they play within the sentence. Unlike morphology, where the word is conceived as an isolated unit, syntax studies the hierarchical relationships that are established between the constituting elements of the sentence.<\/p>\n

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The syntax of discourse<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Within syntax, a very important aspect that all self-respecting translators must pay attention to is discourse syntax, i.e. the study of the structures and rules that regulate the organization of sentences within the discourse through the use of discourse particles or connectors, voice alternations, verb tenses, etc.; in short, all those relevant aspects that contribute to the cohesion of the text. In this sense, a good knowledge of the syntax of discourse in the target language can be the element that really determines whether the translation looks natural to the eyes of a native reader, hence the importance of paying attention to all these issues.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Independent sentences: arguments and adjuncts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The independent sentence can be defined as the predicative structure capable of constituting a complete message or statement<\/strong>. From the point of view of content, an utterance is the minimum linguistic unit of communication.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, from the grammatical point of view, a predicative structure<\/strong> is composed of a predicate (usually a verb or verb form, although not exclusively) and those elements that depend on it.<\/p>\n

These elements may be obligatory or optional. When they are obligatory, we speak of arguments, <\/strong>and when they are optional, we refer to attachments<\/strong>. For example:<\/p>\n