Infinitive (abbreviated inf) is a linguistics term for certain verb forms existing in many languages, most often used as non-finite verbs. As with many linguistic concepts, there is not a single definition applicable to all languages. The name is derived from Late Latin [modus] infinitivus, a derivative of infinitus meaning «unlimited» [5].
In traditional descriptions of English, the infinitive is the basic dictionary form of a verb when used non-finitely, with or without the particle to. Thus, to go is an infinitive, as is go in a sentence like «I must go there» (but not in «I go there», where it is a finite verb). The form without to is called the bare infinitive, and the form with to is called the full infinitive or to-infinitive.
An infinitive may take objects and other complements and modifiers to form a verb phrase (called an infinitive phrase). Like other non-finite verb forms (like participles, converbs, gerunds and gerundives), infinitives do not generally have an expressed subject; thus an infinitive verb phrase also constitutes a complete non-finite clause, called an infinitive (infinitival) clause. Such phrases or clauses may play a variety of roles within sentences, often being nouns (for example being the subject of a sentence or being a complement of another verb), and sometimes being adverbs or other types of modifier. Many verb forms known as infinitives differ from gerunds (verbal nouns) in that they do not inflect for case or occur in appositional phrases. Instead, infinitives often originate in earlier inflectional forms of verbal nouns. Unlike finite verbs, infinitives are not usually inflected for tense, person, etc. either, although some degree of inflection sometimes occurs.
The challenges in translating the English infinitive are due to its specific forms, functions and structures.
a.Translation of the infinitive due to its specific forms
The tense of the infinitive expresses time relatively to that of the main (or principal) verb. If the action expressed by the infinitive is of the same time as, or of later time than, that expressed by the main verb, the indefinite or continuous/progressive forms should be used.
Unlike Turkmen, the English language possesses a number of forms of the same verb: The Simple infinitive is the most used infinitive in English. As a non-finite verb, it refers to a present time or a future time. It can be used either in the active voice or in the passive voice.
E.g: He seems to know the fact. — Ol hakykaty bilýän ýaly. (= It seems that he knows the fact. Simple form shows simultaneous action, but for the progressive form to be knowing would be impossible, because know is a state verb, which is not used in a progressive form.) [4, p. 4]
The continuous infinitive is used to express a continuing action after a verb or auxiliary which must be followed by the infinitive.
Continuous infinitive is formed: to be + present participle.
E.g: He is glad to be reading the book. — Ol bu kitaby okaýanyna şat. (Progressive form shows simultaneous action with that of seems.)
The Perfect infinitive often refers to things that might have happened in the past. The perfect infinitive is formed: to have+past participle.
E.g: I’m glad to have seen you — Men sizi görenime şat.
The Perfect continuous infinitive is used to express a continuing but now completed action after a verb which must be followed by the infinitive.
The perfect infinitive is formed: to have been + present participle
E.g: Sandy is known to have been teaching in the school for the past ten years. — Sendi mekdepde 10 ýyllap okadýan mugallym hökmünde tanalýar. (= It is known (to all) that Sandy has been teaching in the school for the past ten years.) [4, p. 4]
The actual meaning of the infinitive can be determined by the context only. English infinitive functions can also be a stumbling block for a fledgling translator.
The tense form of the complement infinitive. E.g: When they got to the station, they found the train to have already left. — Haçanda olar demir ýol menziline baranlarynda, olar otlynyň eýýäm gidendigini gördüler.
Like the finite verb, the non-finite verb can be put into a passive voice, if the meaning so required, as in
E.g: I don’t like to be fooled by flattery. — Tekepbirlik bilen aldanmagy halamok.
The infinitive of transitive verbs has special forms for the Active and the Passive Voice: It is so glorious to love and to be loved...- Söýmek gözel we söýülmek ondanam gözel.
In sentences with the construction there is the infinitive of some verbs can be active or passive without any change in the meaning [3, p.6]:
There's no time to lose (to be lost). (Dreiser) — Ýitirmäge wagt ýok.
b. Translation of the infinitive due to its specific functions
Like the finite forms of the verb, the infinitive has tense, voice and aspect forms, can take a direct object and be modified by an adverb. These are the verbal features of the infinitive. The finite forms of the verb have only one syntactical function — that of the predicate or part of the predicate. The syntactical functions of the infinitive are quite different. They are close to those of the noun and may be considered to be the noun features of the infinitive. The Infinitive has a variety of syntactical functions, typical of different parts of speech. When we translate infinitive into Turkmen functions of infinitive change in the target text:
1) A subject
a) to do smth is/was/will be (means /meant)...
E.g.
- To study well is our duty. — Biziň borjumyz gowy okamak. In the function of predicate in the Turkmen language.
- To know all about English is one thing; to know English is quite another. — Iňlisler barada köp zat bilmek bir zat. Iňlis dilini bilmek düýbünden başga bir zat. Both of them in the function of subject in Turkmen language.
- To visit English speaking countries is her aim. — Onuň maksady iňlis dilinde gürleýän ýurtlara syýahat etmek. In the function of predicate in Turkmen language.b) It is necessary (important, nice, good, bad, easy, difficult, pleasant, unpleasant, dangerous, etc.) to do smth. E.g.
1. It’s nice to have seen you. — Seni görendigime şat. In the function of adverbial modifier of purpose in Turkmen language.
c) It takes (took, will take) smb to do smth. E.g.
- It takes me twenty minutes to get to the University. — Uniwersitete barmak meniň 20 minudymy alýar. In the function of subject in Turkmen language.
- A predicative
a) a part of compound nominal predicate after the link-verbs: to be, to mean. E.g.
1. To know English is to speak English. — Iňlis dilini bilmeklik, iňlisçe gürlemeklikdir. Bilmeklik is in the function of subject and gürlemeklikdir is in the function of predicate in Turkmen.
b) a part of a secondary predicative. E.g.
- The book is easy to read. — Bu kitaby okamak aňsat. Okamak is in the function of subject, aňsat is in the function of predicate in Turkmen.
- He is difficult to deal with. — Onuň bilen iş salyşmak kyn. Salyşmak is in the function of subject, kyn is in the function of predicate in Turkmen.
- An object
a) after the verbs: to want, wish, prefer, like, expect, learn, refuse, try, decide, allow, mean, order, promise, remember, regret, hope, attempt,
plan, agree, forget, intend, etc.
- I’ll try to help you. — Men saňa kömek etmäge synanşaryn. In the function of adverbial modifier of purpose in Turkmen.
- I remember to have seen him once. — Men ony bir gezek görendigim ýadyma düşýär. In the function of adverbial modifier of purpose in Turkmen.
- An attribute modifying a noun, a pronoun or a numeral.
a) a noun
E.g. 1. I’ve no time to waste. — Meniň ýitirer ýaly wagtym ýok. In the function of object in Turkmen language.
b) a pronoun
E.g. 1.. It’s always he to speak first. — Mydama ilkinji gürleýän ol oglandy. In the function of attribute in Turkmen language.
c) a numeral
E.g.1. Jane was the first to come. — Birinji gelmeli Jeýndi. Gelmeli is in the function of subject in Turkmen.
d) a substantivized adjective (the last, enough, more, much, little, a lot, etc.)
E.g. 1. He was the last to write the exposition. — Ekspozisýany soňky bolup ýazan ol oglan boldy. In the function of attribute in Turkmen language.
The attributive Infinitive besides naming an action may express a meaning corresponding to the Turkmen ‘zerur, bolar, biler’ etс.
E.g. It’s the only thing to do. — Ol zerur edilmeli zatlaryň biri. In the function of attribute in Turkmen language.
Thus, we see that translation of the infinitive from English into Turkmen is really challenging as it depends on many factors like form, voice, aspect, function, construction or structure.
References:
- Magtymguly Pyragy. Goşgular ýygyndysy. — Ashgabat, 2014.
- В. П. Каушанская. A Grammar of the English Language. — Ставрополь, 2000.
- Г. В. Соловьева. Non-Finite Forms of the Verb. — Елабуга, 2015.
- Wenyuan Gu. The Use of the Infinitive. — West Career and Technical Academy Las Vegas, Nevada, 2019.
- Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia. URL: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_glossing_abbreviations.
