Speaking about idioms or phraseological units, it can be determined that they have different meaning from the literal one and the meaning of each individual word that makes up such an expression. For instance, the English idiom ‘your heart sinks’ literally means ‘the heart that sinks’, but conveys the meaning ‘start to feel sad or worried’.

The person cannot understand the meaning of an idiom from the collocation itself - it's needed to know the context of the usage of an idiom. Those types of expressions usually refer to advice or reflections that can be used with pointed situation. Accordingly, they are not just interesting from a lexical viewpoint but also are able to form a concept about the culture of language speaker. What is more those collocations are unique to each original language. To put it another way, English idioms are different from French or Ukrainian idioms.

As shown by Ayers K. (2015) as every language has a lot of near-universal meanings that are expressed across each language, those meanings can be expressed in different ways. The identical sense may be carried in many diverse ways in many different languages. That is the main thing in the connection between language universals and phraseological units. When a common concept can be conveyed differently between languages, the culture of the language generally determines the explanation for the different expressions.

Baker (2018) assumes that there are two reasons of the problems in translating of idioms. It correctly refers to capability of recognition and interpretation of the idiom and how to deliver the various sides of the meaning of the source language idiom into the target language. It is not as easy task as it might appear to recognize the statement as an idiom. Translators occasionally can get tricked by perceiving an idiom literally and correspondingly inability to perceive as a phraseological unit. Some idioms can be understood literally while the others cannot. Baker believes that if an expression is difficult to understand in specific contexts, there is higher probability that it will be recognized as an idiom by a translator.

While translating the idioms in Frank Herbert’s Dune into Ukrainian the following strategies can be applied:

First, the idiom whose meaning and structure are corresponding to the source language idiom.

“No trick, Gurney,” Paul said, and his voice carried such a note of terrible sadness that the sound tore at Jessica’s heart. (English examples are taken from Herbert, 2018)

— Не трюк, — відповів Пол із жахливим смутком, що рвав серце Джессіці (Herbert, 2017).

“I’ve had enough foolishness for one day (Herbert, 2018).

На сьогодні вистачить дурниць (Herbert, 2017).

Yueh closed his eyes, fought to regain composure (Herbert, 2018).

Юе заплющив очі, намагаючись повернути собі стриманість (Herbert,

2017)      .

She swallowed past a lump in her throat (Herbert, 2018).

Вона проковтнула клубок у горлі й поглянула синові у вічі (Herbert, 2017).

Second, while translating, it can be used the idiom whose meaning is close to the source language idiom but the structure is different.

“I’m almighdy fed up with pleasin’ th’ ’Mperial Universe, Doc. Jus’ once, we’re gonna do th ’ thing my way (Herbert, 2018).

М’не вже дістало п’длабуз’тво до ’Мперіального Всесвіту, Док. Ць’го р ’зу ми зробим так, як х’чу я (Herbert, 2017).

“Blood ran cold at the scream offriends,” Jessica said (Herbert, 2018).

Кров стигла в жилах від волань моїх друзів (Herbert, 2017).

Chani felt her heart hammering (Herbert, 2018).

Чані відчула, як скажено загупало в неї серце (Herbert, 2017).

Third, such method of translation as paraphrasing of the figurative meaning of the source language idiom can be used. It allows to keep the original meaning of the text in case the absence of the equivalent idiom in the target language.

The old Reverend Mother, her composure regained (Herbert, 2018).

Стара Превелебна Матір, опанувавши себе, пробилася до Імператора, схилилася до його вуха й почала щось шепотіти (Herbert, 2017).

Fourth, the idiom can be omitted. If it is impossible to use three previous variants, this may be the best decision. For instance, if there is no equivalent or proper idiom in this specific language pair and paraphrasing would only cause reader's confusion.

But not many are thinking deep thoughts now this close to home (Herbert,

2018)      .

Але, коли до дому так близько, не всі зберігають ясність думки (Herbert, 2017).

In the last case it is also possible to assume that the idiom ‘this close to home’ which means ‘affecting someone personally’ was translated literally.

References

1. Ayers, K. (2015). A study of idioms in relation to language universals (thesis). Baker, M. (2018). In other words: A Coursebook on translation. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
2. Herbert, F. (2018). Dune. Gateway.
3. Herbert, F. (2017). Diuna. (A. Pityk &; K. Hrytsaichuk, Trans.). Klub Simeinoho Dozvillia.