Constructions-and-frames analysis of translations: The interplay of syntax and semantics in translations between English and German

Translation can generally be seen as a task in which the meaning of the original should be preserved as far as possible. This paper formulates the preservation of meaning in terms of the primacy of the frame hypothesis: ideally, the frame of the original is matched by the frame of the translation. I investigate one factor overriding this principle in translations between English and German through the examination of two grammatical constructions, one in English, one in German, which are not commonly available in the other language. Picking a construction comparable in function in the target language leads to frame shifts. In addition to highlighting the interplay between construction and frame choice, the paper explores how frame-to-frame relations can be used to describe the semantic relatedness of original and translation in cases of frame divergences. Theoretical and methodological questions and implications of the cross-lingual application of frame relations are discussed at the end.