MASARYK UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF EDUCATION Department of English Language and Literature

Roald Dahls Matilda:

Translation and Analysis

Bachelor Thesis

Brno 2017

Supervisor: doc. Mgr. Martin Adam, Ph.D. Author: Jana Mikulova

Annotation

Roald Dahl 's Matilda: Translation and Analysis

This bachelor thesis deals with translation and analysis of the book Matilda written by Roald

Dahl. Practical part consists of translation of first four chapters from English language into

Slovak language. Theoretical part analyses possible methods of translation, methods use while

translation of Matilda, differences in translation and special language features and expressions

used by Roald Dahl. Thesis also deals with translation of selected collocations, names and

adjustment of phrases into the Slovak language to be more suitable for a young Slovak reader.

Keywords

Roald Dahl, Matilda, children's book, translation, analysis, language, equivalent, differences

Abstrakt

Roald Dahl: Matilda preklad a analýza

Táto bakalárska práca sa zaoberá prekladom a analýzou knihy Matilda od autora Roalda

Dahla. Praktická časť pozostáva z prekladu prvých štyroch kapitol z anglického do

slovenského jazyka. Teoretická časť rozoberá možné metódy prekladu, metódy použité pri

preklade Matildy, rozdiely v preklade a špeciálne jazykové prostriedky a výrazy, ktoré pozžil

autor. Práca sa tiež zaoberá prekladom vybraných slovných spojení, mien a prispôsobením

frází do slovenského jazyka aby boli čitateľnejšie pre slovenského čitateľa.

Kľúčové slová

Roald Dahl, Matilda, detská kniha, preklad, analýza, jazyk, ekvivalent, rozdiely

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Declaration

I hereby declare that I was working on this thesis on my own and I only used the

sources listed in the List of References.

I also agree with Masaryk University storing my thesis in the library of faculty of

Education for educational purposes.

Prehlásenie

Týmto prehlasujem, že svoju bakalársku prácu som vypracovala čestne a samostatne s

použitím zdojov uvedených v bibliografií práce. Moja bakalárska práca bola vypracovaná v

súlade s Disciplninárnym rádom pre študentom Pedagogickej fakulty Masarykovej university

a so zákonom č. 121/2000 Zb., o práve autorskom, o právach súvisiacich s právom autorským

a o zmene niektorých zákonov (autorský zákon), v znení neskorších predpisov.

Brno, November 2017

Jana Mikulova

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Acknowledgement

I would like to thank my supervisor doc. Mgr. Martin Adam, Ph.D. promptness, kind words

and advice but most of all his patience when writing this thesis.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 7

1 ABOUT THE BOOK 8

2 PRACTICAL PART 9

3 THEORETICAL PART 38

3.1 Translation 38

3.2 Translation process 38

3.2.1 Vinay and Darbelnet's processes used in my translation 39

3.2.2 Translation methods according to Newmark 40

3.2.3 Levy's process of translation 42

3.2.3.1 Three stages of translator's work 42

3.2.3.1.1 Understanding of the artwork 42

3.2.3.1.2 Interpretation of the artwork 43

3.2.3.1.3 Re-stylization of the artwork 44

3.2.3.2 Aesthetic problems in translation 45

3.3 Lexical equivalence 48

3.3.1 Absolute equivalence 48

3.3.2 Partial equivalence 49

3.3.2.1 Formal differences 49

3.3.2.1.1 One word and multi-word units 49

3.3.2.1.2 Explicitness-Implicitness 50

3.3.2.2 Denotative differences 52

3.3.2.2.1 Generalization 52

3.3.2.3 Connotati ve differences 52

3.3.2.3.1 Vulgarisms 52

3.3.2.3.2 Intensification 53

3.3.2.4 Pragmatic differences 54

3.3.2.4.1 Adding information 54

3.3.2.4.2 Omitting information 55

3.3.2.4.3 Substitution by analogy 56

3.3.2.4.4 Explanatory description 56

3.3.3 Zero equivalence 56

3.4 Grammatical equivalence 57

3.5 Textual equivalence 57

3.6 Slang 58

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3.7 Special features in Dahl's language

CONCLUSION

LIST OF REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

My decision to translate Matilda was very simple. From the beginning as I was deciding

about my bachelor thesis, I knew that I would like to do something with linguistics and

literature. Translating a book was one of the options. Before the consultation with my

supervisor, I have never heard about Roald Dahl and his books. My supervisor has

recommended me to choose a Dahl's book. I picked up Matilda and it caught my attention

immediately. I have very strong relationship with children and since Matilda is classified as

children's book, I did not hesitate. Even though it is meant to be for children, it has the ability

to please even adults.

This bachelor thesis is divided into two main parts. The first part, practical part, is a

translation from English to Slovak language. It consists of first four chapters from Matilda,

namely - The Reader of Books, Mr Wormwood the Great Car Dealer, The Hat and the

Superglue, The Ghost. I have chosen first four chapters in order to keep the flow of the

storyline. I did not want to choose random chapters.

The second, theoretical part opens with short characterization of the book Matilda.

Theoretical part is based mostly on Dagmar Knittlová, Jiří Levý and Peter Newmark. It deals

with various translation methods from point of view of every author, with my comments on

using their methods in my translation. Theoretical part also deals with lexical, grammatical

and textual equivalence. The last chapter of theoretical part is dedicated to special features

which Dahl used in translated chapters of Matilda. This last chapter analyses problematic

expressions of the author and their possible translation into Slovak language.

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1 ABOUT THE BOOK

Matilda is a book written by a wonderful British story-teller Roald Dahl. Edition I was

translating was published in 2016. It was first published in 1988 and in 1999, Matilda

won the Children's Book Award. Matilda was also adapted as audio-reading, musical and

it was filmed too. Even when Matilda is considered to be a children's book, it is very

pleasant to read for adults as well.

Matilda is a small, extra-ordinary and very clever girl. She lives with her parents and

older brother, but she does not experience the real warmth of parent's love. She loves to

read, and without knowing of her parents - they wouldn't care anyway - she starts to

sneak out into the public library, where she can read books, and later she borrows them

home. When her parents treat her badly, Matilda always finds a way to "punish" them.

Once it was a friend's parrot stuck in the chimney pretending to be a ghost. At school,

Matilda meets sweet and loving Miss Honey, but also a tyrannical headmistress Miss

Trunchbull. And it is right at school, where Matilda's big adventure begins.

Matilda is, the same as other Dahl's books, illustrated by British illustrator Quentin

Blake.

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2 PRACTICAL PART

Original text

The Reader of Books

It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers.

Even when their own child is the most

disgusting little blister you could ever

imagine, they still think that he or she is

wonderful.

Some parents go further. They become so

blinded by adoration they manage to

convince themselves their child has qualities

of genius.

Well, there is nothing very wrong with all

this. It's the way of the world. It is only when

the parents begin telling us about the

brilliance of their own revolting offspring

that we start shouting. "Bring us a basin!

We're going to be sick!"

School teachers suffer a good deal from

having to listen to this sort of twaddle from

proud parents, but they usually get their own

back when the time comes to write the end-

of-term reports. If I were a teacher I would

cook up some real scorchers for the children

of doting parents. "Your son Maximilian," I

would write, "is a total wash-out. I hope you

have a family business you can push him into

when he leaves school because he sure as

heck won't get a job anywhere else." Or i f I

were feeling lyrical that day, I might write,

My translation

Tá, ktorá číta knihy

Existuje niečo vtipné na matkách a otcoch.

Aj keď je ich vlastné dieťa ten najprotivnejší

malý fagan, akého si len dokážete predstaviť,

stále si myslia, že on či ona je úžasný.

Niektorý rodičia zachádzajú dokonca aj

ďalej. Stávajú sa takými zaslepenými

zbožňovaním vlastných detí, že nakoniec

zvládnu presvedčiť aj sami seba o tom, že ich

dieťa j e génius.

Nuž, na tomto celom nie je nič zlé. Tak to vo

svete jednoducho chodí. Až vtedy, keď

rodičia začnú hovoriť nám o geniálnosti ich

odporného potomstva, začíname kričať:

„Prineste nám lavór! Asi budeme vracať!"

Učitelia v škole si vytrpia dosť takéhoto

tárania, keď musia počúvať pyšných rodičov,

ale zvyčajne sa im za to na konci roka

odplatia písaním vysvedčení. Ak by som bol

učiteľom ja, pripravil by som si pre

zbožňujúcich rodičov poriadnu bombu. „Váš

syn Maximilián" napísal by som, „ je totálne

vymetený. Dúfam, že máte nejakú rodinnú

firmu, kde ho môžete pretlačiť, keď skončí

školu, pretože isto iste nedostane prácu nikde

inde." Alebo ak by som sa práve v ten deň

cítil lyricky, mohol by som napísať:

9

"It is a curious truth that grasshoppers have

their hearing-organs in the sides of the

abdomen. Your daughters Vanessa, judging

by what she's learnt this term, has no

hearing-organs at all."

I might even delve deeper into natural history

and say, "The periodical cicada spends six

years as a grub underground, and no more

than six days as a free creature of sunlight

and air. Your son Wilfred has sent six years

as a grub in this school and we are still

waiting for him to emerge from the

chrysalis." A particularly poisonous little girl

might sting me into saying, "Fiona has the

same glacial beauty as an iceberg, but unlike

the iceberg she has absolutely nothing below

the surface." I think I might enjoy writing

end-of-term reports for the stinkers in my

class. But enough of that. We have to get on.

Occasionally one comes across parents who

take the opposite line, who show no interest

at all in their children, and these of course are

far worse than the doting ones. Mr and Mrs

Wormwood were two such parents. They had

a son called Michael and a daughter called

Matilda, and the parents looked upon Matilda

in particular as nothing more than a scab, a

scab is something you have to put up with

until the time comes when you can pick it off

and flick it away. Mr and Mrs Wormwood

looked forward enormously to the time when

„Zaujímavý fakt o lúčnych koníkoch je ten,

že majú svoje sluchové ústrojenstvo po

stranách dutiny brušnej. Vaša dcéra Vanessa,

usudzujem z toho čo sa naučila tento polrok,

nemá žiadne sluchové ústrojenstvo."

Mohol by som sa dokonca ponoriť hlbšie do

prírodopisných vied a povedať: „Jeden druh

cikády strávi šesť rokov života ako larva,

a nie viac než šesť dní ako voľný tvor

slnečného svitu a čerstvého vzduchu. Váš

syn Wilfred strávil na tejto škole šesť rokov

ako larva a my stále čakáme kedy sa vynorí

zo svojej kukly." Obzvlášť protivné malé

dievčisko ma podpichlo k tomu aby som

povedal: „Fiona oplýva rovnakou mrazivou

krásou asi ako ľadovec, no na rozdiel od

ľadovca, neskrýva pod povrchom absolútne

nič." Myslím, že by som si celkom vychutnal

písať koncoročné správy pre tie protivy

v mojej triede. Ale dosť už. Musíme sa

pohnúť ďalej.

Občas sa človeku skrížia cesty aj s rodičom,

ktorý to berie z druhého konca, ktorý nemá

žiadny záujem o svoje deti, a takýto sú

samozrejme horší ako tí, čo neustále tárajú.

Pán a pani Wormwoodovci boli dvaja takí

rodičia. Mali syna, ktorý sa volal Michael

a dcéru Matildu. Na Matildu sa však rodičia

dívali ako keby nebola nič viac ako chrasta.

Chrasta je to, s čím sa musíte zaoberať až

kým nepríde čas ju strhnúť a zahodiť. Pán

a pani Wormwoodovci sa už nesmierne tešili,

kedy nadíde čas aby sa aj oni mohli zbaviť

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they could pick their little daughter off and

flick her away, preferably into the next

country or even further than that.

It is bad enough when parents treat ordinary

children as though they were scabs and

bunions, but it becomes somehow a lot worse

when the child in question is extra-ordinary,

and by that I mean sensitive and brilliant.

Matilda was both of these things, but above

all she was brilliant. Her mind was so nimble

and she was so quick to learn that her ability

should have been obvious even to the most

half-witted of parents. But Mr and Mrs

Wormwood were both so gormless and so

wrapped up in their own silly little lives that

they failed to notice anything unusual about

their daughter. To tell the truth, I doubt they

would have notices had she crawled into the

house with broken leg.

Matilda's brother Michael was a perfect

normal boy, but the sister, as I said, was

something to make your eyes pop. By the age

of one and a half her speech was perfect and

she knew as many words as most grown-ups.

The parents, instead of applauding her, called

her a noisy chatterbox and told her sharply

that small girls should be seen and not heard.

By the time she was three, Matilda had

taught herself to read by studying

newspapers and magazines that lay around

the house. At the age of four, she could read

svojej dcéry, odhodiť ju do susednej krajiny,

alebo aj niekam ďalej.

Je dosť zlé keď rodičia jednajú s obyčajnými

deťmi ako s chrastami a pľuzgiermi, ale stáva

sa to akosi horším keď sa to týka dieťaťa

neobyčajného. A tým myslím citlivého

a úžasného. Matilda bola oboje, no najviac

zo všetkého, bola geniálna. Jej myseľ bola

mrštná, a j ej schopnosť rýchlo sa učiť by

mala byť viditeľná aj pre tých najviac

hlúpych rodičov. Ale pán a pani

Wormwoodovci boli obaja tak tupý, atak

pohltený ich vlastnými životmi, že si

nevšimli nič neobyčajné na ich malej dcérke.

Aby som pravdu povedal, pochybujem, že by

si vôbec všimli keby sa doplazila domov so

zlomenou nohou.

Matildin brat, Michael, bol úplne obyčajný

chlapec. No ona, ako som už spomínal, ona

bola niečo, z čoho vám išli oči z jamiek

vyskočiť. Keď mala rok a pól, jej reč bola

dokonalá a vedela povedať toľko slov, čo

väčšina dospelých. Jej rodičia, namiesto toho

aby jej tlieskali, ju len volali hlučný táraj

a škaredo jej povedali, že malé dievčatká

majú byť vidieť, a nie počuť.

Do troch rokov sa Matilda naučila sama

čítať. Naučila sato tak, že skúmala noviny

a časopisy, ktoré sa povaľovali po dome.

Keď mala štyri, vedela už čítať rýchlo

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fast and well and she naturally began

hankering after books. The only book in the

whole of this enlightened household was

something called Easy Cooking belonging to

her mother, and when she had read this from

cover to cover and had learnt all he recipes

by heart, she decided she wanted something

more interesting.

"Daddy," she said, "do you think you could

buy me a book?"

" A book?" he said. "What d'you want a

flaming book for?"

"To read, Daddy."

"What's wrong with the telly, for heaven's

sake? We've got a lovely telly with a twelve-

inch screen and now you come asking for a

book! You 're getting spoiled, my girl!"

Nearly every weekday afternoon Matilda was

left alone in the house. Her brother (five

years older than her) went to school. Her

father went to work and her mother went out

playing bingo in a town eight miles away.

Mrs Wormwood was hooked on bingo and

played it five afternoons a week. On the

afternoon of the day when her father had

refused to buy her a book, Matilda set out all

by herself to walk to the public library in the

village. When she arrived, she introduced

herself to the librarian, Mrs Phelps. She

asked if she might sit awhile and read a book.

Mrs Phelps, slightly taken back at the arrival

of such a tiny girl unaccompanied by a

parent, nevertheless told her she was very

adobre a bolo prirodzené, že zatúžila po

vlastných knižkách. Jedinou knihou v ich

osvietenej domácnosti bolo niečo, čo sa

volalo Jednoduché varenie patriace jej

matke. A keď túto knihu prečítala odpredu

dozadu a všetky recepty sa naučila naspamäť,

rozhodla sa, že by chcela skúsiť niečo

zaujímavejšie.

„Ocko," povedala, „myslíš, že by som mohla

dostať knihu?"

„Knihu?" spýtal sa. „Na čo by ti bola

prekliata kniha?"

„Na čítanie, oci."

„Nebesá, čo je zlé na telke? Máme super

telku s dvanásťpalcovou obrazovkou a ty si

teraz vypýtaš knihu! Dieťa moje, začínaš byť

rozmaznaná!"

Takmer každý poobedie bola Matilda cez

týždeň sama doma. Jej brat (o päť rokov

starší) chodil do školy. Jej otec bol v práci

a mama vždy šla na bingo do 13 kilometrov

vzdialeného mesta. Pani Wormwoodová bola

do binga úplne zažratá a chodila hrávať

päťkrát do týždňa. V to popoludnie, ako otec

Matilde odmietol kúpiť knihu sa Matilda

sama vybrala pešo do mestskej knižnice.

Keď dorazila, predstavila sa knihovníčke,

pani Phelpsovej. Spýtala sa jej, či by mohla

chvíľočku zostať a čítať knihu. Pani

Phelpsová bola trošku zaskočená, že také

drobné dievča prišlo bez rodičov, no

povedala jej, že môže zostať.

12

welcome.

"Where are the children's books please?"

Matilda asked.

"They are over there on those lower shelves,"

Mrs Phelps told her. "Would you like me to

help you find a nice one with lots of pictures

in it?"

"No, thank you," Matilda said. "I'm sure I

can manage."

From then on, every afternoon, as soon as her

mother had left for bingo, Matilda would

toddle down to the library. The walk took

only ten minutes and this allowed her two

glorious hours sitting quietly by herself in a

cosy corner devouring one book after

another. When she had read every single

children's book in the place, she started

wandering round in search of something else.

Mrs Phelps, who had been watching her with

fascination for the past few weeks, now got

up from her desk and went over to her. "Can

I help you, Matilda?" she asked.

"I am wondering what to read next," Matilda

said.

"I've finished all of the children's books."

"You mean you've looked at the pictures?"

"Yes, but I've read the books as well."

Mrs Phelps looked down at Matilda from

great height and Matilda looked right back

up at her.

"I thought some were very poor," Matilda

said, "but others were lovely. I liked The

„Prosím vás, kde sú knihy pre deti?" spýtala

sa Matilda.

„Sú tamto, na tých nižších policiach."

Povedala jej pani Phelpsová. „Chceš aby som

ti našla nejakú peknú? Takú, kde je veľa

obrázkov?"

„Nie ďakujem," povedala Matilda, „určite to

zvládnem."

Od toho dňa, každé poobedie, ako náhle

mama odišla hrať bingo, pobrala sa Matilda

do knižnice. Pešo jej to trvalo asi len desať

minút no za to mohla dve neuveriteľne

úžasné hodiny sedieť potichu v útulnom kúte

knižnice a čítať jednu knihu za druhou. Keď

prečítala všetky detské knihy, ktoré

v knižnici mali, začala sa obzerať po niečom

inom.

Pani Phelpsová, ktorá ju fascinovane

pozorovala posledných pár týždňov, vstala

od stola a šla k nej. „Môžem ti nejako

pomôcť, Matilda?"

„Rozmýšľam, akú ďalšiu knihu si prečítam,"

povedala Matilda.

„Prečítala som už všetky knihy pre deti."

„Myslíš tým, že si si prelistovala všetky

obrázky?"

„Áno, ale aj som ich všetky prečítala."

Pani Phelpsová sa na Matildu zvyšky

pozrela a Matilda sa zdola pozrela priamo na

ňu.

„Niektoré z nich boli veľmi chabé," povedala

Matilda, „no niektoré boli pekné. Najviac sa

13

Secret Garden best of all. It was full of

mystery. The mystery of the room behind the

closed door and the mystery of the garden

behind the big wall."

Mrs Phelps was stunned. "Exactly how old

are you, Matilda?" she asked.

"Four years and three months," Matilda said.

Mrs Phelps was more stunned than ever, but

she had the sense not to show it. "What sort

of a book would you like to read next?" she

asked.

Matilda said, "I would like a really good one

that grown-ups read. A famous one. I don't

know any names."

Mrs Phelps looked along the shelves, taking

her time. She didn't quite know what to bring

out. How, she asked herself, does one choose

a famous grown-up book for a four-year-old

girl? Her first thought was to pick a young

teenager's romance of the king that is written

for fifteen-year-old school-girls, but for some

reason she found herself instinctively

walking past that particular shelf.

"Try this," she said at last. "It is very famous

and very good. If it's too long for you, just

let me know and I'll find something shorter

and a bit easier."

"Great Expectations,'" Matilda read, "by

Charles Dickens. I ' d love to try it."

I must be mad, Mrs Phelps told herself, but

to Matilda she said, "Of course you may try

it."

Over the next few afternoons Mars Phelps

mi páčila Tajná záhrada. Bola plné

tajomstiev. Tajomstvo izby za zatvorenými

dverami a tajomstvo záhrady za veľkou

stenou."

Pani Phelpsová bola priam ohromená.

„Koľko máš presne rokov, Matilda?"

„Štyri roky a tri mesiace," odvetila Matilda.

Pani Phelpsová ešte nikdy nebola taká

ohromená, no mala toľko rozumu, aby to

teraz na sebe nedala poznať. „Aký druh

knihy by si teraz chcela čítať?" spýtala sa jej.

Matilda odvetila: „Rada by som si prečítala

nejakú veľmi dobrú, takú ako čítajú

dospeláci. Slávnu. Nepoznám žiadne názvy."

Pani Phelpsová sa pozorne rozhliadla po

poličkách s knihami. Nebola si celkom istá

tým, čo by Matilde priniesla. Ako, spýtala sa

sama seba, ako niekto môže vybrať slávnu

knihu pre dospelákov štvorročnému dieťaťu?

Jej prvý nápad bol vybrať mladú romancu

pre tínedžerov, takú ako čítajú pätnásťročné

dievčatá, no inštinktívne kráčala k inej

poličke.

„Vyskúšaj túto." Povedala nakoniec. „Je

veľmi slávna a veľmi dobrá. Ak je pre teba

príliš dlhá, len mi daj vedieť a nájdem pre

teba niečo jednoduchšie a kratšie."

„Veľké nádeje," čítala Matilda, „od Charlesa

Dickensa. Rada by som ju skúsila prečítať."

„Asi som sa zbláznila," pomyslela si v duchu

pani Phelpsová, no Matilde povedala,

„Samozrejme, vyskúšaj!"

Počas nasledujúcich dní mohla pani

14

could hardly take her eyes from the small girl

sitting for hour after hour in the big armchair

at the far end of the room with her book on

her lap. It was necessary to rest it on the lap

because it was too heavy for her to hold up,

which meant she had to sit leaning forward in

order to read. And a strange sight it was, this

tiny dark-haired person sitting there with her

feet nowhere near touching the floor, totally

absorbed in her wonderful adventures of Pip

and old Miss Havisham and her cobwebbed

house and by the spell of magic that Dickens

the great story-teller had woven with his

words. The only movement from the reader

was the lifting of the hand ever now and then

to turn over a page, and Mrs Phelps always

felt sad then the time came for her cross the

floor and say, "It is ten to five, Matilda."

During the first week of Matilda's visit Mrs

Phelps had said to her, "Does your mother

walk you down here every day and then take

you home?"

"My mother goes to Aylesbury every

afternoon to play bingo," Matilda has said.

"She doesn't know I come here."

"But that's surely not right," Mrs Phelps

said. "I think you'd better ask her."

"I'd rather not," Matilda said. "She doesn't

encourage reading books. Nor does my

father."

"But what do they expect you to do ever

afternoon in an empty house?"

Phelpsová len ťažko spustiť z očí malého

dievčatka, ktoré presedelo hodiny a hodiny

v kúte s knihou na kolenách. Musela ju mať

na kolenách, pretože bola pre ňu priťažká na

to, aby ju držala v rukách, a tak sa musela

neustále nakláňať, aby mohla čítať. A bol to

veruže zvláštny pohľad. Toto malá

tmavovlasé sediace dievčatko, ktorému sa

nohy ani len nepribližovali k tomu, aby sa

dotkla podlahy, úplne zahĺbené a vtiahnuté

v prekrásnom dobrodružstve Pipa a pani

Havishamovej a j ej pavučinami opradenom

dome, ohromené čarom slov úžasného

rozprávača Dickensa. Jediný pohyb čitateľky

bol keď sem-tam zdvihla ruku aby si obrátila

stranu knihy. Pani Phelpsová bola vždy

veľmi smutná, keď nadišiel čas, aby Matilde

oznámila: „Je o desať minút päť hodín,

Matilda."

Počas prvého týždňa Matildiných návštev sa

pani Phelpsová spýtala „Tvoja mama sem

s tebou chodí každý deň a odvedie ťa

domov?"

„Moja mama chodí každé poobedie do mesta

Aylesbury, hrať bingo," povedala Matilda.

„Nevie, že sem chodievam."

„Ale to určite nie je správne," povedala pani

Phelpsová. „Mala by si sa od nej vypýtať."

„Radšej nie," odvetila Matilda. „Ona ma

nepodporuje v tom, aby som čítala knihy.

A môj otec tiež nie."

„A čo chcú aby si robila sama doma každé

poobedie?"

15

"Just mooch around and watch the telly." „Flákala sa po dome a dívala sa na telku."

"I see." „Aha. Takto to je."

"She doesn't really care what I do," Matilda „Nezaujíma ju, čo robím," povedala smutne

said a little sadly. Matilda.

Mrs Phelps was concerned about the child's Pani Phelpsová sa bála oMatildu a jej

safety on the walk through the fairly busy bezpečnosť. Mále dieťa, čo chodí samé po

village High Street and the crossing of the rušnej ulici a samé prechádza cez cestu, no

road, but she decided not to interfere. rozhodla sa nezasahovať.

Within a week, Matilda had finished Great Do týždňa Matilda dokončila Veľké nádeje,

Expectations which in that edition contained ktoré mali vtom vydaní 411 strán. „Bolo to

four hundred and eleven pages. "I loved it," úžasné," povedala Matilda pani Phelpsovej.

she said to Mrs Phelps. "Has Mr Dickens „Napísal pán Dickens aj niečo iné?"

written any others?"

" A great number," said the astounded Mrs „Celkom dosť", povedala ohromene pani

Phelps. "Shall I choose you another?" Phelpsová. „Mám ti vybrať ďalšiu?"

Over the next six months, under Mrs Phelp's Počas nesledujúcich šesť mesiacov, pod

watchful and compassionate eye, Matilda drobnohľadom pani Phelpsovej, prečítala

read the following books: Matilda nasledujúce knihy:

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens Nicholas Nickleby - Charles Dickens

Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Jana Eyrová - Charlottě Bronteová

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Pýcha a predsudok - Jane Austinová

Tess of the D 'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Tess z d'Ubervillov - Thomas Hardy

Kim by Rudyard Kipling Kim - Rudyard Kipling

The Invisible Man by H.G.Wells Neviditeľný muž - H.G.Wells

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Starec a more - Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway Bľabot a bes - William Faulkner

The Sound and the Fury by William Ovocie hnevu - John Steinbeck

Faulkner Dobrí spoločníci - J.B.Priestley

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Brightonská skala - Graham Greene

The Good Companions by J. B. Priestley Zvieracia farma - George Orwell

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

Animal Farm by George Orwell

16

It was a formidable list and by now Mrs

Phelps was filled with wonder and

excitement, but it was probably a good thing

that she did not allow herself to be

completely carried away by it all. Almost

anyone else witnessing the achievements of

this small child would have been tempted to

make a great fuss and shout the news all over

the village and beyond, but not so Mrs

Phelps. She was someone who minded her

own business and had long since discovered

it was seldom worthwhile to interfere with

other people's children.

"Mr Hemingway says a lot of things I don't

understand," Matilda said to her. "Especially

about men and women. But I loved it all the

same. The way he tells it I feel I am right

there on the spot watching it all happen."

" A fine writer will always make you feel

that," Mrs Phelps said. "And don't worry

about the bits you can't understand. Sit back

and allow the words to wash around you, like

music."

'Twi l l , I wil l ."

"Did you know," Mrs Phelps said, "that

public libraries like this allow you to borrow

books and take them home?"

"I didn't know that," Matilda said. "Could I

do it?"

"Of course," Mrs Phelps said. "When you

have chosen the book you want, bring it to

me so I can make a note of it and it's yours

Bol to naozaj impozantný zoznam a pani

Phelpsová bola z neho udivená, no bolo

pravdepodobne dobré, že sa tým nenechala

celkom uniesť. Takmer každý kto by bol

svedkom toho, ako toto malé dievča

dosiahlo to čo dosiahlo, by okolo toho robil

veľký rozruch a novinky rozkrikoval po celej

dedine, možno aj za jej okraje, no nie pani

Phelpsová. Vedela, že je najlepšie hľadieť na

svoje vlastné záležitosti, a zistila, že len

zriedka sa oplatí starať sa do záležitostí

druhých a ich detí.

„Pán Hemingway rozpráva o mnohých

veciach, ktorých nerozumiem. Hlavne medzi

mužmi a ženami. Ale aj tak sa mi to páčilo.

To, ako to všetko opisuje. Cítim sa ako keby

som bola priamo tam kde sa to deje

a pozorovala to."

„Dobrý spisovateľ by mal písať tak, aby si sa

presne takto cítila," povedala pani Phelpsová.

„A nemaj starosti o tie časti, ktorým

nerozumieš. Len sa usaď a nechaj, aby slová

plávali okolo teba, ako hudba."

„Nechám, nechám."

„Vedela si," začala pani Phelpsová, „že

knižky z verejnej knižnice si môžeš požičať

a zobrať čítať domov?"

„To som nevedela," odvetila Matidla.

„Mohla by som si ich požičať aj JA? "

„Samozrejme," odvetila pani Phelpsová.

„Keď si vyberieš knihu, ktorú chceš čítať, len

mi ju prines, aby som si to mohla poznačiť

17

for two weeks. You can take more than one if

you wish."

From then on, Matilda would visit the library

only once a week in order to take out new

books and return the old ones. Her own small

bedroom now became her reading-room and

there she would sit and read most afternoons,

often with a mug of hot chocolate beside her.

She was not quite tall enough to reach things

around the kitchen, but she kept a small box

in the outhouse which she brought in and

stood on in order to get whatever she wanted.

Mostly it was hot chocolate she made,

warming the milk in a saucepan on the stove

before mixing it. Occasionally she made

Bovril or Ovaltine. It was pleasant to take a

hot drink up to her room and have it beside

her as she sat in her silent room reading in

the empty house in the afternoons. The books

transported her into new worlds and

introduced her to amazing people who lived

exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing

ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa

with Ernest Hemingway and to India with

Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the

world while sitting in her little room in an

English village.

a je tvoja na dva týždne. Môžeš si vziať aj

viac ako jednu, ak by si chcela."

A od toho dňa Matilda navštevovala knižnicu

len raz do týždňa, aby si mohla vyzdvihnúť

nové a vrátiť prečítané knihy. Jej malá

izbička bola teraz čitáreň a tam sedela

väčšinu popoludní, často so šálkou horúcej

čokolády. Nebola dosť vysoká na to, aby

dosiahla na veci z tých najvyšších

kuchynských políc, no mala schovaný malý

stolček, atak si mohla zobrať čokoľvek

chcela. Väčšinou si varila horúcu čokoládu.

Ohriala na panvici mlieko a potom

zmixovala s čokoládou. Občas si spravila

kakao, alebo inú dobrotu. Bolo veľmi

príjemné mať niečo teplé na pitie, keď sedela

v izbe, potichu, celé poobedia v prázdnom

dome. Knihy ju teleportovali do nových

svetov a predstavili jej nových úžasných

ľudí, ktorí žili vzrušujúce životy. Šla do

pradávnych dní plaviť sa na lodi s Josephom

Conradom. Cestovala do Afriky s Ernestom

Hemingwayom a do Indie s Rudyardom

Kiplingom. Precestovala celý svet, kým

sedela v jej malej izbe na Anglickom

vidieku.

18

Mr Wormwood the Great Car Dealer

Matilda's parents owned quite a nice house

with three bedrooms upstairs, while on the

ground floor there was a dining room and a

living room and a kitchen. Her father was a

dealer in second-hand cars and it seemed he

did pretty well at it.

"Sawdust," he would say proudly, "is one of

the great secrets of my success. And it costs

me nothing. I get it free from the sawmill."

"What do you use it for?" Matilda asked him.

"Ha!" the father said. "Wouldn't you like to

know."

"I don't see how sawdust can help you to sell

second-hand cars, Daddy."

"That's because you're an ignorant little

twit," the father said. His speech was never

very delicate but Matilda was used to it. She

also knew that he liked to boast and she

would egg him on shamelessly.

"You must be very clever to find a use for

something that costs nothing," she said. "I

wish I could do it."

"You couldn't," the father said. "You're too

stupid. But I don't mind telling young Mike

here about it seeing he'll be joining me in the

business one day."

Ignoring Matilda, he turned to his son and

said, "I'm always glad to buy a car when

some fool has been crashing the gears so

Pán Wormwood, skvelý predaj ca áut

Matildini rodičia mali celkom pekný dom.

Na vrchnom poschodí boli tri izby, zatiaľ čo

na prízemí bola jedáleň, obývačka a kuchyňa.

Jej otec predával v bazáre ojazdené autá

a zdalo sa, že mu to ide veľmi dobre.

„Piliny," povedal jedného dňa hrdo „sú

veľkým tajomstvom môjho úspechu. A nič

ma to nestojí. Dostanem ich zadarmo z píly,

miesta, kde robia s drevom."

„A na čo ich používaš?" Spýtala sa ho

Matilda.

„Ha!" povedal otec. „To by si rada vedela."

„Ja len neviem, ako ti piliny pomôžu predať

auto z druhej ruky, ocko."

„To preto, lebo si malý ignorantský hlupák,"

povedal otec. Matilda už si zvykla na to, že

jej otec nerozpráva veľmi nežne. Tiež vedela,

že sa rád chvastal, no ona by ho bez hanby

strčila do vrecka.

„Musíš byť veľmi múdry na to, aby si našiel

použitie pre niečo, čo nič nestojí," povedala.

„Kiež by som to aj ja vedela."

„Ty by si nemohla." Povedal otec. „Si príliš

hlúpa. Ale rád to poviem tuto Mikeovi, raz sa

ku mne pridá v obchodovaní.

Ignorujúc Matildu sa otočil na syna

a povedal: „Som vždy rád, keď môžem kúpiť

auto, ktorému nejaký hlupák prehadzoval

19

badly they're all worn out and rattle like

mad. I get it cheap. Then all I do is mix a lot

of sawdust with the oil in the gear-box and it

runs as sweet as a nut."

"How long will it run like that before it starts

rattling again?" Matilda asked him.

"Long enough for the buyer to get a good

distance away," the father said, grinning.

"About a hundred miles."

"But that's dishonest, Daddy," Matilda said.

"It's cheating."

"No one ever got rich being honest," the

father said.

"Customers are there to be diddled."

Mr Wormwood was a small ratty looking

man whose front teeth stuck out underneath a

thin ratty moustache. He liked to wear

jackets with large brightly coloured checks

and he sported ties that were usually yellow

or pale green. "Now the mileage for

instance," he went on. "Anyone who's

buying a second-hand car, the first thing he

wants to know is how many miles it's done.

Right?"

"Right," the son said.

"So I buy an old dump that's got about a

hundred and fifty miles on the clock. I get it

cheap. But no one's going to buy it with

mileage like that, are they? And these days

you can't just take the speedometer out and

fiddle the numbers back like you used to ten

years ago. They've fixed it so it's impossible

to tamper with it unless you're a ruddy

prevody tak, že sú celé opotrebované

arachotia ako blázon. Kúpim ho lacno.

Potom zmiešam piliny s olejom

v prevodovke, a ide hladko ako po masle."

„Ako dlho to vydrží, kým to znova začne

rachotit'?" spýtala sa ho Matilda.

„Dosť dlho na to, aby sa kupujúci dostal do

dobrej vzdialenosti. Asi 150 kilometrov,"

odpovedal jej otec pričom sa vyškieral.

„Ale to je nepoctivé, ocko," povedala

Matilda. „Je to podvod."

„Nikto nikdy nezbohatol tak, že by bol

úprimný," povedal jej otec. „Zákazníci sú na

to, aby boli ošmeknutý."

Pán Wormwood bol malý muž, ktorý vyzeral

ako potkan. Predné zuby mu vytŕčali spopod

tenkých potkaních fúzikov. Rád nosil saká

s pestrofarebnými štvorcami a k tomu

športové kravaty, ktoré boli žlté alebo zelené.

„Napríklad taký počet najazdených

kilometrov," pokračoval. „Každý kto si

kupuje ojazdené auto chce hneď vedieť,

koľko kilometrov najazdilo. Správne?"

„Správne" odpovedal syn.

„Tak si kúpim starý kus šrotu, ktorý

má 240 000 najazdených kilometrov.

Zoženiem ho lacno. Ale nikto si ho s takými

kilometrami nekúpi, však? A teraz už si

nemôžeš vybrať tachometer a pohrať sa

s ním aby tam bolo toľko kilometrov koľko

chceš. Tak ako sa to dalo pred desiatimi

rokmi. Sú pripevnené a kilometre sa už

20

watchmaker or something. So what do I do? I

use my brains, laddie, that's what I do."

"How?" young Michael asked, fascinated.

He seemed to have inherited his father's love

of crookery.

"I sit down and say to myself, how can I

convert a mileage reading one hundred and

fifty thousand into ten thousand without

taking the speedometer to pieces? Well, if I

were to run the car backwards for long

enough then obviously that would do it. The

numbers would click backwards, wouldn't

they? But who's going to drive a flaming car

in reverse for thousands and thousands of

miles? You couldn't do it."

"Of course you couldn't," young Michael

said.

"So I scratch my head," the father said. "I

use my brains. When you've been given a

fine brain like I have you've got to use it.

And all of a sudden, the answer hits me. I tell

you, I felt exactly like that other brilliant

fellow must have felt when he discovered

penicillin."

"Eureka!" I cried. "I've got it!"

"What did you do, Dad?" the son asked him.

"The speedometer," Mr Wormwood said, "is

run off a cable that is coupled up to one of

the front wheels. So first I disconnected the

cable where it joins the front wheel. Next, I

get one of those high-speed electric drills and

I couple that up to the end of the cable in

nedajú falšovať, teda pokiaľ nie si poondený

výrobca hodiniek alebo tak. Tak čo urobíš?

Použijem mozog, mladá dáma, to urobím."

„Ako?" Spýtal sa fascinovane mladý

Michael. Zdá sa, že po otcovi podědil zmysel

pre podvádzanie.

„Sadnem si a porozmýšľam. Ako by som

mohol zmeniť počet najazdených kilometrov

z 240 000 na iba 16 000 bez toho, aby som

rozobral tachometer na kúsky? Nuž, ak by

som s autom šiel s autom na spiatočke nejaký

čas, to by mohlo fungovať. Čísla by sa začali

točiť späť no nie? Ale kto bude s prekliatym

autom cúvať tisíce kilometrov? To by nešlo!"

„Samozrejme že nie." Povedal mladý

Michael.

„Tak som sa poškrabkal po hlave," povedal

otec. „Použil som svoj rozum. Ak by ti bolo

dané toľko rozumu čo mne, musel by si ho

používať. A z ničoho nič mi napadla

odpoveď. Cítil som sa presne ako ten ďalší

brilantný chlapík, čo objavil penicilín."

„Heuréka!" kričal som. „Mám to!"

„Čo si urobil, ocko?" spýtal sa ho syn.

„Tachometer", začal pán Wormwood.

„Funguje vďaka káblu, ktorý je napojený na

predné kolesá. Najskôr som odpojil ten

kábel, ktorý ho spája s prednými kolesami.

Potom som si zohnal jednu z tých rýchlych

elektrických vŕtačiek a spojil som ju s tým

21

such a way that when the drill turns, it turns

the cable backwards. You got me so far?

You following me?"

"Yes, Daddy," young Michael said.

"These drills run at a tremendous speed," the

father said, "so when I switch on the drill the

mileage numbers on the speech spin

backwards at a fantastic rate. I can knock

fifty thousand miles off the clock in a few

minutes with my high-speed electric drill.

And by the time I've finished, the car's only

done ten thousand and it's ready for sale.

"She's almost new," I say to the customer.

"She's hardly done ten thou. Belonged to an

old lady who only used it once a week for

shopping."

"Can you really turn the mileage back with

an electric drill?" young Michael asked.

"I am telling you trade secrets," father said.

"So don't you go talking about this to anyone

else. You don't want to put me in jug, do

you?"

"I won't tell a soul," the boy said.

"Do you do this to many cars, Dad?"

"Every single car that comes through my

hands hers the treatment," the father said.

"They all have their mileage cut to under the

thou before they're offered for sale. And to

think I invented that all by myself," he added

proudly. "It's made me a mint."

Matilda, who had been listening closely,

said, "But Daddy, that's even more dishonest

than the sawdust. It's disgusting. You're

káblom na konci tak, že keď sa vŕtačka točí,

kábel sa točí opačným smerom. Chápeš to?

Rozumieš mi?"

„Áno ocko," povedal Michael.

„Tieto vŕtačky sa točia neskutočnou

rýchlosťou," povedal otec. „Takže keď ju

zapnem, počet kilometrov na budíkoch sa

točí naspäť úžasne rýchlo. S mojou super

rýchlou vŕtačkou môžem stočiť 50 000

kilometrov z budíkov za pár minút. A keď

skončím, auto najazdilo iba 10 000

kilometrov a je hotové k predaju. „Je takmer

nové" hovorím zákazníkom. „Má sotva 10

tisíc. Patrilo staršej pani, ktorá ho používala

tak raz do týždňa kvôli nákupom."

„Môžem naozaj stočiť kilometre pomocou

elektrickej vŕtačky?" spýtal sa Michael.

„Hovorím ti tu obchodné tajomstvo,"

povedal otec. „Nehovor o tom s nikým iným.

Nechceš aby som šiel do väzenia, však?"

„Nepoviem to živej duši," povedal chlapec.

„Robíš to s veľa autami, ocko?"

„S každým jedným, ktoré mi prejde rukami,"

povedal otec. "Všetky majú stočené

kilometre pod 10 000 predtým, ako ich idem

predať. Myslím, že som na to prišiel ako

jediný" dodal hrdo. „Urobilo to zo mňa

továreň na peniaze."

Matilda, ktorá pozorne počúvala povedala:

„Ale ocko, to je ešte viac nečestné ako piliny.

Je to nechutné. Podvádzaš ľudí, ktorí ti

22

cheating people who trust you."

"If you don't like it then don't eat the food in

this house," the father said. "It's bought with

the profits."

"It's dirty money," Matilda said. "I hate it."

Two red spots appeared on the father's

cheeks.

"Who the heck do you think you are," he

shouted, "the Archbishop of Canterbury or

something, preaching to me about honesty?

You're just an ignorant little squirt who

hasn't the foggiest idea what you're talking

about!"

"Quite right, Harry," the mother said. And to

Matilda she said, "You've got a nerve talking

to your father like that. Now keep your nasty

mouth shut so we can all watch this

programme in peace."

They were in the living room eating their

suppers on their knees in front of the telly.

The suppers were T V dinners in floppy

aluminium containers with separate

compartments for the stewed meat, the boiled

potatoes and the peas. Mrs Wormwood sat

munching her meal with her eyes glued to the

American soap-opera on the screen. She was

a large woman whose hair was dyed

platinum blonde except where you could see

the mousy-brown bits growing out from the

roots. She wore heavy make-up and she had

one of those unfortunate bulging figures

where the flesh appears to be strapped in all

around the body to prevent it from falling

dôverujú."

„Ak sa ti to nepáči, tak potom nejedz jedlo,

ktoré je v tomto dome," povedal jej otec. „Je

kúpené za moju províziu."

„Sú to špinavé peniaze," povedala Matilda.

„Nepáči sa mi to." Na lícach jej otca sa

objavili dve veľké červené škvrny.

„Kto do pekla si myslíš, že si?" Kričal jej

otec. „Pápež alebo kto? Keď mi kážeš

o čestnosti? Si len malý ignorantský horenos,

ktorý nemá ani len tušenie o čom hovorí!"

„Presne tak Hany," povedala matka.

AMatilde povedala, „máš odvahu, keď sa

s otcom takto rozprávaš. A teraz drž tvoje

malé drzé ústa zatvorené, nech sa môžeme na

tento program pozerať v pokoji."

Boli v obývačke a na kolenách mali večeru,

kým sa dívali na televízor. Večeru mali

naloženú natáčkach, kde boli oddelené

priehradky pre dusené mäso, varené zemiaky

a hrášok. Pani Wormwoodová prežúvala

svoje jedlo s očami prilepenými k televíznej

obrazovke sledujúc americkú telenovelu.

Bola to objemná žena s vlasmi odfarbenými

na platinovú blond, ale mohli ste v nich

vidieť tmavohnedé trošky vyrastajúce

z korienkov. Na tvári mala niekoľko vrstiev

make-upu a jednu zlých nešťastných

zdutých postáv, kde sa zdá, že mäso je

pripútané kolom dokola aby nespadlo na

zem.

23

out. "Mummy," Matilda said, "would you

mind if I ate my supper in the dining room so

I could read my book?"

The father glanced up sharply. "I would

mind!" he snapped. "Supper is a family

gathering and no one leaves the table till it's

over!"

"But we're not at the table," Matilda said.

"We never are. We're always eating off our

knew and watching the telly,"

"What's wrong with the telly, may I ask?"

the father said. His voice had suddenly

become soft and dangerous.

Matilda didn't trust herself to answer him, so

she kept quiet. She could feel the anger

boiling up inside her. She knew it was wrong

to hate her parents like this, but she was

finding it very hard not to do so. A l l the

reading she had done had given her a view of

life that they had never seen. If only they

would read a little Dickens or Kipling they

would soon discover there was more to life

than cheating people and watching television.

Another thing. She resented being told

constantly that she was ignorant and stupid

when she knew she wasn't. The anger inside

her went on boiling and boiling, and as she

lay in bed that night she made a decision. She

decided that every time her father or her

mother was beastly to her, she would get her

own back in some way or another. A small

victory or two would help her to tolerate their

„Mami," povedala Matilda, „nevadilo by ti

ak by som si zjedla večeru v jedálni pri stole,

aby som si mohla čítať knihu?"

Otec ostro zažmurkal. „Mne by to vadilo!"

vyštekol. „Večera je rodinné zhromaždenie

a nikto neodíde od stola, kým

nedovečeriame!"

„Ale veď mi nesedíme pri stole," povedala

Matilda. „Nikdy nesedávame pri stole. Vždy

máme jedlo na kolenách a pozeráme pri tom

na telku."

„Čo je zlé na pozeraní televízora ak smiem

vedieť?" povedal otec. Jeho hlas bol zrazu

mäkký a nebezpečný.

Matilda si neverila natoľko, aby mu

odpovedala a tak ostala ticho. Cítila ako v nej

vrie hnev. Vedela, že nie je správne

nenávidieť svojich rodičov, no bolo pre ňu

naozaj zložité, aby to tak nebolo. Všetko to

čítanie jej dalo pohľad na život, aký oni

v živote nevideli. Ak by si prečítali čo i len

trošku Dickensa či Kiplinga prišli by na to,

že v živote je toho viac ako len podvádzať

ľudí a pozerať televízor.

Ďalšia vec. Neznášala, keď jej neustále

hovorili, aká je hlúpa a ignorantská, keď

vedela, že nie je. Hnev jej vnútri bublal

a bublal, a ako tak v noci ležala v posteli,

spravila jedno rozhodnutie. Rozhodla sa, že

keď sa k nej mama alebo otec nepekne

zachovajú, nejako im to vráti. Jedno alebo

dve malé víťazstvá by jej pomohli tolerovať

ich hlúpe správanie a zabránili by jej vtom,

24

idiocies and would stop her from going

crazy. You must remember that she was still

hardly five years old and it is not easy for

somebody as small as that to score points

against an all-powerful grown-up. Even so,

she was determined to have a go. Her father,

after what had happened in front of the telly

that evening, was first on her list.

aby sa zbláznila. Musíte mať na pamäti, že

mala sotva päť rokov a že bolo ťažké pre

niekoho tak malého skórovať proti mocným

dospelákom. No aj tak, pokúsila sa o to. Jej

otec, po tom čo sa stalo pred televízorom

v ten večer, bol prvý na jej zozname.

25

The Hat and the Super glue

The following morning, just before the father

left for his beastly second-hand car garage,

Matilda slipped into the cloakroom and got

hold of the hat he wore each day to work.

She had to stand on her toes and reach up as

high as she could with a walking-stick in

order to hook the hat off the peg, and even

then she only just made it. The hat itself was

one of those flat-topped pork-pie jobs with a

jay's feather stuck in the hat-band and Mr

Wormwood was very proud of it. He thought

it gave him a rakish daring look, especially

when he wore it at an angle with his loud

checked jacket and green tie.

Matilda, holding the hat in one hand and a

thin tube of Superglue in the other,

proceeded to squeeze a line of glue very

neatly all round the inside rim of the hat.

Then she carefully hooked the hat back on to

the peg with the walking-stick. She timed

this operation very carefully, applying the

glue just as her father was getting up from

the breakfast table.

Mr Wormwood didn't notice anything when

he put the hat on, but when he arrived at the

garage he couldn't get it off. Superglue is

very powerful stuff, so powerful it will take

your skin off if you pull too hard. Mr

Wormwood didn't want to be scalped so he

had to keep the hat on his head the whole day

long, even when putting sawdust in gear-

Klobúk a sekundové lepidlo

Ďalšie ráno, predtým ako otec odišiel do jeho

podvraťáckej garáže s autami z druhej ruky,

prešmykla sa Matilda do šatníka a vzala

klobúk, ktorý otec každý deň nosil do práce.

Musela sa postaviť na špičky a načahovať sa

s vychádzkovou palicou tak vysoko ako

mohla, aby klobúk zvesila z háčika. Až

potom sa jej to podarilo. Klobúk bol jeden

z tých s plochým vrchom, s pierkom zo sojky

zapichnutým v stuhe klobúka a pán

Wormwood bol naň veľmi pyšný. Myslel si,

že vďaka nemu vyzerá zhýralo odvážne,

obzvlášť keď ho nosil nakrivo s jeho

kockovaným sakom a zelenou kravatou.

Držiac klobúk v jednej, a hrubú tubu

sekundového lepidla v druhej ruke, vytlačila

Matilda lepidlo veľmi úhľadne po celom

vnútornom okraji klobúka. Potom veľmi

opatrne vychádzkovou palicou zavesila

klobúk späť na háčik. Načasovala si túto

operácie veľmi presne, vytlačila lepidlo

práve vtedy, keď otec odchádzal od stola

z raňajok.

Pán Wormwood si nevšimol nič, keď si dával

klobúk na hlavu, no keď prišiel do práce,

nemohol sa klobúka zbaviť. Sekundové

lepidlo je veľmi silná vec, tak silná, že by ti

vytrhla kožu, keby si ťahal príliš silno. Pán

Wormwood nechcel byť oskalpovaný, a tak

si nechal klobúk na hlave celý deň, aj keď

dával piliny do prevodovky a aj keď pretáčal

26

boxes and fiddling the mileages of cars with

his electric drill. In an effort to save face, he

adopted a casual attitude hoping that his staff

would think that he actually meant to keep

his hat on all day long just for the heck of it,

like gangsters do in the films.

When he got home that evening he still

couldn't get the hat off.

"Don't be silly," his wife said. "Come here.

I'll take it off for you."

She gave the hat a sharp yank. Mr

Wormwood let out a yell that rattled the

window-panes. "Ow-w-w!" he screamed.

"Don't do that! Let go! You'll take half the

skin off my forehead!" Matilda, nestling in

her usual chair, was watching this

performance over the rim of her book with

some interest.

"What's the matter, daddy?" she said. "Has

your head suddenly swollen or something?"

The father glared at his daughter with deep

suspicion, but said nothing. How could he?

Mrs Wormwood said to him, "It must be

Superglue. It couldn't be anything else.

That'll teach you to go playing round with

nasty stuff like that. I expect you were trying

to stick another feather in your hat."

"I haven't touched the flaming stuff!" Mr

Wormwood shouted. He turned and looked

again at Matilda who looked back at him

with large innocent brown eyes.

počet najazdených kilometrov s jeho

elektrickou vŕtačkou. V snahe zachrániť sa sa

správal úplne normálne, dúfajúc, že si jeho

zamestnanci budú myslieť že on

v skutočnosti plánoval mať klobúk na hlave

celý deň. Len tak, ako to robia gangstri vo

filmoch.

Keď sa v ten večer vrátil domov, stále

nemohol dať klobúk dole z hlavy.

„Nebuď hlúpy," povedala jeho žena. „Poď

sem, ja ti ho dám dole."

Prudko trhla klobúkom. Pán Wormwood

zakričal tak nahlas, že sa okná otriasli

v rámoch. „Au-u-u-u-u", kričal. „Nerob to!

Nechaj to tak! Odtrhneš mi polovicu čela!"

Matilda zahniezdená v j ej zvyčajnom kresle

so záujmom sledovala toto predstavenie cez

okraj knihy.

„Čo sa stalo ocko?" spýtala sa. „Opuchla ti

zrazu hlava alebo niečo také?"

Otec sa na svoju dcéru zamračil

s podozrením ale nepovedal nič. Ako by

mohol? Pani Wormwoodová mu povedala,

„Musí to byť sekundové lepidlo. Nemôže to

byť nič iné. To ťa naučí chodiť len tak sa

nezahrávať s takými šerednými vecami.

Očakávam, že si sa pokúšal nalepiť si na

klobúk ďalšie pierko."

„Tej prekliatej veci som sa ani nechytil!"

Kričal pán Wormwood. Otočil sa a znova sa

pozrel na Matildu. Tá sa naňho zahľadela

s veľkými nevinnými hnedými očami.

27

Mrs Wormwood said to him, "You should

read the label on the tube before you start

messing with dangerous products. Always

follow the instructions on the label."

"What in heaven's name are you talking

about, you stupid witch?" Mr Wormwood

shouted, clutching the brim of his hat to stop

anyone trying to pull it off again. "D'you

think I'm so stupid I'd glue this thing to my

head on purpose?"

Matilda said, "There's a boy down the road

who got some Superglue on his finger

without knowing it and then he put his finger

to his nose."

Mr Wormwood jumped. "What happened to

him?" he spluttered.

"The finger got stuck inside his nose,"

Matilda said, "and he had to go around like

that for a week. People kept saying to him,

'Stop picking your nose,' and he couldn't do

anything about it. He looked an awful fool."

"Serve him right," Mrs Wormwood said. "He

shouldn't have put his finger up there in the

first place. It's a nasty habit. If all children

had Superglue put on their fingers they'd

soon stop doing it." Matilda said,

"Grown-ups do it too, mummy. I saw you

doing it yesterday in the kitchen."

"That's quite enough from you," Mrs

Wormwood said, turning pink.

Mr Wormwood had to keep his hat on all

through supper in front of the television. He

„Mal by si si vždy prečítať štítok na tube

predtým ako sa začneš zahrávať s takými

nebezpečnými vecami. Vždy postupuj podľa

inštrukcií na obale!" povedala mu pani

Wormwoodová.

„Nebesá, o čom to hovoríš, ty hlúpa

čarodejnica?" kričal pán Wormwood, držiac

si okraje klobúka, aby sa už nikto nepokúsil

dať mu ho dole. „Myslíš si, že som taký

hlúpy, že by som si ten klobúk nalepil na

hlavu naschvál?"

„Na konci ulice býva chlapec, ktorému sa

dostalo sekundové lepidlo na prsty bez toho

aby o tom vedel a potom si dal prst do nosa."

Povedala Matilda.

Pán Wormwood vyskočil. „A čo sa mu

stalo?" vyprskol.

„Prst mu uviazol v nose," hovorila Matilda

„a potom mu to tak ostalo týždeň. Ľudia mu

stále hovorili: Prestaň sa špárať vnose! Ale

on s tým nemohol nič robiť. Vyzeral veľmi

hlúpo."

„Tak mu treba." Povedala pani

Wormwoodová. „V prvom rade si tam ten

prst nemal strkať. Je to nechutný zlozvyk.

Keby mali všetky decká na prstoch

sekundové lepidlo, hneď by s tým prestali."

„Ale dospelý to robia tiež, mami. Včera som

ťa videla v kuchyni." Povedala Matilda.

„To už od Teba stačilo," povedala pani

Wormwoodová, zatiaľ čo oružovela.

Pán Wormwood si musel nechať klobúk na

hlave aj počas večere pred telkou. Vyzeral

28

looked ridiculous and he stayed very silent.

When he went up to bed he tried again to get

the thing off, and so did his wife, but it

wouldn't budge. "How am I going to have my

shower?" he demanded. "You'll just have to

do without it, won't you," his wife told him.

And later on, as she watched her skinny little

husband skulking around the bedroom in his

purple-striped pyjamas with a pork-pie hat on

his head, she thought how stupid he looked.

Hardly the kind of man a wife dreams about,

she told herself.

Mr Wormwood discovered that the worst

thing about having a permanent hat on his

head was having to sleep in it. It was

impossible to lie comfortably on the pillow.

"Now do stop fussing around," his wife said

to him after he had been tossing and turning

for about an hour. "I expect it will be loose

by the morning and then it'll slip off easily."

But it wasn't loose by the morning and it

wouldn't slip off. So Mrs Wormwood took a

pair of scissors and cut the thing off his head,

bit by bit, first the top and then the brim.

Where the inner band had stuck to the hair all

around the sides and back, she had to chop

the hair off right to the skin so that he

finished up with a bald white ring round his

head, like some sort of a monk. And in the

front, where the band had stuck directly to

the bare skin, there remained a whole lot of

small patches of brown leathery stuff that no

amount of washing would get off.

smiešna a bol veľmi tichý.

Keď šiel spať, znova si skúsil dať klobúk

dole, a aj jeho žena, ale nešlo to. „Ako sa

mám osprchovať?" vypytoval sa. „Nuž,

budeš sa musieť zaobísť bez toho." Povedala

mu jeho manželka. Neskôr pozorovala

svojho manžela ako chodí po izbe v jeho

fialovom pásikovom pyžame s klobúkom na

hlave, a myslela na to, ako hlúpo vyzerá. Len

ťažko je to muž, o ktorom každá žena sníva,

pomyslela si sama pre seba.

Pán Wormwood zistil, že najťažšia vec na

tom mať klobúk neustále na hlave je spať

s ním. Bolo nemožné so pohodlne ľahnúť na

vankúš. „Prestaň sa mrviť!" povedala mu

žena po tom ako sa hodinu neustále

prehadzoval a otáčal. „Dúfam, že do rána to

povolí a potom sa zošmykne z hlavy ľahko."

Do rána však klobúk nepovolil a nezošmykol

sa z hlavy. Tak pani Wormwoodová vzala

nožničky a klobúk mu z hlavy vystrihla.

Tam, kde bol okraj klobúka na bokoch a

vzadu prilepený o hlavu musela vlasy

odstrihnúť hneď pri koži atak skončil

s vystrihnutým plešatým kolesom okolo

hlavy, ako nejaký druh mnícha. A vpredu,

kde bol klobúk prilepený rovno o holú kožu,

zostali mu na čele prilepené malé kúsky

hnedých kožených vecí, ktoré ani nekonečné

umývanie neodstránilo.

29

At breakfast Matilda said to him, "You must

try to get those bits off your forehead, daddy.

It looks as though you've got little brown

insects crawling about all over you. People

will think you've got lice."

"Be quiet!" the father snapped. "Just keep

your nasty mouth shut, will you!" A l l in all it

was a most satisfactory exercise. But it was

surely too much to hope that it had taught the

father a permanent lesson.

Pri raňajkách mu Matilda povedala, „musíš

sa pokúsiť dať si tie kúsky preč, Ocko.

Vyzerá to, ako keby po tebe lozil hmyz.

Ľudia si budú myslieť, že máš vši."

„Buď ticho!" zahriakol ju. „Len drž svoje

malé, neslušné ústa zavreté, buď taká dobrá!"

Koniec koncov, bolo to veľmi uspokojivé

cvičenie. No dúfať, že sa z toho otec poučí

nastálo, bolo príliš.

30

The Ghost

There was comparative calm in the

Wormwood household for about a week after

the Superglue episode. The experience had

clearly chastened Mr Wormwood and he

seemed temporarily to have lost his taste for

boasting and bullying.

The suddenly he struck again. Perhaps he had

had a bad day at the garage and had not sold

enough crummy second-hand cars. There are

many things that make a man irritable when

he arrives home from work in the evening

and a sensible wife will usually notice the

storm-signals and will leave him alone until

he simmers down.

When Mr Wormwood arrived back from the

garage that evening his face was as dark as

a thunder-cloud and somebody was clearly

for the high-jump pretty soon. His wife

recognized the signs immediately and made

herself scarce. He then strode into the living-

room. Matilda happened to be curled up in an

armchair in the corner, totally absorbed in

a book. Mr Wormwood switched on the

television. The screen lit up. The programe

blared. Mr Wormwood glared at Matilda.

She hadn't moved. She had somehow trained

herself by now to block her ears to the ghasly

sound of the dreaded box. She kepr right on

reading, and for some reason this infuriated

the father. Perhaps his anger was ntensified

because he saw her getting pleasure from

Duch

V domácnosti Wormwoodovcov zavládol po

afére so sekundovým lepidlom na týždeň

pokoj. Tento zážitok, zdá sa, pána

Wormwooda pokarhal a zdalo sa, že na

chvíľu stratil chuť povyšovať sa

s tyranizovať.

A potom to znova zrazu prišlo. Možno mal

len zlý deň vo svojej dielni a nepredal dosť

podradných áut z druhej ruky. Je veľa vecí,

ktoré dokážu muža rozčúliť, keď príde večer

domov z práce, citlivá žena si zvyčajne

všimne náznaky prichádzajúcej búrky

a nechá ho na pokoji, kým to všetko

neprejde.

Keď sa pán Wormwood v ten večer vrátil

z práce domov, jeho tvár bola tmavá ako

oblak v búrke a bolo jasné že sa na niečom

čo najskôr vybúri. Jeho žena okamžite

spoznala náznaky a vyparila sa. Potom

vkročil do obývačky. Matilda práve vtedy

sedela skrútená v kresle v rohu a bola

pohltená knihou. Pán Wormwood zapol

televízor. Obrazovka sa rozžiarila. Program

reval. Pán Wormwood civel na Matildu. Ani

sa nepohla. Už bola naučená ignorovať

zvuky, ktoré vychádzali z tej príšernej bedne.

Sústredila sa len na čítanie, čo z nejakého

dôvodu nahnevalo jej otca. Pravdepodobne

sa nahneval preto, pretože ona si užívala

niečo, čo bolo mimo jeho dosah.

31

something that was beyond his reach.

"Don't you ever stop reading?" he snapped at

her.

"Oh, hello, Daddy," she said pleasantly. "Did

you have a good day?"

"What is this trash?" he said, snatching the

book from her hands.

"It isn't trash, Daddy, it's lovely. It's called

The Red Pony. It's by John Steinbeck, an

American writer Why don't you try it?

You' l l love it."

"Filth," Mr Wormwood said. "If it is by an

American it's certain to be filth. That's all

they write about."

"No, Daddy, it's beautiful, honestly it is. It is

about...."

"I don't want to know what it's about," Mr

Wormwood barked. "I'm fed up with your

reading anyway. Go and find yourself

something useful to do." With frightening

suddenness he now began ripping the pages

out of the book in handfuls and throwing

them in the waste-paper basket.

Matilda froze in horror. The father kept

going. There seemed little doubt that the man

felt some kind of jealousy. How dare she, he

seemed to be saying with each rip of a page,

how dare she enjoy reading books when he

couldn't? How dare she?

"That's a library book!" Matilda cried. "It

doesn't belong to me! I have to return it to

Mrs Phelps!"

„Ty nikdy neprestaneš čítať?" oboril sa na

ňu.

„Oh, ahoj, ocko," povedala milo. „Mal si

pekný deň?"

„Čo je toto za odpad?" povedal keď jej

vytrhával knihu z rúk.

„Nieje to odpad, ocko. Je to pekné. Volá sa

to Červený poník a napísal to John

Steinbeck, americký spisovateľ. Prečo si to

neprečítaš? Páčilo by sa ti to."

„Hnus," povedal pán Wormwood. „Ak to

napísal Američan, určite je to hnus. To je to

jediné, čo oni vedia písať."

„Nie, ocko, je to prekrásne, naozaj je. Je to

o..."

„Nechcem vedieť, o čom to je!" vyštekol pán

Wormwood. „Aj tak mám po krk tvojho

čítania. Choď robiť niečo užitočné." So

strašidelnou náhlosťou začal z knihy

vytrhávať strany po trsoch a hádzal ich do

koša na papier.

Matilda ostala ako obarená. Otec však

pokračoval. Nebolo pochýb o tom, že ten

muž cítil niečo podobné, ako žiarlivosť. Ako

sa len opovažuje, zdá sa hovoril si s každou

vytrhnutou stranou, ako sa opovažuje užívať

si čítanie kníh, keď on nemohol? Ako sa len

opovažuje?

„To je kniha z knižnice!" plakala Matilda.

„Nie je moja! Musím ju vrátiť pani

Phelpsovej!"

32

"Then you'll have to buy another one, won't

you?" the father said still tearing out pages.

"You' l l have to save your pocket-money

until there's enough in the kitty to buy a new

one for your precious Mrs Phelps, won't

you?" With that he dropped the now empty

covers of the book into the basket and

marched out of the room, leaving the relly

blaring.

Most children in Matilda's place would have

burst into floods of tears. She didn't do this.

She sat there very still and white and

thoughtful. She seemed to know that neither

crying nor sulking ever got anyone

anywhere. The only sensible thing to do

when you are attacked is, as Napoleon once

said, to counter-attack. Matilda's wonderful

subtle mind was already at work devising yet

another suitable punishment for the

poisonous parent. The plan that was now

beginning to hatch in her mind depended,

however, upon whether or not Fred's parrot

was really as good a talker as Fred made out.

Fred was a friend of Matilda's, he was a

small boy of six who lived just around the

corner from her, and for day he had been

going on about this great talking parrot his

father had given him.

So the following afternoon, as soon as Mrs

Wormwood had departed in her car for

another session of bingo, Matilda set out for

Fred's house to investigate. She knocked on

his door and asked if he would be kind

„Tak to budeš musieť kúpiť novú, však?"

povedal otec stále trhajúc strany. „Budeš si

musieť šetriť z vreckového kým vprasiatku

nebudeš mať dosť peňazí na to, aby si kúpila

novú knihu tej tvojej drahej pani Phelpsovej,

však?" Odhodil nabok prázdny obal

a vypochodoval z izby pričom telka stále

hučala.

Väčšina detí by na Matildinom mieste

okamžite dostala záchvat plaču. No ona nie.

Sedela tam meravo, biela a zamyslená.

Vedela, že ani plačom a ani smrkáním by nič

nevyriešila. Jedinou rozumnou vecou keď ťa

niekto napadne, ako raz povedal Napoleon, je

protiútok. Matildina krásne jemná myseľ už

pracovala na ďalšom pláne ako potrestať jej

otravných rodičov. Nápad, ktorý sa jej

v hlave zrodil však závisel na tom, či Fred

neklamal o tom, že jeho papagáj je naozaj

dobrý rozprávač.

Fred bol Matildin kamarát. Bol to malý

šesťročný chlapec, ktorý žil za rohom od

Matildy a už celé dni rozprával len

o skvelom hovoriacom papagájovi, čo mu dal

jeho otec.

Nasledujúce poobedie, hneď potom ako pani

Wormwoodová odišla na ďalšiu partičku

binga, vydala sa Matilda do Fredovho domu

vyšetrovať. Zaklopala na dvere a spýtala sa,

či by bol taký milý a predviedol jej toho

33

enough to show her the famous bird. Fred

was delighted and led her up to his bedroom

where a truly magnificent blue and yellow

parrot sat in a tall cage.

"There it is," said Fred. "It's name is

Chopper."

"Make it talk," Matilda said.

"You can't make it talk," Fred said. "You

have to be patient. It'll talk when it feels like

it."

They hung around, waiting. Suddenly the

parrot said, "Hello, hello, hello." It was

exactly like a human voice. Matilda said.

"That's amazing! What else can it say?"

"Rattle my bones!" the parrot said, giving a

wonderful imitation of a spook voice.

"Rattle my bones!"

"He's always saying that," Fred told her.

"What else can it say?" Matilda asked.

"That's about it." Fred said. "But it's pretty

marvellous, don't you think?"

"It's fabulous," Matilda said. "Wil l you lend

him to me just for one night?"

"No," Fred said. "Certainly not."

"I ' l l give you my next week's pocket-

money,"

That was different. Fred thought about it for

a few seconds. " A l l right, then," he said, " i f

you promise to return him tomorrow."

Matilda staggered back to her own empty

house carrying the tall cage in both hands.

There was a large fireplace in the dining-

slávneho papagája. Fred bol veľmi potešený

a zaviedol ju do svojej izby, kde vo vysokej

klietke sedel naozaj nádherný modro-žltý

papagáj.

„Tam je," povedal Fred. „Volá sa Chopper."

„Nech rozpráva," povedala Matilda.

„Nemôžeš ho donútiť," povedal Fred. „Musíš

byť trpezlivá. Keď sa mu bude chcieť, bude

rozprávať."

Sedeli v izbe a čakali. Zrazu papagáj

povedal: Ahoj, ahoj, ahoj. Bolo to presne

také, ako by to povedal človek. „To je

skvelé, čo vie ešte povedať?" spýtala sa

Matilda.

„Rachotia mi kosti!" povedal papagáj

a pritom napodobňoval strašidelný hlas.

„Rachotia mi kosti!"

„To hovorí stále," povedal Fred.

„Co vie ešte povedať?" spýtala sa Matilda.

„To je všetko," povedal Fred. „Ale je to

super, nemyslíš?"

„Je to skvelé," povedala Matilda. „Požičiaš

mi ho na jednu noc?"

„Nie," povedal Fred. „Určite nie."

„Dám ti celé moje budúco týždňové

vreckové."

To už bolo o inom. Fred pár sekúnd

premýšľal. „No dobre," povedal, „ale iba ak

sľúbiš, že zajtra ho vrátiš."

Matilda sa potácala späť domov nesúc

klietku oboma rukami. V jedálni bolo

obrovské ohnisko a ona vopchala klietku

34

room and she now set about wedging the s papagájom do komína, aby nebol na očiach.

cage up the chimney and out of sight. This Nebolo to jednoduché, no nakoniec to

wasn't so easy, but she managed it in the zvládla.

end.

"Hello, hello, hello!" the bird called down to „Ahoj, ahoj, ahoj," volal na ňu vták. „Ahoj,

her. "Hello, hello!" ahoj!"

"Shut up, you nut!" Matilda said, and she „Buď ticho ty blázon!" povedala Matilda

went out to wash the soot off her hands. a šla si umyť ruky od sadzí.

That evening while the mother, the father, V ten večer, keď mama, otec, brat a Matilda

the brother and Matilda were having supper večerali ako zvyčajne v obývačke pred

as usual in the living-room in front of the televízorom, ozval sa hlasný hlas z jedálne

television, a voice came loud and clear from cez halu.

the dining-room across the hall.

"Hello, hello, hello!" it said. „Ahoj, ahoj, ahoj!" ozývalo sa.

"Harry!" cried the mother, turning white. „Harry!" kričala mama, ktorá obelela.

"There's someone in the house! I heard a „Niekto je v dome! Počula som hlas!"

voice!"

„So did I!" the brother said. Matilda jumped „Ja tiež!" povedal brat. Matilda vyskočila,

up and switched off the telly. "Ssssh!" she vypla telku. „Pssssst! Počúvajte!"

said. "Listen!"

They all stopped eating and sat there very Všetci prestali jesť a napäto počúvali.

tense, listening.

"Hello, hello, hello!" came the voice again. „Ahoj, ahoj, ahoj!" ozval sa hlas znova.

"There it is!" cried the mother. „Tamto!" kričal brat.

"It's burglars!" hissed the mother. "They're „Sú to zlodeji!" panikařila mama. „Sú

in the dinig-room!" v jedálni!"

"I think they are," the father said, sitting „Myslím, že áno," povedal otec, ktorý sedel

tight. veľmi napäto.

"Then go and catch them, Harry!" hissed the „Tak choď a chyť ich, Harry!" kričala

mother. "Go out and collar them redhanded!" mama. „Choď a nachytaj ich pri čine!"

The father didn't move. He seemed in no Otec sa ani nepohol. Vyzeralo to tak, že

hurry to dash off and be a hero. His face nemá v úmysle sa postaviť a byť za hrdinu.

turned grey. Tvár mu spopolavela.

35

"Get on with it!" hissed the mother. "They're

probably after the silver!"

The husband wiped his lips nervously with

his napkin.

"Why don't we all go and look together?" he

said.

"Come on, then," the brother said. "Come

on, Mum."

"They're definitely in the dining-room."

Matilda whispered. "I'm sure they are."

The mother grabbed a poker from the

fireplace. The father took a golf-club that

was standing in the corner. The brother

seized a table-lamp, tipping the plug out of

its socket. Matilda took the knife she had

been eating with and all four of the crept

towards the dining-room door, the father

keeping well behind others.

"Hello, hello, hello!" came the voice again.

"Come on!" Matilda cried and she burst into

the room, brandishing her knife. "Stick'em

up!" she yelled. "We've caught you!" The

others followed her, waving their weapons.

Then they stopped. They stared around the

room. There was no one there.

"There's no one here," the father said,

greatly relieved.

"I heard him, Harry!" the mother shrieked,

still quaking. "I distinctly heard his voice! So

did you!"

"I'm certain I heard him!" Matilda cried.

"He's in here somewhere!" She began

searching behind the sofa and behind the

„No tak!" hnala ho mama. „Určite chcú

ukradnúť striebro!"

Manžel si nervózne servítkom utrel pery.

„Prečo sa všetci nejdeme pozrieť spolu?"

povedal.

„Tak poďme," povedal brat, „poď, mama."

„Určite sú v jedálni," pošepkala Matilda.

„Som si istá."

Matka vzala kutáč od ohniska. Otec si zobral

golfovú palicu čo stála v rohu. Brat schmatol

stolnú lampu avyšklbol kábel zo zásuvky.

Matilda si zobrala nôž, s ktorým jedla

a všetci štyria sa potichu zakrádali ku dverám

jedálne, pričom otec za všetkými zaostával.

„Ahoj, ahoj, ahoj!" ozval sa znova hlas.

„Poďme!" zvolala Matilda a vtrhla do

miestnosti s příborovým nožom. „Hore

ruky!" kričala. „Máme vás!" ostatní ju

nasledovali, mávajúc zbraňami v rukách.

Hľadeli na izbu. Nikto tam nebol.

„Nikto tu nie je," povedal otec, ktorému sa

zjavne uľavilo.

„Počula som ho, Hany!" ziapala matka, stále

sa hrbiac. „Počula som jeho hlas, a ty tiež!"

„Určite som ho aj ja počula!" kričala

Matilda. „Určite tu niekde je." Začala hľadať

na gaučom aj za závesmi.

36

curtains.

There came the voice once again, soft and

spooky this time, "Rattle my bones" it said.

"Rattle my bones."

They all jumped, including Matilda, who was

a pretty good actress. They stared round the

room. There was still no one there.

"It's a ghost," Matilda said.

"Heaven help us!" cried the mother,

clutching her husband round the neck.

"I know it's a ghost!" Matilda said. "I've

heard it before! This room is haunted! I

thought you knew that."

"Save us!" the mother screamed, almost

throttling her husband.

"I am getting out of here," the father said,

greyer than ever now. They all fled,

slamming the door behind them.

The next afternoon, Matilda managed to get a

rather sooty and grumpy parrot down the

chimney and out of the house without being

seen. She carried in through the back-door

and ran with it all the way to Fred's house.

"Did it behave itself?" Fred asked her.

"We had a lovely time with it," Matilda said.

"My parents adored it."

Potom sa hlas ozval znova, jemný

a strašidelný. „Rachotia mi kosti!" povedal.

„Rachotia mi kosti!"

Všetci nadskočili, vrátane Matildy, ktorá

bola celkom dobrá herečka. Obřezali sa po

miestnosti. Stále tam nikto nebol.

„Je to duch," povedala Matilda.

„Nebesá, pomôžte nám!" ziapala matka,

držiac jej manžela za krk.

„Viem, že je to duch!" vravela Matilda. „Už

som ho predtým počula. V tejto izbe straší!

Myslela som, že to viete."

„Zachráň nás!" kričala mama, pričom takmer

zaškrtila svojho manžela.

„Padám odtiaľto." Povedal otec, ktorý bol

taký sivý, ako ešte nikdy. Všetci odišli,

zatresknúc dvere za nimi.

Ďalšie popoludnie sa Matilde podarilo

osadzovaného a mrzutého papagája dostať

von z komína a z domu bez toho, aby ich

niekto videl. Niesla ho cez zadné dvere

a bežala s ním k Fredovi.

„Správal sa dobre?" spýtal sa jej Fred.

„Veľmi sme si to s ním užili," povedala

Matilda. „Moji rodičia ho zbožňujú."

37

3 THEORETICAL PART

3.1 Translation

Translation is a very complex process of translating words or junks of texts from one

language to another. It is also finding an equivalent target-language text to the source-

language text.

3.2 Translation process

Translation process uses various methods and way for achieving the right translation.

They may be called by different names but they end up in the same conclusion and the same

problem solution.

Canadian authors Vinay and Darbelnet came up with these seven basic processes ordered

from the most complex to the simplest:

1. Transcription

2. Loan translation - literal translation

3. Substitution - replacing one language tool by another, equivalent

4. Transposition - need grammatical changes rooted in different language system

5. Modulation - change of the view

6. Equivalence - used mainly with expressive verbal links

7. Adaptation - substitution of situation from original text by other, adequate, suitable

for target language

American Gerard Vazquez-Ayora, based on repetition observed from his practice, came

up with these eight strategic processes for gaining a good translation practice:

1. Transposition

2. Modulation

3. Equivalence

4. Adaptation

5. Amplification (widening of the text)

6. Explication (adding a explanatory information)

7. Omission

38

8. Compensation

Another American linguist translator Joseph L. Malone states another nine approaches:

1. Equivalency (EQU) A=B (direct opposite)

2. Substitution (SUB) A: S

3. Divergence (DIV) A:B/C

4. Convergence (CNV) B/C:A

5. Amplification (AMP) A : A B

6. Reduction (RED) A B : A

7. Diffusion (DJE) A B : A / B

8. Condensation (CND) A / B : A B

9. Reordering (RRD) A B : B A (Knittlová p.15, Translated by JM)

3.2.1 Vinay and Darbelnet's processes used in my translation

Translating from one language to another cannot be provided word-by word. Translation

is a process that also needs adapting to target-language. While translating Matilda I used

several of Vinay's and Darbelnet's translation processes.

1. Transcription -1 did not use transcription because there was no need for transcribing

the text to other alphabet.

2. Loan translation - literal translation, is also known as caique. It means that word or a

phrase is translated, in this case from English to Slovak language, to correspond

words, but still retaining the original meaning.

3. Substitution - replacing one language tool by another, equivalent.

4. Transposition - need grammatical changes rooted in different language system

Examples:

mileage - počet najazdených kilometrov, miles - kilometre - because of different

metric system, I had to convert miles into kilometres. If there were inches or pounds

mentioned in the text, I would have to convert it into centimetres and kilograms. It

was needed to recount the mileages mentioned in the text so Slovak readers

understand how many kilometres is mentioned.

39

5. Modulation - change of the view. Modulation basically means using a phrase that is

different in the source and target languages to convey the same idea.

6. Equivalence - used mainly with expressive verbal links

Examples:

chatterbox - hlučný táraj - in Slovak language there is no word for chatterbox. This

word used in context of the book had a negative meaning, so I kept it this way, but I

had to make it a multi-word expression.

telly -telka - when translating slang words, I find equivalence in Slovak language so

the flow of the text stays the same.

7. Adaptation - substitution of situation from original text by other, adequate, suitable

for target language

Examples:

disgusting little blister - najprotivnejší malý fagan - literal translating of disgusting

into Slovak language would be very negative, so I have chosen another expression,

the same goes for blister - fagan

end-of-term reports - vysvedčenie - in Slovakia, children do not get reports but

paper with grades and no verbal evaluation. For better understanding of Slovak

readers I used the word vysvedčenie

egg him on shamelessly - strčila ho bez hanby strčila do vrecka - literal translation

of egg somebody into Slovak language would not make sense so I had to adapt it to

Slovak audience

- Archbishop of Canterbury - pápež - for a Slovak reader, especially children, for

whose is Matilda written, would have a hard time understanding who is Archbishop

of Canterbury. I substituted Archbishop with pápež (pope), for easier understanding.

superglue - sekundové lepidlo - for cultural reasons I left out the name of the glue in

English and used the word for fast drying glue in Slovak language.

3.2.2 Translation methods according to Newmark

The central problem of translating has always been whether to translate literally or freely. The argument has been going on since at least the first century

40

BC. Up to the beginning of the nineteenth century, many writers favoured some kind of "free" translation: the spirit, not the letter, the sense, not the words, the message rather than the form, the matter not the manner. This was the often revolutionary slogan of writers who wanted the truth to be read and understood. At the turn of nineteenth century, when the study of cultural anthropology suggested that the linguistic barriers were insuperable and that language gained some currency, and with it that, if attempted at all, it must be as literal as possible. "(Newmark, 1988, p.45)

Translation methods according to Newmark:

Word-for-word translation - may be used when the purpose is to understand the

mechanics of the source language or used as pre-translation process. It may be displayed as

words of target language laid under the words of source language.

Literal translation - used when text in original language is translated into nearest

equivalents in target language, lexical words are translated out of context.

Faithful translation - focused mainly on precise contextual meaning. It attempts to be

completely faithful to the intentions and the text-realisation of the original writer.

Semantic translation - Newmark states that the semantic translation differs from

faithful translation only in as far as it must take more account of the aesthetic value of the

original text, compromising on meaning where appropriate so that no assonance, word-play or

repetition jars in the finished version. Further, it may translate less important cultural words

by culturally neutral third or functional terms but not only by cultural equivalents and it may

make other small concessions to the readership. The distinction between faithful and semantic

translation is that the first in uncompromising and dogmatic and the second one is more

flexible, admits the creative exception to 100% fidelity and allows for the translator's intuitive

empathy with the original. (Newmark, p. 46)

Adaptation - is used mainly for plays or poetry. In both there are characters, themes,

plots and those are kept as in original.

41

Free translation - may be considered not to be translation at all as it is often

pretentious, it is usually a paraphrase of original text, which may be even longer. It does not

even have the form of the original text.

Idiomatic translation - this type of translation prefers to use colloquialism and idioms

in the translated text, even when there are none in the original text.

Communicative translation - according to Newmark, communicative translation

attempts to render the exact contextual meaning of the original in such a way that both content

and language are readily acceptable and comprehensible to the readership. (Newmark,p. 47)

3.2.3 Levy's process of translation

Translation is sharing. Translator is decoding text of original author and recodes this

text into target language.

3.2.3.1 Three stages of translator's work

Translator's material is an artwork (meaning original text), with which he or she has to

process artistically. Demands on translator, according to Levy (1998, p. 53) can be

summarized into three main points:

1) Understanding of the artwork

2) Interpretation of the artwork

3) Re-stylization of the artwork

When translating Matilda I also followed these points. Firstly I had to read the book, than

think about way to translate it, look for appropriate style and when the first draft of translation

was done, I had to re-stylize it.

3.2.3.1.1 Understanding of the artwork

Translator has to be able to understand the artwork he or she is translating. Translator

should be a good reader. Translator's penetrating into the meaning of artwork runs through in

three levels.

42

a. ) First level is comprehension of the text, which means philological understanding.

Philological understanding doesn't require special abilities, it is a thing of long-term

practice. Wrong associations or multivocal words can lead to errors.

b. ) Right reading of the artwork mediates its right esthetical values to the reader. It means

the mood, ironic or tragic background, attacking aim etc. Reader does not have to

realize these values on his own, translator, however should be able to rationally

recognize them and decide, which tools to use to achieve the same mood in translated

text.

When translating Matilda, for me, as a translator was very difficult to catch Dahl's irony,

when describing the parents and not sound too judgemental and not to put my own feelings

into the description of Matilda's parents.

c. ) Through understanding the esthetical values of particular language tools and motives

is the way to understanding artistic units and to understanding of realities presented in

artwork, such as characters, their relationships, environment of the storyline and the

author's aim. This understanding is the most challenging, because translator has the

tendency towards the atomistic understanding of words and motives. Therefore, a big

amount of imagination is needed for reader to understand the artistic reality of text as a

whole. Imagination is a necessity for translator. (Levy, p. 56, Translated by JM)

There are two aspects that play role in all translational misunderstandings. The first one is

the disability of the translator to imagine the reality or thoughts of author and wrong

interpretation or real ambiguity of the text. The main difference between creative translator

and mechanical translator is that creative translator imagines all possibilities that author can

write about, studies the context between characters, and is not only translating word by word.

For me as a translator choosing it was crucial to choose a text where I would be able to

imagine the surrounding reality in order to give a faithful translation.

3.2.3.1.2 Interpretation of the artwork

43

Real understanding of the artwork is a condition into mastering artistic translation. There

is never a complete match between original text and its translation, therefore, translation is not

enough and right interpretation is needed. Very often happens that target language is not able

to obtain phrases or word expression as original language. Translator than has to recognize

what reality is hidden between this kind of expressions and form these thoughts into

translation. When looking for right interpretation of artwork, we have to notice these three

moments:

a. ) Looking for an objective idea of writing

Every translation is more or less an interpretation. If the interpretation ought to be

right, than most important features of writing need to be its outlet and its aim its

objective values. In some cases, it can be very easy for translator to put his own

perspective into author's writing.

b. ) Interpretative opinion of the translator

Simple reader is picking most intense parts of writings on his own. A good translator

should choose his interpretation point of view and he usually knows, what he wants to

say to readers.

c. ) Interpretation of objective values of writing from the point of view of re-evaluating

Translation is usually aimed for a consumer of particular artwork. And from this point,

the translator develops his methods. . (Levy, p. 64, Translated by JM)

During my translation of Matilda, I had to take into consideration that it is a book

aimed for children, and therefore I have to make it readable for children

3.2.3.1.3 Re-stylization of the artwork

It is expected from the translator that he would artificially transform the artwork.

Translators need to have a stylistic talent. Language translational problematics affects mostly

these issues:

a.) The ratio of two language systems

Language of the artwork and language of the translation cannot be measured together.

Language tools are not equivalent in these two languages, and therefore the translation

cannot be provided mechanically. The bigger the role of language in artistic text

44

construction is, the harder is to translate the text. Even more significant difference is in

semantics of original and target language. For example, in particular ethnic areas there

are big differences in labelling various types and degrees of family relationships. I will

discuss this problem of two language system later in this thesis.

b. ) Traces of original language in translation stylization

Original writing is made or original language, but this language also interferes with

translation. Impact of original language on translation is direct and indirect. Direct

impact of original text can be seen positively but also negatively, it means that absence

of language tools in targeted language. Indirect impact of original language shows up

when translator is trying to differ from stylistic features of original, which are

considered to be grammatical.

c. ) The tension in style of translation, that is made by transferring thoughts, into the

language the thought were not originally written in

Translation may be considered not to be original, and thought is re-stylized into

language, in which not originally written. It means that language expression in given

artwork is not absolute, and is just one of many options of interpretation. (Levy, p. 74,

Translated by JM)

3.2.3.2 Aesthetic problems in translation

There may occur several problems in translation. Here are some according to Levy:

A) Creative reproduction

1) Translation as a type of art

Theory of translation may be considered to be linguistic or literary-scientific

discipline. Into competence of linguistic belongs comparative inquiry of two

language systems. Looking for language equivalents takes over the most of

translators work. Into the area of art belongs those moment of activity, which

cannot be reproduced by practical application of comparison of grammar and

linguistic - critical view of how would the values of artwork act in relationship to

the real problematic of translator's environment. The aim of translator's work is to

45

keep, underline and share the original piece of writing, and not to create a new

one. The role of translation is reproductive. Work process of this art is to replace

one language material by another. Translation as an artwork is artistic

reproduction, translation as process is original creation, translation as a type of art

is marginal case on the interface of reproduction art and originally creative. (Levy,

p. 84, Translated by JM)

2) Two norms in translation

The base for aesthetic and critics of translation is the category of value. Value is

set by ratio of given artwork to norm of given art. Norms need to be taken

historically, they are changing. In the development of reproductive art there are

two norms - reproductive norm (requirement of creditability, sententiousness) and

norm of artistry (requirement of finesness). This basic aesthetical opposite is in

translation called the opposite of translational creditability and freedom. The

translation cannot be same as original, but it should affect reader in the same way.

3) Duality of translated piece

Translated piece is a mixed thing, hybrid. Translation is a mixture of two

structures. On one side there is formal outline of original, on the other there is a

whole scheme of features connected with language of the translator.

4) Two-sided relationship towards the original literature

Translated piece of writing becomes part of literature of the translated language. It

has a similar function as a writing originally written in target language. Translated

piece, however has one extra function, and it is that it inform about foreign culture.

(Levy, p. 98, Translated by JM)

B) Translator as literal and language creator

1) Classic translation

Every new interpretation of writing reacts on original piece again, and through

translation, it reflects translators point of view on current situation of own nation.

Value of his interpretative opinion may than be judged by how well he mastered to

understand objective values of piece and which political opinion is his opinion

46

expressing. Classic translation keeps its validity only in one language and cultural

era, if it is accurate for that time. The faster the language is developing, the faster

translations get older.

2) Translation tradition

Reproduction is an activity that is repeating. With all major writings, which are

translated more often, translation tradition is made. Every other interpreter learns

from mistakes of his ancestors. If the new reproduction ought to be and art piece,

new translator should create new piece, and not plagiarise from previous versions.

3) Language creativity

Creativity of translator is restricted for language area. Translator creates new

expressions but also domesticates foreign expressions. (Levy, p. 110, Translated

by JM)

Translator has to be very creative when translating such a colourful language as

Dahl uses in Matilda. He uses lot of made up words, and I as a translator of his

artwork had to find appropriate equivalents to his words.

C) Reproductive fidelity

1) Translator's work processes

Problem in translation theory and practice is the question of reproductive fidelity

of translation. In history of translation there were two opposing views. One is

classic theory of adaptive translation and other one is romantic translation of

literal translation. This problem is current even today. It is because translation

fidelity is not closely identified, so in practice, there are several opposing

interpretations.

2) National and periodical specificity

When translating specific periodical features of artwork, translator should keep

their meaning, as well as value. Current translation theory highlights the need for

keeping national and historical specificity of the artwork.

47

3) Whole and part

When translating artwork in detail, in parts (word by word), there is a lack of

artistry. On the other hand, translating artwork as a whole may lead translators

into focusing on too general principles, and it affects thoughts of the author. Any

important thought shouldn't disappear from the context. When there is a word in

the text, which does not make sense standing alone, we translate it as a whole

without looking into meaning of other words. As a lexical unit are translated

steady phrases, idioms, sayings, proverbs. In translation of figurative expressions,

side implication of particular words is important. As important as their

relationship to reality and relationship to thought and its artistic expression.

(Levy, p. 128, Translated by JM)

3.3 Lexical equivalence

While comparing contextually involved lexical units of various languages, several

differences occur in the area of pragmatics and denotation.

We can distinguish three types of equivalences:

1) Absolute equivalence

2) Partial equivalence

3) Zero equivalence (Knittlova, p. 33, Translated by JM)

3.3.1 Absolute equivalence

Among absolute equivalence belongs mostly labelling of units of basic word fond,

also people, body parts, subjects from near or further environment, animals, time references,

abstracts in close relations to humans. There are plenty of examples of absolute equivalence in

Matilda, so I am listing chosen words of absolute equivalence from chapter 4 - The Ghost.

Examples of absolute equivalence:

Original text My translation

home domov

father otec

book kniha

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pages stránky

children deti

friend kamarát

parrot papagáj

evening večer

knife nôž

parents rodičia

Words of absolute equivalence I have chosen from chapter 4 are commonly used

words, easily translatable. These words are nouns, labelling objects or time-references,

abstract nouns but also concrete.

3.3.2 Partial equivalence

Foreign languages differ in numerous ways. It is the same as for English and Slovak

language. These two languages are different culturally, socially, demographically,

emotionally. They have different colocations, phrases and that is why partial equivalence

overcomes absolute equivalence.

Partial equivalence may concern these differences:

a. ) Formality

b. ) Denotation

c. ) Connotation

d. ) Pragmatics

3.3.2.1 Formal differences

3.3.2.1.1 One word and multi-word units

English and Slovak language have many differences in translation. In this subchapter

we will focus on one-word and multi-word units. Examples from first three chapters of

Matilda are below.

"English, as an isolating analytical language, has more analytical and multi-worded

expressions and more explicit expressions at the same time than Czech, which is a synthetic

and inflectional language. " (Knittlova, 2000, p. 36)

49

The same goes for Slovak language.

Examples of one word and multi-word units:

Original text M y translation

1 wash-out vymetený

2 end-of-term koncoročný

3 extra-ordinary neobyčajný

4 chatterbox táraj

5 newspapers noviny

6 four-year-old štvorročný

7 fifteen-year-old pätnásťročný

8 story-teller rozprávač

9 the old man starec

10 reading room čitáreň

11 dining room jedáleň

12 living room obývačka

13 sawmill píla

14 cloakroom šatník

15 sawdust piliny

16 in heaven's name pre nebesá

17 grown-ups dospeláci

Translating multi-word units from English language into single-word units in Matilda

was an easy process. Most of the words are used in common speech. Talking about rooms, it

is also possible to call obývačka, čitáreň, jedáleň by multi-word units, adding Slovak

equivalent to room - izba, but this long names are not used in common speech and since

Matilda is aimed for children, there is no need to label these rooms in official terminology, it

is sufficient to translate them by their shorter version.

3.3.2.1.2 Explicitness-Implicitness

Multi-word units are usually more explicit than the one-word units. Explicitness in

translation is shown by bigger amount of information - added information in one language,

50

which can be omitted in the other language. Extra information is usually based on the context

of the translated text. Explicit information may cause prolonging of the translated text, if one-

word unit from original text is translated as multi-word unit in target language. Adding and

explicit extra information is connected to the non-existence of direct opposite in target

language. Information may be added with noun phrase, adjective phrase but also at

verbalization. (Knittlova, p. 38, Translated by JM)

Prolonging the translated text is a negative result, so in effort to make the text shorter,

author/translator may omit unnecessary information, which he or she does not consider to be

worth reproducing.

Examples from Chapter 1 - The Reader of Books

Original text My translation

funny thing vtipné

end-of-term-reports vysvedčenia

push him into pretlačiť ho

a son called Michael syn, ktorý sa volal Michael

put up with zaoberať sa s

flick it away zahodiť

hooked on závislá

unaccompanied by parent bez rodiča

taking her time pozorne

fifteen-year-old school-girls pätnásťročné dievčatá

cobwebbed (house) pavučinami opradenom (dome)

When focusing on explicitness and implicitness of words in text, I experienced that I

translated more multi-word units from English to Slovak language. More rare were the cases

when I had to use multi-word unit in translation to translate single word unit from English

language. As seen in the last example in the table above. The word cobwebbed is an adjective

in English, but there was no equivalent in Slovak language. I had to increase the level of

explicitness in Slovak translation -pavučinami opradenom (dome).

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3.3.2.2 Denotative differences

3.3.2.2.1 Generalization

Reduction of semantic parts - generalization, increasing the degree of abstraction,

substitution by hyperonymy is less often in the relationship in English towards Czech (also

Slovak) language. Generalization often affects nouns. The most common case is that Czech

(Slovak) language is missing the counterpart of specific term. (Knittlova, p. 53, Translated by

JM)

Not known proprium is replaced by a more general appellative. In the translated

extract of Matilda, I translated specific terms without appropriate counterpart in Slovak

language as well.

Original text My translation

Mostly it was hot chocolate she made,

warming the milk in a saucepan on the stove

before mixing it. Occasionally she made

Bovril or Ovaltine.

Väčšinou si varila horúcu čokoládu. Ohnala

na panvici mlieko a potom zmixovala

s čokoládou. Občas si spravila Granko, alebo

inú dobrotu.

The problem in translation occurred when I wasn't able to find any appropriate

counterpart for Bovril or Ovaltine. There are no matching products in Slovakia. For Ovaltine

there is only similar product called Granko, but nothing for Bovril, so I had to generalize it

into "something tasty". Similar problem occurred with Superglue later in translated text. In

English text, it was presented as a brand of superglue, in translated text, I referred to it only as

quickly drying glue under the name "sekundové lepidlo", because it is known under that name

in Slovakia.

3.3.2.3 Connotative differences

3.3.2.3.1 Vulgarisms

Vulgarisms belong among taboo words, but it depends on the time and society. It

depends on society, because what is allowed in one does not have to be allowed in another. In

Matilda, there were not strong vulgarisms used, but for a children's book, there were some

strongly offensive expressions used.

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Examples of vulgarism:

Original text My translation

twit hlupák

You are too stupid. Si príliš hlúpa.

Who the heck do you think you are? Kto do pekla si myslíš, že si?

3.3.2.3.2 Intensification

Spoken language uses many intensifiers. Intensifiers are used to express a higher scale

of feeling, or higher intensity of something. They may also express evaluations, with no closer

specification.

Intensification may be connected to the feeling of approval, or disapproval. Some

intensifiers loose they strength during translation, but some stay at same intensity. In case of

losing intensity, it is possible to add amplifying adverbs, which may mean intense

unlikableness or with adverbs that mean something likable. Loss or weakening of original

meaning and expressivity is especially in unscriptural context is caused by their higher

frequency of use in spoken language. (Knittlova, p.65, Translated by JM)

Examples of intensification:

Original text My translation

suffer a good deal vytrpia si dosť

sure as heck isto iste

flaming book prekliata kniha

for heaven's sake nebesá

tiny girl drobné dievča

two glorious hours dve úžasné hodiny

every single children's book všetky detské knihy

quite a nice house celkom pekný dom

flaming car prekliate auto

Who the heck do you think you are? Kto do pekla si myslíš, že si?

just before práve predtým

flaming stuff prekliatej veci

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heaven's name nebesá

He looked an awful fool. Vyzeral veľmi hlúpo.

In Matilda Dahl uses intensifiers, mostly in spoken production of his characters.

Examples in table below are taken from first three chapters of Matilda. Character of father

repetitively uses expression "flaming" with various nouns. This expression is used mostly in

negative meaning.

The word "heck" appeared in text several times. There is no equivalent for it in Slovak

language, so every time author used it, I had to found other appropriate words to catch the

mood and atmosphere he described in given situation. It was not used only in negative

meaning as the other example word flaming.

According to my observation, English language uses more intensifiers as Slovak

language. The way Dahl used intensifiers in Matilda only supports reader's imagination and

the book is not overcrowded with them.

3.3.2.4 Pragmatic differences

Partial equivalence is motivated by pragmatic differences; it means that translator

looked into different language an out of language experience of original and target language

speakers. In the process of translation it may come into adding or omitting information.

However, the most common solution is substitution and using analogies. Here belongs also

usage of common social cliches, phatic expressions, greetings, addressing, titles etc. Internal

explanatory note is sometimes necessary. It has a form of explanatory description, but it

should be very short, so the translated text does not expand much. (Knittlova, p. 81,

Translated by JM)

3.3.2.4.1 Adding information

In a case that reader is not familiar with name, term, or heading, translators use general

classifier, which direct the name into right area. It may be for example name of foreign state,

river, mountain, tribe etc.

Examples of added information:

54

Original text My translation

to Aylesbury do mesta Aylesbury

Could I do it? Mohla by som si ich požičať aj ja?

Because Aylesbury is not very known town, I decided to add information about it into

the Slovak translation. Slovak children readers could get confused, because they probably

would not know what Aylesbury is. Some could consider it to be it is name of store or club,

so further explanation was necessary. In second example, I replaced pronoun it with activity.

It seemed more appropriate towards the context.

3.3.2.4.2 Omitting information

Reason for omitting information in translated text may be generalization, or

substitution by more general term.

Examples of omitted information:

Original text My translation

school teachers učitelia

end-of-term reports vysvedčenia

Ovaltine Granko

in floppy aluminium containers na táckach

In the first example, it was not necessary to mention school, because from the context

was clear, that we are talking about school teachers. Same principal applies in second

example. Word "vysvedčenia" is sufficient; we do not need to mention that it is in the end of

term. "Vysvedčenie" is equal expression for end-of-term report, even though in Slovakia

children have only grades, not written evaluation on their reports. I have dealt with translation

of Ovaltine in previous chapter dedicated do generalization, but I have to mention it in

connection to omitting information as well. This drink is unknown in Slovakia; only equal

drink is "Granko". It is not entirely the same, but there is no equal drink. The last example has

omitted information as well. The simplest way to translate this clause was to use just one

word summing up what floppy aluminium containers are - the trays. This expression also

eases up the meaning for Slovak readers.

55

3.3.2.4.3 Substitution by analogy

This principle is most common while translating units of metrical system. Units have

to be recounted in order not to interrupt the integrity of original text, but at the same time they

have to give sufficient information for the reader of translated text.

In Matilda I had to recount miles into kilometres several times, especially in the

second chapter, where Matilda's father was talking about his car business. It was also

necessary to recount pounds into kilograms and inches to centimetres.

Some of the conversions:

150 000 miles - 240 000 kilometres

10 000 miles - 16 000 kilometres

50 000 miles - 80 000 kilometres

The exact number of kilometres per miles is 1; 609344, but there is no need to recount

it exactly the same, because we would not get round numbers. By rounding we get nicer

numbers and reader still understands how many kilometres there is.

3.3.2.4.4 Explanatory description

Explanatory description is the last possibility in transferring the unknown situation or

experience. Textbook examples are: quart: fl'asa Whiskey, Windsor tie: masl'a pod bradou

etc. In this case we are talking about filling the gaps - or about zero equivalence. (Knittlova,

p. 84, Translated by JM)

In my translation of Matilda there was no need to use explanatory descriptions.

3.3.3 Zero equivalence

Zero equivalence in translation is used when there are no equivalents in target

language. Expressions with no equivalence are therefore replaced by expressions that were

taken over from foreign language, or adjusted to targeted language, generalized. Direct

takeovers, formal changes or even omitting from text are usually proper names of

geographical locations.

From Matilda: Matilda, Michael, Wormwood, Aylesbury.

56

Adjusting to target language (in this case Slovak language) from Matilda: Mr

Wormwood - pan Wormwood, Mrs Wormwood - pani Wormwoodova, Mrs Phelps - pani

Phelpsova

Other solution of zero equivalence that we do not have in Matilda: loan translation,

takeover, omission.

3.4 Grammatical equivalence

Talking about grammatical equivalence, Knittlova (2000) says that every translator has

to deal with systemic differences between the languages that are caused by their different

characteristics. The possible problems are expected on the field of grammatical gender,

aspect, grammatical number, tenses or voice.

It is also known, that in grammatical number and count ability of nouns is not always

equal in English and in Czech (Slovak) language. Difficulties in general, can occur when two

languages do not agree upon how far is which grammatical area developed. If on the other

hand, one of the languages has an extra grammatical category, or it is more developed in one

language, it is necessary to express this meaning. (Knittlova, p. 92, Translated by JM)

3.5 Textual equivalence

Textual equivalence is concerned by organisation of the text, its informative structure,

coherence and cohesion. Translator is choosing a method of his work based on the purpose of

the text. Whether he or she wants to adjust the text to the principals of target language or keep

the specifications of original language. (Knittlova, p. 96, Translated by JM)

Textual equivalence covers three big areas. It is:

1) Informative structure of the text - this covers the question of functional sentence

perspective. Important thing for translator is to differentiate new, important

information and put it into the right place in target language text. (Knittlova, p. 96,

Translated by JM)

2) Coherence - is "the unity of meaning and communicative purpose perceived in

discourse and in particular context." (Dontcheva-Navratilova, 2014, p. 142).

57

Knittlova states that coherence is "A web of relationships, which creates text."

(Knittlova, 2000, p. 99).

3) Cohesion - by cohesion we understand "the semantic and formal relations between

elements of a discourse which are expressed in that the interpretation of the

meaning of one element in the discourse is dependent on that of another. Cohesive

links exist within and across sentence boundaries. Cohesion can be grammatical,

lexical or structural. " (Dontcheva-Navratilova, 2014, p. 143)

3.6 Slang

According to Knittlova (2000), confrontation of slang words, which have various

system relations in different languages, is very difficult. Slang is typical for young people, its

aim is to shock and provoke. We may consider slang to be a sign of rebellion. It is manifested

by overexposure by some expressive categories, metaphorical phraseologisms, colloquial

metaphors, irony etc.

Slang, however, doesn't have to be just disparagement of language. It can also be

shortening of words or clauses.

Examples of slang:

Original text My translation

mooch around flákať sa

telly telka

jug väzenie

Expression telly is short for television. In Slovak language "telka" is the same for

"televízia". Expression telly is not official term for television, even though it is commonly

used, therefore it is considered to be slang word. Expression mooch around may be part of

official language in English, but it's translation into Slovak langue belong to substandard

language. The last one of slang words I was able to find in my short extract of translation was

a word jug, which in translation means "väzenie".

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3.7 Special features in Dahľs language

Roald Dahl uses a lot of special expression in his writing. Some of them were very

hard to translate so I had to use my creativity when translating Matilda. Dahl's language is

very colourful and descriptive. I've put some of Dahl's special phrases into the table below.

Original text My translation My comments

the most disgusting little

blister najprotivnejší malý fagan

This phrase intensifies the

intention of the author into

convincing us, how annoying

children can be.

twaddle táranie

Using the word twaddle is a

nice word to use instead of

just ordinary "chat".

is a total wash-out je totálne vymetený This is another example of

Dahl's intensification.

stinkers protivy

Using "stinkers" to label kids

could some people consider

being rude, but it perfectly

fits the describing nature of

Dahl's writing.

to the most half-witted pre tých najviac hlúpych

Again in this case we have

Dahl's effort to describe,

intensify the feeling from the

context of this part of

Matilda.

chatterbox táraj

This word was very difficult

do translate, because it has

no equivalent in Slovak

language, this word is very

colourful, and I had to take in

consideration the context it is

used in to find a word in

Slovak that would fit.

59

began hankering zatúžila

Word hankering is

uncommon in spoken

language, it fits the written,

artistic language more and it

is a nice equivalent to the

verb "to desire".

flaming book prekliata kniha

Dahl's uses word flaming

often. It is expressed by the

father of Matilda in negative

context. It is also considered

to be intensifier, and I was

talking about this word in

previous chapters.

formidable impozantný

Children's book usually

consist of simple words.

Word formidable, or its

Slovak translation does not

seem to be the basic

vocabulary of children,

however, in my translation I

used an equivalent of this

word so the intensity in

authentic text does not

disappear.

twit hlupák

A twit is by Merriam

Webster dictionary defined

to be a stupid foolish person.

Using twit instead of fool fits

the nature of Matilda.

Customers are to be diddled. Zákazníci sú na to, aby boli

ošmeknutý.

I had a hard time translating

the word diddled, so I

decided to find a slang

expression in Slovak

60

language that would fit.

small ratty looking man malý muž, ktorý vyzeral ako

potkan

As I mentioned earlier, Dahl

has very colourful

descriptions and this

particular one is description

of Matilda's father. I can

imagine how well this works

in minds of children.

ruddy watchmaker poondiaty výrobca hodiniek

Another unusual expression

that author used. In

translation I gave it a touch

of slang word because I

could afford it towards the

context.

laddie mladá dáma

Word laddie was hard to find

at dictionaries, it may be

taken as a shorten version of

young lady, but also as a

slang word for young lady.

crookery podvádzanie

When translating word

crookery, no dictionary was

able to find it. I had to look

the root of the word crook -

podvodnik-and then deduce

how to translate crookery.

squirt horenos

Similar problem as with last

two words was with the word

squirt. Dahl had probably

specific aim with this noun,

and I could not find any

equal expression, so I had to

examine the context first and

then choose suitable word in

61

Slovak language.

He spluttered. Vyprskol.

Verb splutter counts into the

category of interesting words

Dahl uses in Matilda. It

underlines the action of

character, giving the story

more action.

crummy podradný

Using an adjective crummy

perfectly fits the context it

appeared in Matilda.

sound of the dreaded box zvuky z tej príšernej bedne

In this case we can again

talking about intensification

of words. Talking about

context, in my opinion tried

to describe to the reader that

television was nothing else to

our main hero Matilda than

dreaded box, and she really

didn't like it.

slamming zatresknúc

With slamming the door

reader easily get the mood of

the situation, that father was

really angry and did not just

politely close the door.

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CONCLUSION

Purpose of this bachelor thesis was to translate and analyse first four chapters of

Matilda, written by British author Roald Dahl. I have decided to translate Matilda because of

the way this book is written and can please adults even though it is meant to be for children.

Before translating this book I had just brief experience as translator. I was used to

translate only economic text, contracts, or manuals. Translating an artwork seemed to be a

challenge at first. It was a challenge mainly because of special language features Dahl often

used. Firstly I translated the book without deeper knowing of translation art, and so I gained a

raw text of translation, which needed to be adjusted. After studying literary sources about

translation and all possible translation problems and methods, I decided to re-stylize the

translation with using proper equivalents and putting more effort into translating. I tried to

adjust Slovak translation to be more comprehensible for Slovak reader, especially for children

readers. This adjustment was necessary to do also with taking into the consideration the

cultural and social context both or original text and in translated language, meaning, in the

first "raw" translation I did not translate for example units of metrical system, because I did

not realize it could be a problem. Again, after studying the appropriate literature, I came into

understanding that I have to convert all the units, because Slovak reader could get distorted

view on the whole artwork.

Theoretical part of this bachelor thesis was built up upon three authors - Dagmar

Knittlová, Jiří Levý and Peter Newmark and their theories and methods of translation. Levy's

approach in my thesis is more theoretical, but I connected with his theory that translation has

three main stages and it is firstly the understanding of the artwork, secondly interpretation of

the artwork and lastly re-stylization of the artwork. I applied these three stages also in my

thesis, as I mentioned above, and they are described in greater detail in particular chapters. I

applied Knittlová's approach in analysing lexical, grammatical and textual equivalence in

translation. I provided accurate examples with explanations in all of these listed equivalences,

but I dedicated most of this thesis into the analysis of lexical equivalence.

The very last chapter of my thesis is dedicated to Roald Dahl's special expressions he

used in Matilda. His style of writing is very humorous and interesting for the reader. He uses

a lot of adjectives and can perfectly describe inner features of character by projecting them on

the outside look of the character. It is a perfect way to attract reader's attention. For some his

63

style can be a bit exaggerated, and hyperbolic, but I really did enjoy working with Dahl's

book. Even though Matilda was first published in 1988, it is still very popular among

children.

During writing my bachelor thesis I have learnt to read an artwork into its depth. I

realized how much works goes into translating one book, and I translated just a part of it. It is

a pitty that translator's work often goes unnoticed and unappreciated, and his name is just

mentioned somewhere under a line. I have also learnt to notice small things in the text, which

would otherwise go unnoticed and I made myself think as a child when I was trying to find

the best equivalent.

No translation can be hundred per cent accurate, every translation is just an imitation

of the original text, but as a translator I tried to do my best.

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LIST OF REFERENCES

Main source

Dahl, R, & Blake, Q. (2016). Matilda. London: Puffin books.

Other sources

Baker, M . (2006). In Other Words. London: Routledge.

Dontcheva-Navrátilová, O. (2014). Grammatical Structures in English: meaning in Context.

Brno: Masarykova univerzita

Knittlová, D. (2000). K teorii i praxi překladu. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého.

Levý, J. (1998). Umění překladu. 3rd ed. Praha: I. Železný.

Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. New York: Prentice-Hall International.

Newmark P. (1998). More Paragraphs on Translation. Clevedon: Multilingual matters.

Dictionaries

Bull, V. , & Duncan, R. (2012). Oxford Wordpower Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University

Press.

LINGEA. (2014). Anglicko-slovenský slovensko-anglický veľký slovník. Bratislava: Lingea.

Online sources

Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's most-trusted online dictionary. Retrieved

September 15, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/ The Free Dictionary. Retrieved September 20, 2017, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

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