Ways of translating infinitival complexes

There are three types of infinitival complexes in present-day English (which are often referred to as secondary predication con­structions): 1) the for-to-infinitival complex; 2) the objective with the infinitive and 3) the subjective with the infinitive complexes.

Each type of these predicative constructions has some ex­plicit and implicit grammatical characteristics of its own. Since trans­lation of these complexes is often predetermined by their nature and structure, it would be expedient to dwell upon each of them sepa­rately.

A. Ways of Translating the For-to-lnfinitive Constructions These secondary predication constructions are used in their active and passive forms which does not influence their functioning as various complex parts of the sentence. Depending on its function in the sentence and on the voice form (active or passive) of the infini­tive, this secondary predication word-group may have different equiva­lents in Ukrainian. The most often occurring are the infinitive, an

infinitival phrase introduced by the conjunction щоб, a finite form of the verb or a subordinate clause. The realization of a definite mean­ing may be predetermined by the function of the infinitival for-phrase which may be as follows:

1. The complex subject having for its equivalent in Ukrainian a simple subject expressed by the infinitive or an extended subject expressed by the subordinate clause:

«For me to see you is the hap- «Побачити тебе - для
piest minute in my life... (P. мене найщасливіша мить у
Abrahams) житті/є для мене найщасли-

вішою хвилиною...

«It would be better for us to «Було б краще для нас
leave him.» (Wilde) залишити його/щоб ми зали­
шили його.

2. A complex predicative having for its Ukrainian equivalent ei­ther an infinitive functioning as the simple nominal predicate, or a finite form of the verb, i.e., a simple verbal predicate:

«If is not for you to make Ue не тобі ставити умови/
terms.» (Wilde) He ти ставиш умови.

«The simplest thing,» said «Найпростіший вихід для
Fleur, «is for him to resign at нього... — негайно відмови-
once.» (Galsworthy) тись від членства.»

3. A complex object corresponding to a simple or extended object in Ukrainian:

We are waiting for the bovs Ми чекаємо повернення/на
back from Hanoi. (Greene) повернення наших хлопиів з

Ганоя...

The condensed form of this infinitival complex may also have an object clause for its equivalent in Ukrainian: ми чекаємо, доки наші хлопці повернуться з Ганоя.

4. An attribute to a nominal part of speech: She had only to express а Варто було їй тільки wish for him to fulfil. (Mauaham} виголосити якесь (своє)

бажання, він негайно ж вико­нував його.

There was no room for us to He було місця, де сісти/де.
sit down... (Galsworthy) можна було сісти.

purpose or result having for their or an infinitive in Ukrainian:

Я дещо залишив тобі під дверима, щоб ти почитав/ тобі почитати.

її'домівка була далеко захід­ніше, тож ніхто не міг навід­ атись до нього.

Sometimes, however, an equivalent of the for-phrase in Ukrain­ian may be only a subordinate (or coordinate) clause:

He paused for me to show my Він помовчав, аби я ще раз
ignorance again... (Greene) показав своє неуцтво...