TRANSLATING COMPLEX NOUN PHRASES IN THE CONTEXT OF CIVIL PROTECTION: LEXICAL AND GRAMMATICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Abstract

This article explores the lexical and grammatical peculiarities of translating complex noun phrases (CNPs) within civil protection discourse, drawing on selected examples from English and Ukrainian civil protection materials, specifically those published on the Dovidka.info platform – an information hub designed to support the civilian population during wartime and other crisis situations. CNPs, which are commonly used to convey technical, procedural, or institutional concepts, often present challenges due to their condensed structure and specialised content. On the lexical level, the study examines how translators handle terminological specificity, navigate culturally embedded expressions, and resolve semantic ambiguity. The analysis highlights the importance of context-sensitive lexical selection to ensure both terminological accuracy and communicative clarity in the target language. Typical strategies include the use of established equivalents, lexical expansion, and adaptation to culturally relevant forms. These approaches help preserve the communicative intent of the original while enhancing accessibility for Ukrainian-speaking audiences. From a grammatical perspective, the research focuses on structural mismatches between English and Ukrainian, such as the use of premodification in English versus postmodification in Ukrainian, as well as differences in word order and syntactic hierarchy. The findings show that effective translation frequently involves grammatical transformations – including genitive case constructions, syntactic reordering, and the introduction of clarifying elements – to adapt English CNPs to Ukrainian norms without compromising meaning or register. In many cases, noun-heavy English phrases are restructured into more analytically transparent Ukrainian equivalents. The study offers insight into the types of transformations most commonly employed and underscores the translator’s role in mediating between linguistic systems while preserving the functional purpose of the original message. These findings may inform future research in specialised translation and contribute to the development of practical guidelines for rendering complex terminology in high-stakes communication contexts.