TRANSLATING IDIOMS AND PROVERBS ACROSS CULTURES

Аннотация

Статья посвящена анализу лингвистических и культурных трудностей, возникающих при переводе идиом и пословиц с одного языка на другой. Идиомы и пословицы как устойчивые выражения тесно связаны с национальной картиной мира и нередко несут метафорическое значение, не имеющее прямых аналогов в языке перевода. В статье рассматриваются различные стратегии перевода — буквальный перевод, эквивалент, адаптация и опущение — с анализом их эффективности на примере английского, русского и узбекского языков. Особое внимание уделяется значению культурного контекста и фоновых знаний в обеспечении точного и уместного перевода. Автор приходит к выводу, что успешный перевод таких выражений требует не только языковой, но и культурной компетенции переводчика Key Words: Idioms, proverbs, translation strategies, cultural equivalence, figurative meaning, phraseology, intercultural communication, linguistic challenges, adaptation, semantic transformation Idioms and proverbs are deeply rooted in the cultural and historical experience of a linguistic community. Their meanings often go beyond the literal interpretation of individual words and rely on shared cultural knowledge, making their translation particularly challenging. These expressions serve as condensed forms of collective wisdom, humor, and worldview — and thus cannot be translated in isolation from their cultural context. Without cultural adaptation, such translations risk either distorting the message or sounding unnatural in the target language. Therefore, the translator must act not https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj 3 4 8 Volume-40_Issue-1_June-2025 World scientific research journal just as a linguistic converter, but as a cultural mediator who bridges the conceptual worlds of both languages. This article analyzes such challenges and offers strategies — including equivalence, adaptation, and explanation — for effectively translating idioms and proverbs across English, Russian, and Uzbek, with the goal of preserving both meaning and cultural impact. The Nature of Idioms and Proverbs. Idioms and proverbs represent an essential and vivid part of language, encapsulating the cultural memory, social norms, and worldview of a people. Although often discussed together, idioms and proverbs serve different functions in communication and differ in structure, meaning, and degree of metaphor. An idiom is a fixed phrase whose overall meaning is not predictable from the meanings of its individual components. Idioms are inherently metaphorical and culturally bound, requiring not only linguistic but also cultural knowledge to be properly understood. For instance, the English idiom “kick the bucket”, meaning "to die," has no transparent meaning when interpreted literally. Its Russian equivalent «сыграть в ящик» and the Uzbek “jon taslim qilmoq” serve the same euphemistic function but are grounded in their own cultural imagery. Another example is “bite the bullet”, which in English means to endure a painful situation with courage. In Russian, this may be rendered as «стиснуть зубы», while in Uzbek, a similar idea is conveyed with “ichini tishlab chidamoq”, which literally means “to endure while biting inside oneself,” reflecting inner strength and self- control. By contrast, proverbs are complete sentences that express general truths, moral values, or practical advice. They are often used in folk speech to guide behavior or summarize cultural wisdom. For example, the English proverb “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” warns against premature optimism. This idea is echoed in the Russian «Цыплят по осени считают» and the Uzbek “Tovuqni kuzda sanashadi”, both of which draw on agricultural metaphors familiar in their respective cultures. Similarly, the proverb “A stitch in time saves nine”, which encourages early action to prevent bigger problems, finds its approximate Russian counterpart in «Лучше предупредить, чем лечить», and in Uzbek, “Boshida chorasi topilmagan ish – oxirida boshingni yeydi”, which vividly states that a problem not solved early may lead to serious consequences later. Both idioms and proverbs are culturally embedded. They often reflect the symbolic systems of their native speakers—animals, objects, natural phenomena, and historical references. For instance, the English idiom “as busy as a bee” reflects the cultural perception of bees as symbols of industriousness. In Uzbek, someone moving very quickly might be described with the idiom “o‘qdek otilmoq” — “to fly like a https://scientific-jl.com/wsrj 3 4 9 Volume-40_Issue-1_June-2025 World scientific research journal bullet,” a phrase that draws on speed and power. In Russian, the idiom «как белка в колесе» — “like a squirrel in a wheel” — illustrates frantic, non-stop activity. These expressions go beyond linguistic structure; they are cultural artifacts, tightly linked to how different societies conceptualize the world. Their successful interpretation and translation require an understanding of both the linguistic