FEATURES OF TRANSLATING PAREMIOLOGICAL UNITS

Аннотация

The article examines the issues of translating paremiological units based on the material of the English and Russian languages. It analyzes aspects of selecting lexical equivalents, national features of the meaning of proverbs, and grammatical methods of their expression. Keywords:cultural elements, moral and ethical principles, national mentality, concept, adapted version, lexical equivalent, metaphor, description, contrast, literaltranslation. Proverbs and sayings represent an important element of culture, conveying the moral and ethical principles of a nation (5, p.97). However, their translation often poses challenges due to differences in semantics, style, historical context, and national mentality. Paremiological units related to the concepts of good and evil are particularly difficult to render in another language, as theirmeaning cannot always beconveyed literally. In many cases, Russian and English proverbs, despite expressing similar concepts, differ in form and shades of meaning. For example, the Russian proverb "Добро должно быть с кулаками" has no exact equivalent in English. It describes a situation where a seemingly good intention is accompanied by strict measures or aggression. In English, a similar expression might be "A wolf in sheep’s clothing," but this phrase emphasizes hypocrisy rather than the combinationof goodness andstrength. In such cases, a translator must either use an adapted version, such as "Kindness with fists," or convey the meaning through explanation:"Good intentions, but harsh actions." The Russian language often highlights a collectivist perception of goodness, whereas English emphasizes personal responsibility. For instance, the Russian proverb "Сделал добро – жди зла" reflects skepticism toward good deeds, while the popular English phrase "No good deed goes unpunished" conveys a similar idea but focuses on the inevitability of consequences rather than retribution for kindness withharm. In such cases, an analogy can be used while considering cultural differences. For example, the Russian proverb "Сделал добро – жди зла" can be translated as "Not everyone appreciates kindness," which conveys theessence but softens theoriginal’s grim tone. Some proverbs are difficult to translate literally due to differences in metaphorical expressions across languages. For instance, the Russian proverb "Не плюй в колодец – пригодится воды напиться" conveys the idea that one should not ruin relationships with others, as their help may be needed in the future. In English, a similar meaning is expressed through "Don’t burn bridges," but this version lacks the water-related imagery present in the Russianoriginal. page387 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ISSN:2692-5206,ImpactFactor:12,23 AmericanAcademicpublishers,volume05,issue04,2025 Journal: https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai The best approach to translation is to use an analogous metaphor in the target language. However, if no such metaphor exists, the meaning can be conveyed through an expanded description, such as "Don’t ruin what you may need inthefuture." In Russian, proverbs are often built on contrast or repetition: "Добро помнится долго, а зло – еще дольше." In English, this style is less common, and a literal translation like "Good is remembered for a long time, but evil even longer" would sound unnatural. Instead, an adapted version such as "People remember good deeds, but never forget evil ones" would be more natural in English. In such cases, the translator must adapt the structure, for example: "People remember good deeds, but never forget evil ones." The best way to translate proverbs is to use direct lexical equivalents in the target language whenever possible. This approach ensures that both the meaning and the expressiveness of the original proverb are preserved. For example: -Что посеешь,тои пожнёшь→Whatgoes around,comes around - Не рой другому яму – сам в неё попадёшь → He who digs a pit for others falls into it himself -Доброе слово лечит,ахудое калечит →Akind word heals, aharsh onehurts Using established equivalents allows the translation to sound natural while maintaining the proverb’s intended impact. This method helps preserve the accuracy of meaning and the expressiveness of the original proverb. If a direct equivalent does not exist, the meaning can be conveyed through an adapted expression.For example: -С мирупо нитке–голому рубаха→Every littlehelps - Кто с мечом к нам придёт, тот от меча и погибнет → Live by the sword, die by the sword -Не делай зла,неувидишь зла→Do noharm and noharm will cometoyou In these cases, the core meaning remains the same, but the form of the proverb is adjusted to fitthe norms oftheEnglishlanguage. If there is no direct lexical equivalent, the meaning can be conveyed through an explanation. Forexample: - Доброго человека за добрые дела в воду сажают → Kind people are often punished for theirkindness -Добро без ума –слабо →Goodness without wisdom