Сехоуюй как культурологическая лакуна (на материале романа Цао Сюэциня «Сон в красном тереме»)

Abstract

The study aims to identify effective ways of lacunae elimination in the translation of xiēhòuyǔ into Russian in Cao Xueqin’s novel “Dream of the Red Chamber”. Xiēhòuyǔ (omissions-allegories) are difficult to translate, since this type of phraseological units is specific for the receiving culture, it contains a large layer of cultural information and represents a culturological lacuna. The study is original in that it is the first to determine the potential influence of xiēhòuyǔ on the perception of Cao Xueqin’s novel “Dream of the Red Chamber” by the Russian-speaking reader. It is the first time that a more effective way to translate xiēhòuyǔ is proposed, i.e. commentaries on xiēhòuyǔ in the culturological glossary to the novel that the researchers are creating. As a result, it has been proved that the usual translation strategies of domestication and forenisation can communicate only the basic meaning of xiēhòuyǔ, which not only contribute a humorous component to the novel, but can also serve to provide insight into the characters. In order to convey the cultural information and national colouring of these xiēhòuyǔ to the reader, the researchers offer commentaries on xiēhòuyǔ in the culturological glossary to the novel. These commentaries seem to be the most effective way to eliminate the lacunae that emerge because of xiēhòuyǔ.