Linguopragmatic adaptation of the synodal translation of biblical texts in various genres of graphic novels

Abstract

The article highlights the main trends in the development of painted narratives known as illuminated manuscripts from the perspective of their transformation into religious-adventure comics and presents the analysis of the brief history of its emergence and transformation. Special attention is paid to the evolution of illuminated manuscripts from ancient cave paintings and manuscript illustrations to contemporary comics. In particular, the study reveals that illuminated manuscripts or painted narratives originated in ancient times as a means of conveying information and stories. They were depicted on rocks, temple walls, and later in manuscripts. As illuminated manuscripts evolved, they became more complex and multifaceted, combining images with text to narrate stories. However, to overcome the barriers of linguistic diversity, it was necessary to find a method of adapting illuminated manuscripts for different cultures and languages. Thus, comics, using a sequence of images with short texts to tell a story, emerged in the late 19th century and gained popularity worldwide. They helped artists and writers combine visuals and dialogue to create engaging and captivating narratives. Later on, comics found their application in religious themes as well. The history of the development of religious-adventure comics attests to their popularity and influence on culture. Religious-adventure comics became a means of popularizing religious stories, moral and spiritual values among many readers, especially the young ones. In addition to religious themes, comics cover a wide range of genres, including adventures, fantasy, mysticism, and social issues. They can come in various formats, from comic strips to graphic novels. The research results provide the analysis of comics, focusing on the most popular works and genres in this field. At the same time, the linguo-pragmatic adaptation of the synodal translation of biblical texts in multi-genre graphic prose has prospects for investigating linguistic means, stylistic devices, translation solutions, and their impact on the perception of the text. It can show how graphic images, composition, and text placement influence the conveyance of its content and identify which genres of biblical texts are the most amenable to adaptation in graphic prose and what aspects of the genre change in such adaptation.