Ontological and philosophical basis of the causal status of ethnopsychological idiosyncrasy in translation/interpretation

Abstract

The causal status of the phenomenon of ethnopsychological idiosyncrasy is considered in the article in relation to the process of translation in the format of activity ontology. In translation studies, activity ontology uses not only comparison of idiomatic units and structures, but also, for research purposes, draws on textual, cultural, psychological, philosophical, pragmatic, cognitive and other aspects and phenomena which underlie translation process as a unique manifestation of interlingual and intercultural mediation. The activity paradigm opened up new prospects for studying fundamental problems of the translation theory. Among these problems are factors (determinants) of an adequate translation that are prerequisites of a translator’s work. Ethnopsychological idiosyncrasy, the concepts world picture and closely connected world idiomatic picture are considered from philosophical, and linguistic perspectives as well as from the point of view of translation theory.The article proves the causal status of ethnopsychological idiosyncrasy as one of the most important factors determining translation activity. In order not to “lose yourself ” in the idiomatic picture of the target language, which is conditio sine qua non for an adequate translation, translators should possess professional skills to overcome conceptual stereotypes and peculiarities of the ethnic and psychological idiosyncrasy in the source language. If it doesn’t happen, translations are perceived as not quite natural and therefore are not fully adequate.The differences in ethnic and psychological peculiarities in the communities, which enter into bilingual communication, form an ethnic and psychological differential, which should be neutralized during translation.The author established certain manifestations of the Spanish ethnic and psychological idiosyncrasy relevant for the translator’s communicative activity in the Spanish-Russian idiomatic combination.