Reproductive and Adaptive Strategies in Translating Comparative Units (on the Material of the Italian, English and Ukrainian Languages)

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of rendering comparative units of the Italian language into English and Ukrainian through the lens of the translation strategies of domestication and foreignization. Considering translation as one of the means of intercultural communication, the main research question addresses the effectiveness of the chosen strategies in conveying all the meanings of the original text to the translated language. The study aims to analyze how the above-mentioned strategies influence the perception of comparison and comparative units in various cultural contexts, i.e., in English and Ukrainian translations. The twofold nature of the image underlying the comparative unit might represent certain difficulties due to its national and cultural component or intricate, elaborate associative connections, especially in the case of ad hoc comparisons which are characterized by their novelty and/or unpredictability of associations between the object and its referent. This determines the relevance of the present research. Both translation strategies have their advantages and disadvantages. The data received allow us to talk about the priority of a certain strategy within a certain cultural context / language. English translation tends to reproduce the image of comparative units as accurately and precisely as possible, compensating a certain lack of attention to possible linguistic and cultural patterns and readers’ preferences with accuracy, consistency, and original style, which allow obtaining a holistic and coherent picture in the target language. Whereas the Ukrainian translation gives preference to greater dynamics, using adaptive strategies in rendering images and compensates for certain semantic losses at the expense of «proper», understandable images, which should potentially contribute to effective communication and meet reader’s expectations.