Scope of meaning as a factor of precedent name translation

Abstract

The article deals with the dependence of the precedent name translation on the bond joining it to its source and, correspondingly, to the mental image the onym activates in a particular context. While certain precedent names function in a cultural medium independently becoming symbols of various features, others can be decoded only against the background of the text or the situation they are derived from. A specific category of precedent names is represented by those accompanied by a complex of stereotypical associations attached to them in the corresponding society but not directly connected with the source, i. e. the culture-specific mental image prevails over the origin. The category a precedent name falls under constitutes an essential factor of translation, since it determines the need for and the scope of compensation the translator shall provide if the onym proves irrelevant for the target culture. Extra-textual commentaries form the most productive method of translation, as they give the opportunity not only to avoid interpretation gaps but also to preserve cultural specificity of the original. However, such commentaries are most efficient if they are as concise as possible, giving maximum information necessary for the name decoding in a particular message, avoiding both insufficiency and excessiveness.