To the problem of translating the characteronyms in the novel “The Great Gatsby” into Russian

Abstract

The object of research of this paper is the characteronyms or “speaking names” in F.S. Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby”. The aim of the research is to analyze the implicit connotative and symbolic meanings of the characteronyms and suggest their translation into Russian that would adequately convey the hidden implications. The methods employed are stylistic analysis, contextual analysis, lexicographical analysis, etymological analysis. The findings of the research prove that F.S. Fitzgerald’s choice of names is not coincidental, but dependent on a number of factors. Among these are: the linguistic aspects of the names in the American variety of the English language, the possible associations the reader could draw from the characters’ names, the presence of symbolic meanings, the etymology of the names, the possible onomatopoeia and phonetic properties of the names that could bear the additional meanings. This paper states the necessity of supplying the Russian edition of the novel “The Great Gatsby” with a commentary on the characters’ names.

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