Linguacultural and Typological Aspects of the Challenges of Literary Translation from Russian into Persian Based on the Short Stories by K.G. Paustovsky and V.V. Veresaev

Abstract

Object. The study addresses the complex linguacultural and typological challenges inherent in the artistic translation of Russian prose into Persian. It focuses on the translation of two stylistically distinct works: K.G. Paustovsky's "Snow" and V.V. Veresaev's "The Contest". The primary objective is to systematize the strategies used to overcome interlinguistic asymmetry when translating from a synthetic (Russian) to an analytical (Persian) language, while preserving the author's unique "idiostyle" and aesthetic impact.

Methods. The methodological framework integrates a comparative-typological approach with transformational analysis based on the theories of L.S. Barkhudarov and V.N. Komissarov. To identify practical translation difficulties, a linguistic experiment was conducted at Bojnourd University involving 28 senior Persian-speaking students. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of their translations served as the empirical basis for identifying interference errors and verifying the effectiveness of various translational transformations.

Findings. The analysis reveals that structural differences between the languages — such as word order (SOV in Persian vs. free order in Russian) and the absence of a case system in Persian — necessitate extensive grammatical restructuring. Key findings indicate that translating Paustovsky's lyrical prose requires sophisticated stylistic substitutions and syntactic compression to maintain "lyrical atmosphere." In contrast, Veresaev's realistic style demands pragmatic adaptation and lexical modulation to ensure ethical and psychological clarity for the Persian reader. The study provides a detailed account of specific adaptations, including the "explicitization" of historical contexts (e.g., the autumn of 1941) and the functional substitution of cultural symbols (e.g., replacing the "laurel wreath" with the Persian concept of "crown of glory"). It is shown that direct literal translation often leads to semantic lacunae, which must be filled through descriptive translation or modulation.

Conclusions. The research concludes that successful literary translation from Russian to Persian is a cognitive-hermeneutic process rather than a mere substitution of lexical units. Effective translation strategies are determined by both linguistic typology and the specific cultural codes of the target audience. The findings offer a significant contribution to the field of comparative linguistics and provide a scientific foundation for improving translation pedagogy in Iranian universities.