Moscow University Translation Studies Bulletin. 2023. 4.

Seventy years aft er the first publication of the Russian author Andrei V. Fedorov’s book Introduction to Translation Theory, specifically focused on translation studies, the present article makes an attempt to highlight once again Mr Fedorov’s contribution to laying the foundations for a universal translation theory and to observe, in retrospect, the peripeteia of its naming, the identification of its research field, its subject-matter and issues against the backdrop of various social, ideological and research contexts. Special emphasis is put on the functional concept of translation; the connection between linguistic stylistics and the theory of translation is retraced; an interpretation of different mid-twentieth-century scholars’ outlooks on the correlation between language and thinking, as well as the main categories of translation studies, is proposed

The research is focused on the aspect of functional speech adaptation of language interpreters who are gaining practical experience at the initial stage in the sphere of foreign-language military-professional communication and paying special attention to the search for original speech strategies to achieve the targets of the translation process in the most efficient way. The critical objective of the article is to theorize the functional speech adaptation and underscore the need and importance to develop interpreters’ unique creative strategies in the process of their adaptive profession al maturation for the due carrying out of normal and special translation tasks under the conditions of operational military activities abroad. A detailed review of the scientific sources is carried out concerning research into definitions of linguistic terms such as: “adaptation,” “speech adaptation,” “speech strategies.” The author’s definition of the core of the term “Functional speech adaptation” is given and its main differences are outlined versus the definitions of the linguistic categories “adaptation” and “pragmatic adaptation” proposed by Russian linguistic theorists earlier. The most effective strategies for interpreting are reviewed, viz.: implementation of an interpreter’s anticipation, a strategy for target text forming from the ground of precision information, and a strategy for source text segmentation into minimal translation cells. The study applies the methods of definitional analysis, comparative analysis of theoretical principles with their generalization, theoretical synthesis of the concepts’ definitions, linguistic description method and linguistic modeling. The results of the conducted research make a significant contribution to studying functional speech adaptation of military interpreters in the implementation of interpreting and translation tasks on the foreign military sub-languages material. Moreover, the results of the study can be used for future research purposes of translation studies, theoretical and applied linguistics.

In the novel “A Dream of Red Mansions” the author Cao Xueqin connects the characters’ nicknames with the characters themselves and the themes of the work, forming the epithet metaphor. The translation of these metaphors has a far-reaching significance for cross-cultural communication. Thus, the object of our research includes the personal names and nicknames of the novel’s characters, with a special focus on their translation into Russian. The aim of the paper is to confirm or question the adequacy of the translation technique adopted by the translator in each particular case. Based on the conceptual metaphor theory, this paper sorts out some epithets in the 1958 Russian translation of “A Dream of Red Mansions,” explores the formation mechanism of epithet metaphor in the combination of literary and cultural contexts, and puts forward corresponding translation strategies for different interpretations of metaphor in different cultural contexts. The originality of research consists, first, in examining both personal names and nicknames and, second, in evaluating each technique employed by the translator in the light of both the linguocultural and text-centered approaches.

The article analyzed translations of the public signs installed on the territory of China and are aimed at native speakers of the Russian language. It is important to note that when translating from Chinese into Russian, while taking into consideration to the differences in the system of languages, the norms of the contemporary Russian literary language, including syntactic norms, are violated. In this paper, the authors propose a classification of the types of violations of the linguistic norms of the present-day Russian literary language based on the texts of public signs in Russian. The reasons for the occurrence of these violations are presented and a recommended translation option is proposed. Errors in the translation of public signs are described from the point of view of syntactic structures, e. g. various types of phrases and sentences. At the same time, along with the violation of syntactic norms in the translation of public signs into Russian, violations of lexical norms are considered. More precise equivalents for both languages are proposed, taking into account cross-cultural communication aspects. The set public signs translated into Russian can serve as a starting point for further research into graphic, spelling, lexical, grammatical and even pragmatic errors.

Based on the “Joint Statement of the Russian Federation and China” in 2019, the article is devoted to the problem of lexical features of the official business style of the Russian language and Chinese. The article reveals the definition of official business style according to the opinions of Russian and Chinese scientists, analyzes the main lexical features, compares the similarities and differences of lexical features between Russian and Chinese.

Discourse affects the semantics of lexical units. Discursively dependent semantics presents a challenge for intercultural communication. This study proposes a method for identifying the discursively dependent semantics of lexical units through an analysis of the discourse on the conflict in Syria, presented in the Russian and French press. The proposed methodology is based on the analysis of the structure of lexical-semantic fields (LSF) of lexical units included in the discourse, and allows us to achieve technological efficiency in the analysis and formalize the results. 

As a result of the comparative analysis of the cooccurrence of lexical units within the French- and Russian-language discourses, it was found that the lexical units forming the classes of conditional equivalence have significant differences at the level of the structure of lexical-semantic fields due to the peculiarities of media coverage of the Syrian conflict in Russia and France. The difference at the level of LSF of the same-named units significantly affects the semantics of lexical units and, thus, modifies its pragmatic effect. These data should be taken into account when translating.

The paper is focused on the issue of lexical-phraseological composition of modern public political speeches, which has been significantly changed over the past few decades as a result of such linguistic and extra-linguistic factors as the rise of verbal aggression in non-cooperative speech acts due to language democratization; the emergence of new trends in economic, socio-political and cultural areas of society; the removal and destruction of speech taboos between the 20th and 21st centuries. These factors have shift ed from the peripheral part of political discourse to its center such lexical units which previously were practically never found in institutional types of discourse and were exclusively the prerogative of personality-oriented discourse. A massive use of stylistically marked and culturally determined lexical units, along with various neologisms, has prompted a need to find solutions to overcome lexical-grammatical and stylistic difficulties in public political translation. Public speeches of the Russian President Vladimir Putin over the period from 2015 to 2022 served as the source of the analysis, because they have a marked interstyle nature.

The article is dedicated to the didactic principles necessary for the formation of an interpreter’s personal competence. The study and improvement of interpreting didactics is still relevant due to the expansion of international contacts and the growing need for specialists who have not only a wide and deep knowledge of both foreign and native languages, but also a certain set of personal qualities that contribute to the implementation of successful professional activity. One of the components of personal competence is a high working memory capacity. It is thanks to the working memory that interpreters are able to convey information in another language in the most complete and accurate way, so it is important for students to train their memory at the initial stages of professional training. This article offers some tasks aimed at developing memory among future interpreters.

The article is a review of the textbook written by Natalia V. Kabyak for students studying Russian as a foreign language. It is based on the material of Soviet films from different chronological periods and encompasses vast strata of vocabulary, including colloquialisms, in terms of comprehension and translation. Cinema materials consist mainly of comedies which are attractive and easy for reception. Th e textbook disposes important cognitive potential which serves a purpose of students’ communicative competence progress and adaptation in the Russian linguistic and cultural environment.