INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 125
TRANSLATION IN AN AUDIOVISUAL CONTEXT: CULTURAL WORDS AND
THEIR ADAPTATION
Buzahro Begmatova
Associate professor, Oriental university,Uzbekistan
Abstract:
This article analyzes the translation strategies of cultural words in the process of
audiovisual translation, in particular, in films, documentaries and other audiovisual products
translated from Arabic into Uzbek. The adequate expression of words related to non-alternative
units, religious and social lexicons, national traditions and realities, which are characteristic of
Arab culture, in Uzbek is considered an important problem. The article studies translation
methods - such as interpretive translation, adaptation, transcription and finding equivalents -
through practical examples. It also discusses semantic ambiguities arising due to intercultural
differences and ways to eliminate them. The results of the study serve as a theoretical and
practical guide for translators.
Key words:
cultural words, non-alternative lexicon, equivalence, translation strategies, film text,
intercultural communication
Introduction:
Audiovisual translation is not only the translation of texts into another
language, but also the reflection of cultural realities and sociolinguistic systems depicted in
audiovisual works, in particular films, series and documentaries. The translation process,
especially when working with cultural words and non-alternative lexicon, poses many
difficulties. Cultural words reflect not only the uniqueness of the language, but also the
worldview, values and socio-psychological state of the people speaking that language. In
the Arabic language, especially, there are many words with religious, social and historical
specifics, which is of particular importance in the translation process.
The Arabic language not only has its own grammatical and syntactic system, but its
vocabulary, especially words expressing cultural realities, is extremely rich and diverse.
Therefore, it is necessary to translate cultural words in audiovisual works translated from Arabic
into Uzbek in a way that is accurate, precise, and appropriate to the Uzbek context. This article
analyzes the adaptation of cultural words, alternative lexicon, and translation strategies found in
films translated from Arabic into Uzbek.
Main part:
Audiovisual translation, that is, when translating audiovisual products such
as films and TV series, along with the visual and acoustic components of the language of the
work, cultural meaning and socio-contextual elements are also taken into account. Such
translation, especially when there are intercultural differences, creates various complexities.
Cultural words, customs, religious concepts, national heritage and folk norms play an important
role in audiovisual works. Translators must use special approaches to correctly understand and
accurately express these elements, as well as to harmonize them with Uzbek culture.
Cultural words are words that are characteristic of a particular people and reflect the
uniqueness of that culture. There are many cultural words in the Arabic language, and if they are
not translated correctly, the meaning of the entire work may be misinterpreted. For example,
while there is no exact translation of Arabic words such as “salah” (prayer), “imam” (religious
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 126
leader), or “hijab” (women’s veil) into Uzbek, an explanation or explanatory translation can
provide the reader or viewer with a correct understanding.
In addition, in a language as rich and diverse as Arabic, non-alternative lexicon occurs in
many situations. For example, it can be difficult to accurately translate some customs, traditional
ceremonies, or religious holidays in Arabic into Uzbek. In these cases, translators resort to the
method of adaptation or interpretation to preserve the atmosphere of the work. For example, the
Arabic word “ramadan” can be expressed as “fasting”.
Several strategies can be used to identify culturally non-alternative lexicons encountered
in the translation process. The most common of these are interpretive translation and adaptation.
Interpretive translation is mainly used to explain cultural realities, especially religious, historical
and social concepts. In this method, the translator expands on a word or phrase that may be
unclear to the reader or viewer, adding additional explanations.
In addition, the method of adaptation is often used in translation. In this method, the
translator adapts traditional or cultural words in Arabic to Uzbek culture in parallel, in order to
create a cultural context that is suitable for the Uzbek language. Translation based on the
principle of equivalence, that is, searching for the correct equivalents of cultural words in the
original language, is sometimes difficult, but the translator, relying on his sociocultural
knowledge, tries to choose the closest concepts.
Practical examples are given from several audiovisual works translated from Arabic into
Uzbek. For example, how phrases, lexical units and cultural words taken from Arabic films and
TV series are expressed in Uzbek and what methods were used in the translation process were
analyzed. The complexity of the translation process and the difficulties in maintaining the
cultural context were presented through examples.
Analysis and results:
Cultural words are mainly lexical units that are characteristic of a
people, reflecting their historical, religious, economic and social situation. There are a lot of such
words in the Arabic language and they are characterized by unique semantic content, cultural
contexts and specific writing and pronunciation features. For example, words such as "Salah"
(worship) or "Zakat" (alms) in Arabic are an integral part of Arab culture, and the correct
translation of these words requires not only the correct structure of the language, but also the
correct approach to cultural concepts.
Since there are no equivalents of cultural and religious words between the Arabic
language and the Uzbek language, interpretation or adaptation methods are more often used
when translating these words. For example, although the word "Salah" should be translated as
"worship", the full semantic load of this word can be transferred to the Uzbek language by
interpretation. In such processes, the translator is forced to take into account not only the
grammatical aspects of the word, but also its cultural essence.
Several strategies are used in the process of working with cultural words in the
audiovisual translation process. The most common are interpretation, adaptation, and
equivalence. Each of these, in its own way, helps to accurately reflect cultural realities.
-Explanation: When the translator has difficulty translating a cultural word directly, he
expands on this word and explains it with additional explanations. This method helps to explain
the true meaning of the word to the reader or viewer. For example, the Arabic word "Jumu'ah"
(Friday prayer) can be translated by interpreting it as "This is the prayer that Muslims gather in
the mosque on Friday and perform."
-Adaptation: In order to accurately reflect cultural realities, it is sometimes necessary to
adapt words to Uzbek culture. For example, the Arabic word "Iftar" (the meal of breaking the
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 127
fast) can be used in Uzbek as "iftar" without any explanation, but it is also possible to provide
additional explanation to make the word clearly understandable for the Uzbek audience. -
Equivalence: In some cases, the translator finds an equivalent of a cultural word and translates it
directly. For example, translating "Ramadan" as "Ramazan" is used as the equivalent of this
word in the Uzbek language. The equivalence method is the easiest, but it is only effective if the
cultural word has the same meaning in the native language.
The methods of explanation and adaptation are most often used when translating cultural
words. These methods help to overcome intercultural differences, as translators often use
elements of Uzbek culture in order to convey understandable and relevant concepts to the Uzbek
audience.
Intercultural differences are one of the biggest problems that arise in the translation
process. When translating from Arabic to Uzbek, it is necessary to take into account many
cultural differences. While the Arabic language and culture are rich in many religions, customs,
national values, and cultural heritage, the Uzbek language and culture also have their own social
and religious contexts.
For example, although the word "hijab", which is widely used in Arabic, is also used in
Uzbek culture, the meaning of this word can be interpreted differently. Although the word has
religious and cultural contexts in Uzbek, the broader meaning of "hijab" in Arabic, even if
expressed in Uzbek as "parda" or "hijab", often requires additional explanation.
When considering some practical examples from films or TV series based on the Arabic
language and culture, specific analyses of the translation of cultural words and their adaptation
are presented. For example, in the film "Aladdin", the word "genie" (jin) is translated into Uzbek
as "jin", but additional explanations or descriptions are included so that the reader or viewer
understands the full meaning of this word.
In the process of audiovisual translation, the correct and accurate translation of cultural
words requires the translator's deep knowledge of the language and culture. By using strategies
such as interpretation, adaptation, and equivalence when dealing with cultural words and non-
alternative lexicon, translators can provide understandable and meaningful translations for Uzbek
audiences. It is essential to bridge cross-cultural differences and maintain cultural context.
Conclusion:
The translation of cultural words and non-alternative lexicon in the process
of audiovisual translation is one of the most complex and interesting aspects of linguistics. In a
language as rich and multifaceted as Arabic, the correct reflection of cultural realities and their
adaptation to another language requires taking into account not only linguistic peculiarities, but
also social and historical contexts. Cultural words, religious concepts, traditional customs and
special norms encountered in the translation from Arabic into Uzbek require translators to draw
on their own cultural knowledge, a correct understanding of the language and take into account
the audience. Cultural words and non-alternative lexicon in audiovisual works analyzed in the
article are translated mainly using the methods of interpretation, adaptation and equivalence.
Correct adaptation of cultural words to the Uzbek language requires interpretation and
translation in accordance with Uzbek culture and language, while preserving the original spirit of
the work. In this process, the translator must choose the correct and precise expressions, taking
into account not only linguistic but also intercultural differences.
It was also emphasized the need to develop effective translation strategies to overcome
the problems that arise in adapting cultural words and realities in audiovisual works translated
from Arabic into Uzbek. Approaches such as equivalence, interpretation, and adaptation help
ensure the correct and precise translation of cultural words.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 128
At the same time, it was shown that there are no universal and precise approaches to
translating cultural realities, and it is necessary to choose an approach appropriate to each
translation situation. The importance of intercultural dialogue in the translation process and its
role in linguistics becomes even higher.
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