INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
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FEATURES OF TRANSLATING PAREMIOLOGICAL UNITS
Uzakbaeva Shaxrizada
Master's student in the 2nd year specializing in "Comparative Linguistics, Linguistic
Translation" at Berdakh Karakalpak State University.
Abstract:
The article examines the issues of translating paremiological units based on the
material of the English and Russian languages. It analyzes aspects of selecting lexical
equivalents, national features of the meaning of proverbs, and grammatical methods of their
expression.
Keywords:
cultural elements, moral and ethical principles, national mentality, concept, adapted
version, lexical equivalent, metaphor, description, contrast, literal translation.
Proverbs and sayings represent an important element of culture, conveying the moral and
ethical principles of a nation (5, p.97). However, their translation often poses challenges due to
differences in semantics, style, historical context, and national mentality. Paremiological units
related to the concepts of good and evil are particularly difficult to render in another language,
as their meaning cannot always be conveyed literally.
In many cases, Russian and English proverbs, despite expressing similar concepts, differ in
form and shades of meaning. For example, the Russian proverb "Добро должно быть с
кулаками" has no exact equivalent in English. It describes a situation where a seemingly good
intention is accompanied by strict measures or aggression. In English, a similar expression
might be "A wolf in sheep’s clothing," but this phrase emphasizes hypocrisy rather than the
combination of goodness and strength.
In such cases, a translator must either use an adapted version, such as "Kindness with fists," or
convey the meaning through explanation: "Good intentions, but harsh actions."
The Russian language often highlights a collectivist perception of goodness, whereas English
emphasizes personal responsibility. For instance, the Russian proverb "Сделал добро – жди
зла" reflects skepticism toward good deeds, while the popular English phrase "No good deed
goes unpunished" conveys a similar idea but focuses on the inevitability of consequences rather
than retribution for kindness with harm.
In such cases, an analogy can be used while considering cultural differences. For example,
the Russian proverb "Сделал добро – жди зла" can be translated as "Not everyone
appreciates kindness," which conveys the essence but softens the original’s grim tone.
Some proverbs are difficult to translate literally due to differences in metaphorical
expressions across languages. For instance, the Russian proverb "Не плюй в колодец –
пригодится воды напиться" conveys the idea that one should not ruin relationships with
others, as their help may be needed in the future. In English, a similar meaning is expressed
through "Don’t burn bridges," but this version lacks the water-related imagery present in the
Russian original.
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 388
The best approach to translation is to use an analogous metaphor in the target language.
However, if no such metaphor exists, the meaning can be conveyed through an expanded
description, such as "Don’t ruin what you may need in the future."
In Russian, proverbs are often built on contrast or repetition: "Добро помнится долго, а зло –
еще дольше." In English, this style is less common, and a literal translation like "Good is
remembered for a long time, but evil even longer" would sound unnatural. Instead, an adapted
version such as "People remember good deeds, but never forget evil ones" would be more
natural in English.
In such cases, the translator must adapt the structure, for example: "People remember good
deeds, but never forget evil ones."
The best way to translate proverbs is to use direct lexical equivalents in the target language
whenever possible. This approach ensures that both the meaning and the expressiveness of the
original proverb are preserved. For example:
- Что посеешь, то и пожнёшь → What goes around, comes around
- Не рой другому яму – сам в неё попадёшь → He who digs a pit for others falls into it
himself
- Доброе слово лечит, а худое калечит → A kind word heals, a harsh one hurts
Using established equivalents allows the translation to sound natural while maintaining the
proverb’s intended impact.
This method helps preserve the accuracy of meaning and the expressiveness of the original
proverb.
If a direct equivalent does not exist, the meaning can be conveyed through an adapted
expression. For example:
- С миру по нитке – голому рубаха → Every little helps
- Кто с мечом к нам придёт, тот от меча и погибнет → Live by the sword, die by the
sword
- Не делай зла, не увидишь зла → Do no harm and no harm will come to you
In these cases, the core meaning remains the same, but the form of the proverb is adjusted to
fit the norms of the English language.
If there is no direct lexical equivalent, the meaning can be conveyed through an explanation.
For example:
- Доброго человека за добрые дела в воду сажают → Kind people are often punished for
their kindness
- Добро без ума – слабо → Goodness without wisdom is weak
This method is used when a literal translation cannot fully convey the depth of meaning.
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 389
In some cases, it is important to retain not only the meaning but also the artistic imagery of
the original proverb. For example:
- Добро с кулаками → Goodness with an iron hand
- Чужими руками жар загребать → To pull the chestnuts out of the fire with someone
else’s hands
- Тихая вода берега подмывает → Still waters run deep
In these examples, the metaphors remain understandable to English speakers, making the
translation more natural.
Russian proverb
Translation
Equivalent
in
English
Analysis
and
solution
Добро должно быть
с кулаками
Goodness must have
fists
(No exact
equivalent)
It means that
goodness needs
strength
for
protection.
It
can
be
translated
as
"Kindness with
fists" or "Good
intentions, but
harsh actions."
Based on the examples above, the final conclusions can be summarized in the following table:
Сделал добро – жди
зла
Do good – expect
evil
No
good
deed goes
unpunished
The Russian proverb
emphasizes distrust,
while the English one
highlights
the
inevitable
consequences
of
good deeds.
It can be adapted as
"Not
everyone
appreciates
kindness."
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
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Не плюй в колодец –
пригодится
воды
напиться
Don’t spit in the well –
you may need water
Don’t burn bridges
The
English
equivalent is close in
meaning, but the water
metaphor is missing.
It can be explained as:
"Don’t ruin what you
may need in the
future."
Добро
помнится
долго, а зло – еще
дольше
Good is remembered
for a long time, but
evil even longer
People
remember
good
deeds,
but
never forget evil
ones
A literal translation
sounds
unnatural,
while
adaptation
makes the proverb
more natural.
Что посеешь, то и
пожнёшь
What you sow, you
shall reap
What goes
around,
comes
around
A full equivalent with
the same meaning.
Не рой другому яму
–
сам в неё попадёшь
Don’t dig a hole for
another – you’ll fall in
yourself
He who digs a pit for
others falls into it
himself
A close
equival
ent that
conveys
the
moral
meanin
g.
Доброе слово лечит,
а худое калечит
A kind word heals, a
bad one cripples
A kind word heals, a
harsh one hurts
The
meaning
is
preserved,
with
minimal
adaptation
.
С миру по нитке –
голому рубаха
A
thread
from
everyone – a shirt for
the naked
Every little helps
The
meaning
is
preserved, but the
form is adapted to
English style.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 04,2025
Journal:
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page 391
Кто с мечом к нам
придёт, тот от меча и
погибнет
He who comes with a
sword, dies by the
sword
Live by the sword,
die by the sword
A complete equivalent
with
the
same
meaning.
Не делай зла, не
увидишь зла
Don’t do evil, and you
won’t see evil
Do no harm and no
harm will come to you
The
meaning
is
preserved, but the
phrasing is adapted.
Доброго человека за
добрые дела в воду
сажают
A good person is
drowned for good
deeds
(No
exact
equivalent)
Да, этот вариант
хорошо передаёт
суть пословицы,
хоть
и
не
сохраняет
её
образность. Если
хочется
добавить
немного
метафоричности
, можно сказать:
Good deeds are
not
always
rewarded.
Добро без ума –
слабо
Goodness
without
wisdom
is weak
(No
exact
equivalent)
It can be adapted as
Good intentions need
wisdom.
Чужими руками жар
загребать
Rake the coals
with someone
else’s hands
To pull the chestnuts
out of the fire with
someone else’s hands
Full equivalent.
The analysis of Russian and English proverbs related to the concepts of good and evil shows
that, despite the similarity of ideas, their linguistic expression can differ significantly.
The main difficulties lie in the absence of complete lexical equivalents, differences in
metaphorization and grammatical means of expression in both languages, as well as the varying
interpretation of moral values associated with the mental characteristics of the two nations.
The ability to correctly interpret and translate proverbs not only facilitates language learning but
also helps to gain a deeper understanding of the culture of the people who create these stable
expressions.
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 392
References:
1. Baskin, A. V. (2008). Concepts and the Category of "Good" in the Russian Language.
Moscow: Nauka.
2. Galperin, I. R. (1994). Theory of Translation. Moscow: Vysshaya Shkola.
3. Ivanova, O. A. (2005). Russian Proverbs as an Element of Collective Consciousness. Moscow:
Litera.
4. Levkovich, E. V. (2004). Russian and English Phraseology. Moscow: Nauka.
5. Likhachev, D. S. (1982). Culture of the Ancient Russian People. Moscow: Nauka.
