Volume 04 Issue 06-2024
24
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
06
P
AGES
:
24-28
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
ABSTRACT
This article explores how the translation of Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Suns” into Russian and Uzbek
reflects the influence of language and culture on the story's reception. It focuses on the translation of culture-bound
words and stylistic devices, analyzing the methods used to retain the novel's emotional impact and cultural depth
across different languages. By examining specific examples of translated text, the study highlights the techniques
translators use to make the narrative relatable and understandable for diverse audiences. The analysis demonstrates
how adaptations in translation can affect readers' understanding and enjoyment of the story across cultural lines.
KEYWORDS
Translation, culture-bound words, emotional impact, Russian translation, Uzbek translation, cultural adaptation,
literary analysis, stylistic devices.
INTRODUCTION
In “A Thousand Splendid Suns” by Khaled Hosseini, the
way the novel is translated into Russian and Uzbek
shows how l
anguage and culture shape the story’s
reception. This comparative analysis looks at how
certain words, cultural references, and emotions are
translated differently. It examines the methods
translators use to keep the story’s emotional impact
and cultural depth intact for diverse audiences. This
discussion aims to show how adapting the novel for
different languages affects the understanding and
enjoyment of the story across cultural lines.
MAIN PART
Research Article
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CULTURE-
BOUND WORDS IN “A
THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS” AND ITS TRANSLATIONS INTO RUSSIAN
AND UZBEK LANGUAGES
Submission Date:
June 20, 2024,
Accepted Date:
June 25, 2024,
Published Date:
June 30, 2024
Crossref doi:
https://doi.org/10.37547/ijll/Volume04Issue06-05
Asadbek Bozorov
Graduate Of Bukhara State University, Faculty Of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan
Journal
Website:
https://theusajournals.
com/index.php/ijll
Copyright:
Original
content from this work
may be used under the
terms of the creative
commons
attributes
4.0 licence.
Volume 04 Issue 06-2024
25
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
06
P
AGES
:
24-28
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
In this part of the paper the Comparative Analysis of
Culture-bound words will be conducted to reveal the
techniques of translating such words
1.
“Mariam would always remember Nana the
way she looked on Ration Day: a tall, bony, barefoot
woman leaning in the doorway, her lazy eye narrowed
to a slit, arms crossed
in a defiant and mocking way” [1,
11]
2.
“Мариам на всю жизнь запомнила, какие
позы принимала Нана: высокая, худая босоногая
женщина стоит, опершись о дверной косяк, глаза
насмешливо прищурены” [2, 12]
3.
“Нана уларни
қ
андай
кутиб
олишини
Маряъм
бир
умр
эсидан чи
қ
армайди
.
Оз
ғ
ин
,
оё
қ
яланг
онаси
калта
қ
ир
қ
тирилган
сочларини
елкасига
ташлаб”
[3, 14]
In the translations of Nana’s description into Russian
and Uzbek, the term “Ration Day” is omitted, likely
because it may not be relatable or clear to readers in
those languages. This adjustment avoids confusion and
keeps the story flowing smoothly. Ration Day is
defined as the following: “On most reservations, one
day was set aside for these annuity payments, and that
specific day became known as “payment day” for
money annuities and “ration day” for annuities paid in
goods.” [4] However, in the translations this day is not
mentioned because the idea might be unfamiliar to
readers there. The translators likely left it out to make
the story easier to understand for
people who aren’t
used to the concept of getting essential supplies on
specific days. This helps keep the story relatable and
clear for everyone.
Both translations keep the physical descriptions similar
to the original-
“tall, bony, barefoot”—
depicting
Nan
a’s tough living conditions. However, the Russian
translation changes “lazy eye” to “eyes mockingly
narrowed”, focusing more on her expression rather
than a physical trait. The Uzbek version removes any
mention of “lazy eye”, avoiding medical connotations
and focusing on her general appearance.
These changes ensure Nana’s character is clear and
relatable in each language, despite some details being
altered or left out. By focusing on her overall demeanor
and not specific cultural references like Ration Day, the
translations maintain the impact of her character
across different cultures.
4. “Nana taught her to sew too, and to cook rice and all
the different toppings: shalqam stew with turnip,
spinach sabzi, cauliflower with ginger” [1, 12]
5. “Еще Нана научила ее шить, варить рис, готовить
разные начинки для лепешек —
салкам с репой,
сабзи со шпинатом, цветную капусту с имбирем” [2,
13]
6. “Шунингдек, Нана
қ
изига
тикиш
-
бичиш
,
гуруч
қ
айнатиш
,
нон
юзини
безаш
учун
турли
зираворлар
тайёрлашни
ҳ
ам
ўргатган”
[3, 15]
In translating “A Thousand Splendid Suns” into Russian
and Uzbek, different techniques are used to handle
culture-bound words, such as the names of specific
dishes. The English original lists dishes like “shalqam
stew with turnip”, “spinach sabzi”, and “
cauliflower
with ginger”.
The Russian translation directly translates these dishes,
slightly adjusting them to fit the Russian language. This
approach assumes that Russian readers might be
familiar with or interested in diverse cuisines.
Volume 04 Issue 06-2024
26
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
06
P
AGES
:
24-28
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
The Uzbek translation takes a different approach by
not focusing on specific dishes. Instead, it describes
general cooking skills like sewing, rice cooking, and
spice preparation. This method makes the text more
accessible and avoids using specific culinary terms that
Uzbek readers might not recognize.
These translation choices show a balance between
staying true to the original text and making it relatable
for the target audience. Direct translation is used
where the audience might know about various
cuisines, while generalization helps keep the text
understandable for those who may not be familiar with
specific dishes.
The second category of verbal layer to be analyzed are
various stylistic devices and other expressive tools
which enrich the language of the novel.
7. “Nana’
s gaze was like a thousand splintering shards
of glass when she looked at Mariam.” [1, 13]
8. “Взгляд Наны на Марьям был как тысячи осколков
разбитого стекла.” [2, 14]
9. “Нананинг Марямга
қ
араши
минглаб
синган
шиша
бўлаклари
каби
эди
.
”
[3, 15]
The metapho
r “Nana’s gaze was like a thousand
splintering shards of glass” from “A Thousand Splendid
Suns” vividly shows how sharp and piercing Nana’s
look at Mariam is, highlighting the emotional tension
between them. The image of “shards of glass”
suggests something dangerous and painful, effectively
conveying the strong emotions in the scene.
In the Russian translation, “Взгляд Наны на Марьям
был как тысячи осколков разбитого стекла”, the
metaphor is directly translated to "thousands of shards
of broken glass," kee
ping the original’s impact. This
direct translation works well because the idea of
broken glass is widely understood and maintains its
powerful imagery in Russian.
The Uzbek translation, “Нананинг Марямга
қ
араши
минглаб
синган
шиша
бўлаклари
каби
эди”
, also
keeps the metaphor intact. The phrase means
“thousands of splintered glass pieces”, which similarly
captures the sharpness of Nana’s gaze. The
straightforward translation of the simile structure
helps keep the emotional meaning clear in Uzbek.
Both the Russian and Uzbek translations use a direct
translation strategy for the metaphor, ensuring that
the vividness and emotional depth of the original are
maintained. This method effectively communicates
Nana’s intense and emotional gaze to readers,
enhancing t
heir understanding of the characters’
emotional dynamics. By keeping the metaphor
unchanged, both versions show that the image of
broken glass effectively conveys sharpness and
emotional discomfort across different cultures.
10. “The tea was bitter as regret.” [1, 14]
11. “Чой афсусдек аччи
қ
эди”
. [2, 15]
12. “Чай был горький как сожаление.” [3, 16]
The sentence “The tea was bitter as regret” uses a
comparison, specifically simile, to link the taste of the
tea to a feeling of regret, deepening the emotional
impact of the narrative.
The Russian version, “Чай был горький как
сожаление”, also directly translates the comparison.
The use of “сожаление” for ‘regret’ adds depth,
accurately conveying the sense of deep remorse
Volume 04 Issue 06-2024
27
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
06
P
AGES
:
24-28
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
associated with the original text. This translation
maintains the emotional depth and poetic feel of the
original, successfully delivering the intended emotional
impact.
In the Uzbek translation, “Чой афсусдек аччи
қ
эди”
,
the phrase is directly translated while keeping the
comparison intact. This translation effectively captures
both the literal meaning and the emotional tone of the
original sentence, making it clear and relatable for
Uzbek readers.
Both translations handle the comparison well,
preserving the link between the taste of the tea and
the feeling of regret. By keeping the poetic element of
the original sentence, both versions enrich the story
for their audiences, ensuring the emotional and literary
qualities of the original are not lost in translation.
The examples of culture-bound words and their
translations are analyzed in the following passages.
16. “The boys sat by the stream and waited as Mariam
and Nana transferred the rations to the kolba. They
knew better than to get any closer than thirty yards”
[1, 11]
17. “Братья ретировались к речке и ждали, пока
Мариам и Нана перетащат продукты в хижину.
Парни знали, что ближе чем на тридцать метров
подходить не следует” [2, 12]
18. “Ака
-
укалар дарё бўйида турганча, Мар ям ва
Нананинг ози
қ
-
ов
қ
атларни
қ
андай
ташиб
кириш
ларини
томоша
қ
илишарди
.
Ўспиринлар
ўттиз
қ
адамдан
орти
қ
я
қ
инлашиб
бўлмаслигини
билишарди”
[3, 14]
In the passage from “A Thousand Splendid Suns”, the
way culture-specific words and details are translated
into Russian and Uzbek shows effective translation
strategies.
The English version uses terms like “kolba” and “thirty
yards”. “Kolba”, a traditional dwelling, is kept for its
cultural significance. In Russian, “kolba” becomes
“хижина” (hut), simplifying the term while keeping its
meaning of a simple dwelling. “Thirty yards” is
changed to “тридцать метров”, adapting the
measurement to the metric system, which is more
familiar to Russian speakers.
In Uzbek, “kolba” isn’t specifical
ly translated, and the
focus shifts to describing the action of moving
supplies. “Thirty yards” is translated as “ўттиз
қ
адам”
(thirty steps), which makes the distance easier to
visualize and understand for Uzbek readers.
These changes help make the story more readable and
relatable in different languages. By adjusting
measurements and simplifying or keeping culturally
important words, the translations ensure the scene is
clear and maintains its emotional impact. This
approach helps readers visualize the action and
understand the cultural context of the story.
Conclusion. In translating “A Thousand Splendid Suns”
into Russian and Uzbek, translators face the challenge
of maintaining the emotional and cultural depth of the
original text while making it relatable for different
audiences. This analysis shows that translators often
omit or adapt certain culture-bound terms and
references to avoid confusion and ensure the story
flows smoothly for readers unfamiliar with those
concepts.
Volume 04 Issue 06-2024
28
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
(ISSN
–
2771-2834)
VOLUME
04
ISSUE
06
P
AGES
:
24-28
OCLC
–
1121105677
Publisher:
Oscar Publishing Services
Servi
For instance, the term
“Ration Day” is omitted in both
Russian and Uzbek translations because it might not be
relatable or clear to readers in those cultures. By
leaving out this term, translators avoid potential
confusion and keep the narrative understandable.
The physical descriptions of characters are kept similar
to the original, but some details are altered. In the
Russian translation, “lazy eye” is changed to "eyes
mockingly narrowed," focusing more on expression
than physical traits. The Uzbek version removes any
mention o
f “lazy eye”, avoiding medical connotations
and emphasizing general appearance instead. These
adjustments help ensure that characters are clear and
relatable across different cultures.
When it comes to culture-bound words like the names
of specific dishes, different strategies are used. The
Russian translation directly translates these dishes,
assuming readers might be familiar with diverse
cuisines. The Uzbek translation, however, generalizes
the description, avoiding specific culinary terms that
might be unfamiliar to readers.
Stylistic devices like metaphors and similes are often
directly translated to preserve their emotional impact.
For example, the metaphor “Nana’s gaze was like a
thousand splintering shards of glass” is kept intact in
both Russian and Uzbek translations, ensuring the
vividness and emotional depth of the original are
maintained.
Overall, the translations of “A Thousand Splendid
Suns” into Russian and Uzbek show a careful balance
between staying true to the original text and making it
accessible and relatable for the target audience. By
adapting culture-bound words and stylistic devices,
translators ensure that the story’s emotional and
cultural richness is preserved, enhancing readers’
understanding and enjoyment across different cultural
contexts.
REFERENCES
1.
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns.
New York, Riverhead Books, 22 May 2007.
2.
Хусейни, Халид. Тысяча сияющих солнц /
перевод Сергея Соколова.
-
Москва,
Phantom Press, 2009.
3.
Ҳ
усайний
,
Холид
.
Минг
қ
уёш
шуъласи: роман
/ таржимон Рустам Жабборов. –
Тошкент,
Янги аср авлоди, 2016. –
288 б.
4.
https://cantonasylumforinsaneindians.com/his
tory_blog/tag/ration-
day/#:~:text=On%20most%20reservations%2C%
20one%20day,for%20annuities%20paid%20in%20
goods
