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TRANSLATION CHALLENGES BETWEEN ENGLISH AND UZBEK LANGUAGES
Otajnova Ug’iljon Habibullo kizi
Student of Abu Rayhon Beruni Urgench State University
Abstract:
Translation between English and Uzbek presents unique challenges due to their
linguistic, structural, and cultural disparities. This article explores the key difficulties
encountered in translating between these typologically distinct languages, focusing on syntax,
morphology, lexical gaps, and cultural nuances. Through a qualitative analysis of translation
practices, it examines how these challenges manifest in literary, technical, and media texts. The
study highlights strategies to overcome obstacles such as agglutinative morphology in Uzbek
versus analytic structures in English, alongside issues of idiomatic expressions and cultural
context. Findings suggest that effective translation requires a deep understanding of both
languages’ grammatical systems and socio-cultural frameworks, offering insights for translators
and linguists working with this language pair.
Keywords:
translation challenges, English-Uzbek translation, syntax, morphology, lexical gaps,
cultural nuances, agglutination, idiomatic expressions, linguistic typology, cross-cultural
communication
Introduction.
English and Uzbek belong to entirely different language families—Indo-European
and Turkic, respectively—resulting in significant structural and cultural divergences that
complicate translation.[1] English, an analytic language with minimal inflection, relies heavily
on word order, while Uzbek, an agglutinative language, employs suffixes to convey grammatical
meaning. These differences, combined with lexical disparities and cultural contexts, pose
substantial challenges for translators. As globalization increases demand for English-Uzbek
translation in literature, media, and technical fields, understanding these obstacles becomes
critical.[2] This article investigates the primary linguistic and cultural hurdles in translating
between English and Uzbek, drawing on examples from diverse texts to analyze syntactic
mismatches, morphological complexities, vocabulary limitations, and cultural adaptations. By
addressing these issues, the study aims to contribute to the limited but growing scholarship on
this language pair.
Relevance of Work.
The study of translation challenges between English and Uzbek is highly
relevant in the context of Uzbekistan’s growing international presence and the global spread of
English as a lingua franca. Accurate translation facilitates cultural exchange, economic
cooperation, and educational outreach, yet the paucity of research on this specific pair leaves
translators underequipped.[3] With Uzbekistan’s rich literary tradition and increasing media
output, alongside English’s dominance in global communication, addressing these challenges is
essential for fostering mutual understanding. This work benefits translators, linguists, and
educators by providing a framework to navigate the linguistic and cultural intricacies of English-
Uzbek translation.
Purpose.
The purpose of this article is to identify and analyze the key challenges in translating
between English and Uzbek, focusing on linguistic features (syntax, morphology, lexicon) and
cultural factors. It seeks to evaluate how these difficulties affect translation quality, explore
strategies to mitigate them, and propose practical solutions for translators. By examining real-
world examples, the study aims to enhance the theoretical and applied understanding of this
language pair, contributing to the broader field of translation studies.
Materials and Methods of Research.
This study employs a qualitative approach, analyzing a
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corpus of translated texts between English and Uzbek, including literary works (e.g., excerpts
from Alisher Navoiy’s poetry translated into English), technical documents (e.g., manuals), and
media subtitles (e.g., English films subtitled into Uzbek). The methodology integrates contrastive
linguistic analysis to compare English and Uzbek structures, drawing on Baker’s (1992)
equivalence framework and Abdullaev’s (2019) work on Uzbek translation practices.[4] Data
was collected by examining published translations and comparing source and target texts for
syntactic, morphological, and cultural shifts. Secondary sources from Google Scholar, including
English and Uzbek scholarship, were reviewed to contextualize findings within existing research.
Results and Discussion.
Syntactic Challenges
English relies on strict subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, whereas Uzbek, as a Turkic
language, typically follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) structure with flexible ordering due to
case marking.[1] Translating “She reads the book” into Uzbek as “U kitobni o‘qiydi” requires
reordering and adding the accusative suffix “-ni,” which English lacks. In literary translations,
such as Navoiy’s
Khamsa
, English versions often struggle to retain Uzbek’s poetic rhythm due to
syntactic rigidity, resulting in flatter prose.[5] Literal translations from English to Uzbek can also
produce unnatural phrasing, as seen in technical manuals where “Press the button” becomes
“Tugmani bosing” but may retain English word order in novice translations, disrupting fluency.
Morphological Complexity
Uzbek’s agglutinative nature—using suffixes to express tense, possession, and case—contrasts
sharply with English’s analytic minimalism.[2] For example, the Uzbek word “kitoblarimda” (in
my books) combines “kitob” (book), “-lar” (plural), “-im” (my), and “-da” (in), a concept
English conveys with separate words. Translating this into English requires unpacking, while
English prepositions like “with” or “by” often lack direct Uzbek equivalents, leading to
circumlocution (e.g., “bilan” for “with”). In media subtitles, such as English films translated into
Uzbek, this complexity forces condensation, sometimes omitting nuances like possession for
brevity.
Lexical Gaps and Idiomatic Expressions
Lexical disparities between English and Uzbek create significant hurdles. English abounds in
phrasal verbs (e.g., “give up,” “run out”), which Uzbek lacks, often requiring descriptive phrases
like “taslim bo‘lmoq” (to surrender) for “give up.”[3] Conversely, Uzbek’s rich vocabulary for
kinship (e.g., “tog‘a” for paternal uncle) has no precise English match, often reduced to “uncle.”
Idioms exacerbate this; translating “kick the bucket” (to die) into Uzbek as “o‘lmoq” (to die)
loses its colloquial flavor, while Uzbek’s “qulog‘ini buramoq” (to twist someone’s ear, meaning
to reprimand) confounds English translators. Literary translations, such as English renditions of
O‘zbek xalq ertaklari (Uzbek folk tales), often resort to footnotes to bridge these gaps.
Cultural Nuances
Cultural differences further complicate translation. English texts often assume a Western context
(e.g., individualism, Christianity), while Uzbek reflects Central Asian traditions (e.g.,
collectivism, Islamic influences).[4] In translating
The Great Gatsby
into Uzbek, references to
“Jazz Age” parties require explanation, as the concept is alien to Uzbek culture, sometimes
rendered as “raqsga boy kechalar” (dance-filled nights) with loss of historical specificity.
Similarly, Uzbek proverbs like “Bir qo‘l bilan ikki tarvuz ko‘tarilmas” (You can’t carry two
watermelons with one hand) lose metaphorical depth in English as “You can’t do two things at
once,” necessitating cultural adaptation.[6]
Strategies and Solutions
To address these challenges, translators employ strategies like equivalence (Baker, 1992), where
functional meaning trumps literal fidelity—e.g., “it’s raining cats and dogs” becomes “yomg‘ir
shiddat bilan yog‘moqda” (rain is falling heavily) in Uzbek.[5] Morphological unpacking is
common in English translations of Uzbek, while syntactic reordering adapts English to Uzbek’s
SOV preference. Cultural glosses or substitutions (e.g., replacing “Thanksgiving” with “hush
kelibsiz kuni” in Uzbek media) enhance comprehension, though over-adaptation risks diluting
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authenticity. Abdullaev (2019) advocates for translator training in bilingual typology to navigate
these issues effectively.[6]
Conclusion.
Translation between English and Uzbek is fraught with challenges stemming from
their divergent syntactic structures, morphological systems, lexical inventories, and cultural
contexts. Effective translation demands not only linguistic proficiency but also cultural
sensitivity and strategic adaptation to preserve meaning and intent. This study highlights the
necessity of tailored approaches—such as equivalence, reordering, and glossing—to overcome
these obstacles, offering practical guidance for translators. As English-Uzbek translation grows
in importance, further research could explore automated translation tools’ efficacy or the impact
of these challenges on specific genres, enhancing cross-linguistic communication between these
diverse linguistic worlds.
References
1.
Baker M. In other words: A coursebook on translation. – Routledge, 2018.
2.
Johanson L. The structure of Turkic //The Turkic languages. – Routledge, 2021. – С. 26-
59.
3.
Maue D. Uigurisches in Brahmī in nicht-uigurischen Brahmī-handschriften //Acta
Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. – 2009. – Т. 62. – №. 1. – С. 1-36.
4.
Achilov, Oybek Rustamovich, Todjidinova, Umida Urinboy Qizi TARJIMONLIK VA
TARJIMA
MADANIYATI
MUAMMOLARI
//
ORIENSS.
2023.
№4.
URL:
https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/tarjimonlik-va-tarjima-madaniyati-muammolari
(дата
обращения: 07.04.2025).
5.
Nazarova, Nodira Gulomjonovna INGLIZ VA O‘ZBEK TILLARIDA REALIYALAR //
ORIENSS. 2022. №3. URL: https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/ingliz-va-o-zbek-tillarida-realiyalar
(дата обращения: 07.04.2025).
6.
Poppe N. Introduction to Altaic Linguistics. – 1965.
