Comparative analysis of realia translation into the English language in the novel “Childhood” by Leo Tolstoy

Abstract

   Realia, denoting culture-specific objects and phenomena, are included in the structure of the language picture of the world and constitute an integral part of literary text. However, the principles of their translation have not been sufficiently studied to date. The realia that function in the considered work of Leo Tolstoy have not been the object of special study so far.

   The purpose of our paper is to analyze and compare the possible methods of translating realia, related to different thematic groups in the novel “Childhood” by Leo Tolstoy.

   The analysis is carried out using a continuous sampling method based on the translation by Aylmer Maude (1858–1938) and Louise Maude (1855–1939), as well as the translation made by Rosemary Edmonds (1905–1998). The article identifies the main ways of conveying realia in this novel into the English language by the mentioned translators. The research results reveal the cases of complete coincidence of the choice of a word in the translated language, partial coincidence, when Aylmer and Louise Maude use the generalization technique to translate the original unit, while Rosemary Edmonds prefers the lexical addition technique in parallel with generalization. We also study the cases of absolutely different choice of lexical units in the translation of realia.