Translating Idioms Across Cultures: Linguistic, Pragmatic, and Cultural Challenges

Alisher Nabiyev; Dinara Ulmasova

doi:10.1997/7p504a85

Authors

Alisher Nabiyev Author
Dinara Ulmasova Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1997/7p504a85

Keywords:

idioms, translation, cultural context, pragmatics, linguistic challenges, semantic equivalence, cross-cultural communication, literary translation, figurative language, translational strategies

Abstract

This article examines the linguistic, cultural, and pragmatic complexities of idiom translation, highlighting the absence of direct equivalents, contextual variability, historical and cultural specificity, and the interplay between semantic meaning and communicative function. By analyzing examples from English, Biblical, Greek, and modern idioms, as well as idiomatic expressions rooted in folklore, literature, and regional practices, the study demonstrates the translator’s role as both a linguistic mediator and cultural interpreter. The article emphasizes that effective idiom translation requires a combination of linguistic proficiency, cultural literacy, contextual analysis, and creative adaptation to bridge linguistic and cultural divides, ensuring both comprehension and expressive fidelity in the target language.

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Author Biographies

Alisher Nabiyev

Teacher of the Samarkand Institute of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan
Dinara Ulmasova

Student of the Samarkand Institute of Foreign Languages, Uzbekistan

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