LINGUISTIC AND SOCIAL-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF RENDERING “FALSE FRIENDS OF TRANSLATOR” FROM ENGLISH INTO RUSSIAN

ABSTRACT

Language is like a special bridge that helps people connect with each other and share their way of life. The process of translation involves not only a good command of the language but also the art of finding a delicate harmony between language and culture. The translator must take into account not only linguistic nuances but also cultural sensitivities in order to accurately convey the meaning and preserve the context of the original. This harmony between language and culture plays a key role in achieving a quality translation. But precisely, the phenomena interlanguage homonyms known as "false friends of a translator" can present additional challenges in creating this harmony.

Keywords: linguistic and social-cultural aspects, false friends, interlanguage homonyms, confusable words.

The term “false friend” for the first time was introduced by M. Koessler and J. Derocquigny in the book «Les faux amis ou Les pièges du vocabulaire anglais» in 1928. [1] In the Handbook of Linguistics, Mr. Aronoff mentions the following: “Misinterpretations caused by the similarity of words in different languages in terms of sameness in writing and pronunciation, but different in meaning can lead to misunderstanding and become an obstacle in translation.” Translators must be especially attentive to context and semantics to avoid the pitfalls that can arise from false friends [2] Based on the studies of V.N. Kommissarov, Rosanna Feldberg and Gouws, R., it is important to note that From the linguacultural point of view, one reason for the formation of such words is common roots, i.e. related words, but in different languages develop differently, leading to changes in their meanings. And another reason is mutualization of foreign words, if we compare English and Russian, it can be words borrowed from a common third source, for example Latin. And also borrowed words of English origin in Russian or vice versa words of Russian origin in English. These linguistic difficulties combine with social-cultural features to create a mosaic challenge for translation professionals. It is worth clarifying that linguistic aspects concern linguistic elements such as grammar, lexicon, phonetics and syntax. In the context of translating 'false friends of the translator', this includes understanding the semantic differences between words that may look similar but have different meanings in different languages. Social-cultural aspects refer to cultural and societal contexts that may influence the interpretation of linguistic elements. This includes cultural norms, values, customs, and historical aspects. The translator must take these factors into account in order to convey not only the literal meaning but also to match the cultural context of the target audience. [3, 4, 5]

Taking linguistic aspects as an example, we can emphasize that one of the key elements in the translation of "false friends" is the linguistic diversity between English and Russian. These languages, despite some common roots, developed separately from each other, forming unique meanings for words. For example, the English word "sympathy" translates into Russian as "симпатия." However, in English "sympathy" can include both empathy and sympathy, which can be misleading to the translator if these subtleties are not taken into account. It should be noted that the etymology and origin of words also play an important role in the creation of "false friends". English "actual" is translated into Russian as "фактический" or "real", but not "актуальный", which corresponds to English "current". These points emphasize the need for a deep analysis of the meaning of words and their historical development. While social-cultural factors add complexity to the translation of "false friends". Cultural norms and values influence the semantics of words, creating different connotations in different languages. For example: the English "event" can be translated as "событие" in Russian. However, without considering the context, the Russian translation may be understood as "инцидент", which is different from the original meaning. This difference in associations can cause confusion in the translation process, emphasizing the importance of taking into account social-cultural nuances to comprehend accuracy and understanding in a message. To overcome the linguistic and social challenges of "false friends" requires a special strategy emphasized Y.B. Emelyanova. [6]

The conclusion of this research is that the linguistic and social-cultural aspects of translating "false friends" requires not only accuracy in language but also a deep cultural understanding. Coping strategies and training play a key role in maintaining accuracy and authenticity in the translation process, making it a challenging but exciting art form. In his article "False friends" of the translator in the structure of the English utterance" V.N. Komissarov subtly gives one thought: "In many cases, the translator's difficulties associated with attempts to use the most familiar correspondence in translation do not fit the broadest definition of "false friends". In general, we should probably distinguish between the influence of the form of a word or an utterance on erroneous understanding and translation, on the one hand, and the limited connection between the units of two languages, as if creating for the translator his own circle of "foes", indicating insufficient professional competence, on the other hand" (Komissarov 2005).

In the exercise taken from the book by D.S. Mukhortov. Translation Practice: English-Russian, you can memorize the following confusable. [7]

Table 1.

References:

1. Koessler, M. & Derocquigny J. 1928 Les faux amis ou les trahisons du vocabulaire anglais. Conseils aux traducteurs Paris
2. Aranoff, Mark; REES-MILLER, Janie The Handbook of Linguistics. New York: John Wiley & Sons. 2008.
3. Gouws, R., PRINSLOO, D., SCHRYYER, G. Friends will be Friends - True or False. Lexicographic Approaches to the Treatment of False Friends. 2004
4. Komissarov, V. (2005). "Linguistic problems of translation." Moscow: Slovo Publishing House.
5. Schweitzer, A. D. (2017). "Theory and practice of translation." SPb.: "Lan" Publishing House.
6. Emelyanova, Y.B. Linguocountry studies competence of the translator: theory and practice: Monograph / Y.B. Emelyanova. - 2nd edition, revised and expanded. - Nizhny Novgorod: LLC "Stimul-ST", 2010. - 201 с.
7. Wisson L. Russian problems in English speech. Words and phrases in context of two cultures. М., 2003 & Wisson L. Simultaneous translation from Russian into English. М., 2002