TRANSLATABILITY / UNTRANSLATA BILITY AS A PSYCHOLINGUISTIC PROBLEM

Abstract

The article deals with the psycholinguistic aspect of translatability and untranslatability.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to analyze various approaches in the scientific literature to the definition and characteristics of the concepts of “translatability” and “untranslatability”; consider features of cultural untranslatability in detail; give specific examples that reveal the psycholinguistic aspect of the problem.

Methods. The methodology of the research is presented by the following statements: 1) epistemological justification of the idea of translatability: full reflection of the original is achieved through a series of translations that can complement each other; 2) philosophical position on the infinity of knowledge; 3) dialectical relation of the part and the whole: the unity of the laws of thought and the variety of ways of expression make it possible to translate from one language to another. Methods of linguistic research are the following: contrastive, descriptive, comparative-historical. Different approaches to the causes of the translatability / untranslatability are discussed. These causes are the following: 1) differences of languages; 2) “the spirit of the people” (A. Humboldt) as a way to form a national mentality; 3) insufficient level of preinformation necessary for adequate comprehensive transfer of information of the original text.

Results. Psycholinguistic functions of translation of texts are the following: enrichment of vocabulary, presentation of the spirit of a foreign culture; expansion of one’s own linguistic and cultural boundaries; perception of the values of other cultures; formation of intercultural competence.

Conclusions. Translation is a means of convergence of cultures, as well as a method of cultural exchange of language tools, that is, external resources, and internal resources, which reflect spiritual values.