PROBLEMS OF EQUIVALENCE IN TRANSLATING UZBEK ADOLESCENT LITERATURE INTO ENGLISH

Ushbu maqolada o‘zbek o‘smirlar adabiyotiasarlarini ingliz tiliga tarjima qilish jarayonida yuzaga keladiganekvivalentlik muammolari tahlil qilinadi. Tadqiqot O‘tkir Hoshimov,Tog‘ay Murod va Xurshid Do‘stlik kabi mualliflarning asarlari misolidaleksik-semantik, stilistik, pragmatik va madaniy-milliykomponentlarning tarjimada mosligini ta‘minlash masalalarigaqaratilgan. Tarjima strategiyalari (forseylash, adaptatsiya,kompensatsiya) va ularning ekvivalentlik darajasiga ta‘siri baholanadi.

PROBLEMS OF EQUIVALENCE IN TRANSLATING UZBEK ADOLESCENT LITERATURE INTO ENGLISH

Kasimova Yulduz Malikovna Namangan davlat pedagogika instituti, Xorijiy tillar kafedrasi katta o‘qituvchisi, E-mail: kasimovayulduz1977@gmail.com Tel: [phone number hidden]

Annotatsiya: Ushbu maqolada o‘zbek o‘smirlar adabiyoti asarlarini ingliz tiliga tarjima qilish jarayonida yuzaga keladigan ekvivalentlik muammolari tahlil qilinadi. Tadqiqot O‘tkir Hoshimov, Tog‘ay Murod va Xurshid Do‘stlik kabi mualliflarning asarlari misolida leksik-semantik, stilistik, pragmatik va madaniy-milliy komponentlarning tarjimada mosligini ta’minlash masalalariga qaratilgan. Tarjima strategiyalari (forseylash, adaptatsiya, kompensatsiya) va ularning ekvivalentlik darajasiga ta’siri baholanadi. Kalit so‘zlar: tarjima ekvivalentligi, o‘zbek o‘smirlar adabiyoti, madaniy adaptatsiya, pragmatik moslashuv, tarjima transformatsiyalari. Аннотация: В данной статье анализируются проблемы эквивалентности при переводе произведений узбекской подростковой литературы на английский язык. Исследование сосредоточено на вопросах обеспечения соответствия лексико-семантических, стилистических, прагматических и культурно-национальных компонентов в переводе на примере произведений Уткира Хашимова, Тогая Мурада и Хуршида Достика. Оцениваются переводческие стратегии (форсилизация, адаптация, компенсация) и их влияние на степень эквивалентности. Ключевые слова: переводческая эквивалентность, узбекская подростковая литература, культурная адаптация, прагматическая адаптация, переводческие трансформации. Annotation: This article analyzes the problems of equivalence in translating works of Uzbek adolescent literature into English. The study focuses on ensuring the correspondence of lexical-semantic, stylistic, pragmatic, and cultural-national components in translation, using works by Utkir Hoshimov, Tog‘ay Murod, and Khurshid Dostlik as case studies. Translation strategies (foreignization, adaptation, compensation) and their impact on the degree of equivalence are evaluated. Keywords: translation equivalence, Uzbek adolescent literature, cultural adaptation, pragmatic adjustment, translation transformations.

Introduction. The integration of Uzbek literature into the global cultural space has increased the demand for high-quality translations of

Uzbek literary works into world languages, particularly English. Adolescent literature, with its distinct linguistic, psychological, and cultural features, presents unique challenges for translators. Works of Uzbek adolescent prose – such as Utkir Hoshimov’s The Affairs of the World [1], Tog‘ay Murod’s Starry Nights, and Khurshid Dostlik’s Eyes Like Snow – are characterized by a blend of didactic elements, national customs, and a deep portrayal of adolescent psychology [2]. When rendered into English, these texts often face difficulties in achieving equivalence at multiple levels. The concept of translation equivalence has been extensively discussed in translation studies. Scholars such as Roman Jakobson, Eugene Nida, and Peter Newmark have proposed various typologies of equivalence, ranging from formal correspondence to dynamic or functional equivalence [3, 4]. However, the specific problems arising in the translation of adolescent literature from a Turkic language like Uzbek into English remain underexplored. This article aims to fill that gap by identifying the main challenges and evaluating the strategies employed to overcome them. Literature review and methods. Previous research on translation equivalence has established a framework for analyzing losses and gains in literary translation. Nida’s concept of “dynamic equivalence” prioritizes the target reader’s response over literal accuracy, while Venuti’s distinction between domestication and foreignization highlights ideological choices in translation [4, 5]. In the context of Uzbek–English literary translation, a number of studies have addressed general cultural and lexical issues [6], but specific attention to adolescent literature is lacking. The present study employs a qualitative, comparative analysis. The research material consists of excerpts from three Uzbek novels: O‘tkir Hoshimov’s Dunyoning ishlari, Tog‘ay Murod’s Yulduzli tunlar, and Xurshid Do‘stlik’s Qor ko‘zlar, alongside their English translations (where available) and, where official translations do not exist, hypothetical translation solutions are analyzed based on translation theory. The analysis focuses on four key areas: culture‑specific items (realia), forms of address and familial terms, adolescent speech patterns and slang, and didactic and moral elements embedded in the narrative. Results. The analysis reveals several categories of equivalence problems. Lexical and culture‑specific items. Uzbek adolescent literature frequently contains realia – concepts tied to national culture, traditions, and everyday life. For example, terms such as mahalla (neighborhood community), ota-ona (parents with a connotation of respect), and rituals like beshik to‘yi (cradle ceremony) have no direct equivalents in English. In available translations, translators often resort to descriptive

equivalents or borrowing with footnotes. For instance, mahalla is sometimes rendered as “neighborhood” or “community,” which loses the socio‑moral connotations of collective responsibility central to Uzbek adolescent experience [7]. Forms of address and kindship terms Uzbek language has a rich system of kinship and respectful address (aka, opa, xola, tog‘a) that reflects age, social hierarchy, and closeness. In English translations, these are often simplified to names or to “uncle/aunt,” which flattens the nuanced interpersonal relationships that shape adolescent protagonists’ worldviews. This simplification affects the portrayal of authority figures and the process of growing up within an extended family structure. Adolescent speech and stylistic registers The speech of adolescent characters in Uzbek novels combines colloquialisms, folk sayings, and sometimes formal didactic phrases when addressing elders. Translating this register into English requires balancing naturalness with fidelity. For example, an adolescent’s internal monologue in Hoshimov’s The Affairs of the World mixes youthful spontaneity with moral introspection. In translation, either the spontaneity is lost in overly literary renderings or the moral dimension is diminished [8]. Didactic and moral elements Uzbek adolescent literature often carries an explicit didactic purpose – conveying values such as respect for elders, honesty, and patriotism. These elements are frequently embedded in dialogues with parents or teachers. When translated into English, such passages may sound overly moralistic or alien to the target audience’s expectations, leading translators to either preserve them with a risk of sounding unnatural or to mitigate them, thereby altering the author’s intention. Discussion. The findings indicate that achieving equivalence in translating Uzbek adolescent literature involves navigating a tension between fidelity to the source text and accessibility for the target audience. The strategies observed align with Venuti’s foreignization/domestication dichotomy [5]. Descriptive translation and adaptation (domestication) make the text more readable but risk erasing cultural specificity. Conversely, borrowing and literal translation (foreignization) preserve local color but may hinder comprehension. Moreover, the pragmatic dimension is crucial. Adolescent readers in English‑speaking contexts have different expectations regarding narrative voice and moral messaging. While Uzbek adolescent literature often integrates moral instruction into the narrative, contemporary English‑language adolescent fiction tends to favor implicit moral dilemmas over overt teaching.

This mismatch forces translators to make difficult choices between preserving the source’s didactic quality and conforming to target genre conventions [9]. The analysis also highlights the importance of considering the adolescent target audience’s cognitive and emotional development. Equivalence should not be judged solely by linguistic correspondence but by the extent to which the translated text elicits a similar response in the target reader – a principle central to Nida’s dynamic equivalence [4]. For instance, the coming‑of‑age conflicts in Tog‘ay Murod’s Starry Nights resonate universally, but their embedding in a specific cultural landscape requires careful handling to maintain emotional impact. Conclusion. Translating Uzbek adolescent literature into English presents multifaceted problems of equivalence, ranging from lexical gaps to pragmatic and genre‑specific mismatches. The study confirms that no single translation strategy can address all challenges; rather, a combination of foreignization and domestication, guided by a clear understanding of the target audience and the text’s cultural embeddedness, is necessary. Future research should examine actual published translations in greater detail, including reader‑response studies to assess how effectively equivalence is achieved. Moreover, collaborative efforts between Uzbek authors, translators, and publishers can contribute to developing best practices that make Uzbek adolescent literature accessible to the global English‑speaking audience without losing its cultural and aesthetic essence. Rererences: 1. Hoshimov, O. (2008). Dunyoning ishlari. Toshkent: Sharq. 2. Murod, T. (1985). Yulduzli tunlar. Toshkent: G‘afur G‘ulom nomidagi Adabiyot va san’at nashriyoti. 3. Jakobson, R. (1959). On linguistic aspects of translation. In R. A. Brower (Ed.), On Translation (pp. 232–239). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 4. Nida, E. A. (1964). Toward a Science of Translating. Leiden: E. J. Brill. 5. Venuti, L. (1995). The Translator’s Invisibility: A History of Translation. London: Routledge. 6. Karimova, N. (2017). Madaniy realiyalarning o‘zbek–ingliz tarjimasida berilishi. O‘zbekiston Milliy universiteti xabarlari, 1(3), 89– 93. 7. Salomov, G. (1983). Tarjima nazariyasiga kirish. Toshkent: O‘qituvchi. 8. Do‘stlik, X. (2005). Qor ko‘zlar. Toshkent: Yangi asr avlodi. 9. Nikolajeva, M. (2014). Reading for Learning: Cognitive Approaches to Children’s Literature. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

10. Kasimova, Y., Alimova, E., & Ulkanov, A. (n.d.). Theoretical foundations of the translation theory. International Journal on Integrated Education. 2020. 11. Dehqanova, G. A. (2024). Samarali muloqot va innovatsion texnologiyalarga tayyorlashning ilmiy-metodik jihatlarini takomillashtirish. Academic research in educational sciences, 5(CSPU Conference 1), 550-555. 12. Собирова М. Enhancing the mechanisms and factors of improving the literacy of upper school students based on an innovative. https://journal.silkroadscience.com/index.php/EJHEAA/article/view/810. European journal of higher education and academic advancement. VOL. 1NO.8(2024) 13. Sobirova, M (2024). Development of oral speech competence of students. International journal of artificial intelligence, 4(03), 596-600. http://www.academicpublishers.org/ International journal of artificial intelligence (ISSN: 2692-5206) Volume 04, Issue 03, Published Date: - 04- 06-2024.