REPRODUCTION OF THE PRAGMATIC POTENTIAL IN FICTION TRANSLATION

Abstract

The paper examines reproduction of the pragmatic potential of fiction in translation. The relevance of the study is determined by great interest of linguistic science to pragmatic aspects of translation. The objective of the research is to reveal the ways of achievement of adequate English-Ukrainian fiction translation. From the outcome of our investigation we can conclude that equipollent pragmatic effect of an original literary work and its translation is possible in case of pragmatic competence of a translator. In fact, pragmatically adequate translation entails understanding of a message, rendering of emotional impact of a source text in a target text, intended influence on a concrete recipient in a definite communicative situation. At the same time, fulfillment of “extra task” leads to pragmatic deformation in translation. To reproduce the pragmatic potential of belles-letters successfully, a translator fulfills the functions of a loupe, a transformer, and a filter. Pragmatic focus influences introduction of pragmatically motivated lexical and grammatical transformations, taking into consideration lingual and cultural stereotypes of a target audience. Such changes result in the translated message that is functionally equipollent to the original. The results of the investigation can be effectively used to compare and contrast features specific to different literary genres from the pragmatic perspective.