This paper aims to explore the significance of Chinese cultural connotations in translation and the difficulties that translators encounter when trying to capture these nuances. It argues that cultural connotation is essential in the translation of literature, as it not only provides semantic content but also conveys emotional depth and cultural background of the original text. However, due to linguistic and cultural diversity, finding an accurate equivalent is challenging. Through case studies, this paper shows how translators can use contextual clues and cultural knowledge to effectively convey cultural meanings. This, in turn, improves the overall quality of translations and promotes cultural exchange and understanding between Chinese and Russian speakers.
Keywords : additional meaning, Chinese translation, literary text
1. The perspective of the Russian academic community on the additional connotation of a word
Russian and international linguists are dedicated to studying additional meaning, as it is closely linked to various areas of linguistic knowledge and can be found in a variety of linguistic phenomena. Through in-depth research on the subject, as well as exploring different methods and approaches, we have recognized that a unified understanding of its nature has not yet been achieved.
A Russian linguist, O. S. Akhmanova, defines the term “additional meaning” as follows in her dictionary of linguistic terminology: The term “additional meaning” or “connotation”, refers to the additional content associated with a word or phrase. This content is expressed as a nuance on the semantic or stylistic level and is superimposed upon the basic meaning of the term. This additional meaning may convey various emotions or evaluations and can also give a sense of formality to the language [1, p.198].
According to Dr. Olga Ilyinichna Bykova's interpretation, the additional meaning can be defined as the multidimensional macroscopic component of the primary unit meaning. This additional meaning is motivated by associations and reflections on the expression of meaning within a particular cultural context. Dr. Bykova (2005) explains that the cultural component, as an essential part of additional meaning, plays a significant role in linguistic research. This component has a special significance because it reflects the cultural background and influences the way meaning is expressed in a given language.
The main features of O. I. Bykova's additional significance involve several aspects. Firstly, the additional meaning is dual, in terms of the interaction between language and extralinguistic factors. Secondly, the meaning is characterized by complementarity, which is reflected in the relationship between linguistic and extralinguistic aspects. Additionally, the additional meaning has an explanatory quality, which is primarily seen in the interpretation of representative meaning within the context of a collective cultural framework. Furthermore, the determinism of quasi-expressive interpretation also plays an important role in additional meaning, implicitly stimulating meaning through association mechanisms that generate connotations, involving both linguistic and extralinguistic elements, as well as the psycho-physical characteristics of members of a particular ethnic group. In addition, the components that contribute to additional meaning are diverse, and this diversity is reflected in various aspects, such as temporal asynchrony and functional variety. Furthermore, sociocultural influences have a significant impact on the evolution and use of languages, leading to further variation in meaning.
Russian scholars, D. N. Shmelev, Y. D. Apresyan, N. G. Komlev, L. N. Jordanskaya, and I. A. Melchuk, have extensively explored the significance of additional meaning in the field of humanities. D. N. Shmelev's book, The Problem of Semantic Analysis of Vocabulary, delves deeply into this topic and introduces key concepts such as the “emotional layer” and “expressive coloring”. These concepts reveal the deeper meaning behind information, including speakers' attitudes towards objects, as well as their qualities and characteristics. Through these concepts, we can gain a better understanding of the conditions and contexts in which communication occurs [5, p. 249].
However, the ambiguity and complexity of this linguistic phenomenon has led to divergent views among scientists. This divergence stems from its inherent multidimensionality and complexity. In doing so, researchers considered the cultural, emotional, cultural, Multiple dimensions such as practicality and association. Some consider additional meaning as a purely semantic phenomenon, others emphasize its semantic characteristics, and others consider additional meaning as a bridge between semantics and semantics. In our study, we adopted O. I. Bykova's approach to understanding additional meaning because the definitions and salient features that it provides best reflect the nature of the additional meaning and its constituent elements.
2. The perspective of the Chinese academic community on the additional connotation of a word
Chinese linguist Liu Shuxin, in his book “Chinese Descriptive Lexicography”, carefully defines the meaning of a word as the content of that word. He also points out that sound, the physical form of words, is closely linked to their meaning. Liu further explains this relationship in his book, published in 2005. Yunnan, on the other hand, explores the meaning of words in depth, arguing that it is a reflection of objective reality and abstract concepts in the human mind. According to him, the meaning not only reflects characteristics of objects or phenomena, but also conveys the subjective attitude towards them.
In the field of Chinese linguistics, there is no uniform professional term for the concept of “additional meaning”. Instead, various Chinese scholars have used different terms to describe this linguistic phenomenon, such as “companion meaning”, “internal meaning”, and “implicit (hidden) meaning”. These terms are used interchangeably to refer to the additional meaning that words or phrases can carry beyond their literal meaning. Chinese linguists, after extensive research, have identified a number of significant features. According to Li Xiaohong, added meaning is closely linked to the subjective and objective knowledge of the speaker, and as such, it is deeply rooted in people's lives. Time, location, and culture are all factors that contribute to this added meaning. These characteristics including subjectivity, fortuitousness, temporal nature, and national character, together form the true reflection of a people's culture.
In other words, added value reflects various aspects of human life, such as social structures, geographical environments, values, attitudes, customs, traditions, lifestyles, and more. Lin Rong also emphasizes that added significance deeply embodies the essence of Chinese culture, emphasizing its traditional roots.
A number of experts in the field of Chinese linguistics, including Lin Rong and Sun Guojun, emphasize the significant role of linguistic and communicative contexts in the creation of additional meaning. They argue that the meaning of words is a broad mapping of reality, shaped by people's knowledge and understanding.
A review of research on the additional meanings and characteristics of Chinese linguistic works reveals that there is no single approach to determining word meanings. Each piece of well-researched work pays special attention to emotional, expressive, and evaluative aspects, emphasizing their importance in shaping national culture.
3. A study on methods for effectively conveying the additional meaning of Russian word units in Chinese translation.
The importance of the additional meanings of the Chinese language should not be underestimated, as they reflect the social, regional, and cultural aspects of the language. These additional meanings are not just emotional expressions of individuals, but rather have a deeper significance in words and phrases. They give the language a unique color, such as solemnity, playfulness, ease, or familiarity, allowing people to fully express their attitudes towards specific objects and phenomena. The formation of these additional meanings is closely linked to associations and, therefore, closely connected to the context, which is rich with national and cultural nuances.
In selecting equivalent additional meaning elements, the translator acts as an artist of words, whose role is to explore, compare, and accurately reproduce the original semantics. However, this process also involves challenges related to the linguistic abilities of both languages, especially the emotional and stylistic aspects of lexical units. Additionally, the ethnic and cultural specifics of a language must be taken into consideration, which further complicates the task of selecting terms with equivalent connotations.
The loss of any additional meaning in the translation process equals the loss of the core emotional context, especially in the translation of literary works. Due to the unique nature of literary texts, it is important to understand the additional meaning of terms. This can be demonstrated through examples from works of art. In these works, the deeper meaning of a word not only conveys its semantic content but also creates an association, forming an artistic image that contributes to the overall art experience. This image carries the functions of aesthetics and expression.
The added significance of the vocabulary is the basis for the implementation of literary texts in the expression of linguistic and stylistic skills [3, p.15]. Therefore, the translation of vocabulary plays an important role in understanding the author's thoughts. However, as discussed earlier, the search for a lexical unit that is identical in meaning to the original text is a challenging task due to the complexity of language and ethnocultural factors.
Y. M. Shemchuk has proposed a series of variants for additional meaning translation, including retention and removal of additional meaning [4, p. 193–194]. These methods of translation provide an important reference for our analysis of the additional meaning of words in translated texts of Russian-Chinese novels. Based on these translation strategies, we will explore the function of the additional meaning of words in literary texts through the Russian Dictionary of Small and Medium Words and assess their applicability during the translation process.
In literary translation, a common approach to dealing with word additions is to remove them and convey the basic meaning of the word using direct translation. For example, if a word in the original text is added in order to clarify or emphasize a point, it can be omitted in the translated text. This allows the reader to focus on the main idea without being distracted by unnecessary details.
1.— Урок ему, сударыня, — перебил Харлов — не наскакивай зря, спросись прежде, с кем дело имеешь. Млад еще больно, учить его надо (И. С.Тургенев «Степной король Лир»). “太太，我给他上一堂课，”哈尔洛夫忿忿地说，“他不先问问明白，在跟谁打交道，就敢放肆。他还年轻呢，应当教训他。”(Madame, I gave him a lesson», said Harlov with wrath. «He did not ask first. When you deal with someone, you dare to do so. He was still young, and should teach him) [8, p.367].
In the Russian dictionary, the word “наскакивать” has the meaning of “flop”, referring to the infliction of bumps on a person as a form of rebuke. When searching for a Chinese translation, “放肆” directly means “freedom in communication” (impudent), but through its implicit meaning of “adopting freedom”, the emotional color and meaning of the original word are cleverly conveyed “采取自由” [9, p.248]. Therefore, the provided options cannot be considered a reasonable translation, as they do not effectively convey the meaning and emotional expression of the original word.
Saving additional meaning as a translation strategy is a rare occurrence when it comes to translating the additional meaning of a word. This is due to the uniqueness of linguistic identities among different people and the varying perceptions of a concept across different cultures. For instance,
— Ничего не умеешь сам делать. Все я да я! Ну, куда ты годишься? Не человек: просто солома! [8, p.736]. 自己什么也不会处理，都要我来！你配作什么？你不是人，简直是草包！I can't handle anything by myself, so I have to do it! What are you worthy of? You are not a human being, you are simply a straw bag!
The term «солома» in Russian, in addition to the basic meaning of “hay”, has the pejorative meaning of “empty, worthless people”. In the corresponding Chinese translation, in addition to the common term “grass bag”(“草包”), the meaning of “incompetent” is also implied [9, p.83]. Thus, the Russian and Chinese versions express this additional meaning almost without any difference, and the emotional color and evaluation orientation are almost identical. This shows that there is a high degree of consistency in the perception and evaluation of the concepts of “солома” and “grass-bag” in the cultural context of both languages.
One possible way to translate the additional meaning of words in Russian literature is to use Chinese language expressions (idioms) to achieve such a shift in meaning. This is because the vocabulary level of language, especially those that carry metaphors and emotional expressions, constitutes the language translation of cultural knowledge. These are expressed by specific categorical components：
Мой шофер — могила. А так как он переполнен могилами тайн, то он целое кладбище (Н. С. Тихонов «Белое чудо») [8, p.335]. 我的司机守口如瓶，他肚子里装满了秘密，简直就像一座大坟墓。(My driver kept his mouth shut, his stomach was full of secrets, it was like a big grave).
In the context of “keeping secrets about the people he knows”, the phrase “keep your mouth closed” is used metaphorically. To maintain consistency and accuracy, we chose “Keep your mouth shut” as the translation, which means “to keep your mouth closed like a bottle with a cork”. We omitted the part about a bottle with a cork to keep the translation direct and simple, without changing the meaning of the original phrase. Therefore, the final translation is “keep your mouth shut” (“保持你的嘴关闭”).
Based on the examples provided, it is not difficult to understand the unique challenges of translating the additional meaning of a word from Russian into Chinese. Translators need to not only understand the additional meaning of the original but also select the appropriate expression for the target language, taking into account the emotional, stylistic, and visual elements of the original. However, due to the differences in ethnic and cultural backgrounds between the two languages, it is often difficult to fully preserve the additional meaning during the translation process. As a result, when translating the additional meaning of Russian words into Chinese, translators often choose to abandon some of this additional meaning. Instead, they translate the additional meaning of the Russian word into the opposite meaning of another Chinese word. While this approach guarantees the accuracy of the original meaning in the target language, it inevitably results in a partial loss of expressive, emotional, and evaluative features. In the practice of literary translation, language units are widely used because they can vividly reflect the actual situation in Chinese culture and show the Chinese mentality. These language units are rich in additional meaning and are essential for fully understanding the meaning of the original text and accurately communicating its nuances. Therefore, when performing literary translation, priority should be given to translating these language units.
Conclusion
In literary texts, the additional meaning of words plays an essential role in achieving a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of linguistic and cultural phenomena. Translators often remove the additional meanings when translating Russian words into Chinese, as it can be difficult to find an exact equivalent in the target language. However, in some cases, changing the added meaning can be a viable translation strategy.
The Phrase Unit approach is commonly used in translation practice, and it involves removing the additional meaning through descriptive translation. Words that do not contain metaphors or association-based semantics are often selected for translation, as they can help achieve more accurate results. This approach can also add value to the translation by giving the text a unique Chinese emotional and expressive quality. In order to ensure the accuracy and completeness of Chinese translations of Russian literature, it is necessary not only to have a deep understanding of the original text's additional significance, but also to have a good grasp of various translation techniques. This includes identifying translation difficulties and understanding the algorithms used in the translation process.
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