Manuscripta Orientalia - L. Gasparyan. An Insight into Translation Trends (with Special Reference to Russian and Armenian Translations of “A Christmas Carol”)

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Luiza Gasparyan

Institute of Literature named after M. Abeghyan of the National Academy of Sciences, Yerevan, Armenia

E-mail: luisa.gasparyan83@gmail.com

An Insight into Translation Trends (with Special Reference to Russian and Armenian Translations of “A Christmas Carol”)

Abstract. The article presents a comparative analysis of the cultural transfer of Dickens' novel “A Christmas Carol” in Armenian and Russian translations. The main objective of the article is to elucidate the distinctive characteristics of literary translation through the paradigm of cultural transfer, as well as the prevailing translation trends in Russian and Armenian national culture. In the Armenian literary environment of the late 19th century, British verbal art exerted a notable influence, precisely due to the influence of Russian literature and the intermediary role of Russian translations. The evaluation of Dickens' heritage as a literary classic, especially in Eastern Armenia, is first realised through the prism of its popularity in the Russian literary environment (in this context, significant textual modifications are made due to the different linguistic–cultural usage). At the same time, quantitative and qualitative studies have demonstrated the existence of Armenian translations or abridged versions (in Western Armenia and other centres of the Armenian diaspora, such as Athens and Beirut) of “A Christmas Carol”, created from the original text with apparent contextual alterations based on the influence of Armenian national specificity.

Keywords: Dickens, cultural transfer, Russian and Armenian translations, culture and cultural relationships

DOI: 10.31250/1238-5018-2024-30-1-79-84

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Received by the Editorial Board: 21.12.2023