TECHNIQUES OF TRANSLATING PROPER NAMES IN THE RUSSIAN VERSION OF THE NOVEL “THE JOURNEY TO THE WEST”

Abstract

The article examines the specific features of translating anthroponyms in the Russian-language version of Wu Cheng’en’s classical Chinese novel “The Journey to the West”. Anthroponyms are considered as cultural and semiotic units reflecting the religious and mythological concepts of the traditional Chinese worldview. Based on comparative and descriptive methods, contextual analysis, as well as elements of linguocultural and translation studies approaches, the study identifies the main techniques used to render character names. It is established that the most productive translation methods include calquing, omission, and lexical additions. The research demonstrates that the translator’s choices are determined by the interaction of cultural, grammatical, and pragmatic factors and are aimed at achieving the functional equivalence of the translated text.