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Philology: scientific researches
Reference:

Translations of portrait characteristics of the heroes of V.G. Korolenko's Siberian short stories into the Yakut language

Filippova Aiyana Alexsanovna

ORCID: 0000-0002-5861-0085

Postgraduate student, Department of Yakut Literature, Maxim Kirovich Ammosov Northeastern Federal University

42 Kulakovsky str., Yakutsk, 677000, Russia

fiayalex11@yandex.ru
Other publications by this author
 

 
Basharina Zoya Konstantinovna

ORCID: 0009-0004-9457-4546

Doctor of Philology

Professor, Department of Yakut Literature, North-Eastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov

677021, Russia, Yakutsk, Ostrovsky str., 10/1, 54

zbasharina@mail.ru

DOI:

10.7256/2454-0749.2024.4.70402

EDN:

CQORMF

Received:

04-04-2024


Published:

11-04-2024


Abstract: The object of the study is the Siberian stories of V.G. Korolenko. The subject of the study is the portrait characteristics of the heroes of V.G. Korolenko's Siberian short stories. The material for the study was the portrait characteristics of the heroes of V.G. Korolenko's Siberian short stories translated by N.E. Mordinov-Amma Achchygyya. His stories are rich material for research, since in them the portrait characteristics of the characters are presented very figuratively, using various expressive means (metaphors, comparisons, personifications, metonymies, hyperboles). The short stories "Makar's Dream", "Marusina Zaimka", "At-Davan" from the Yakut cycle of Siberian short stories were chosen for the study. The theoretical basis for the research is the works of G.N. Pospelov, A.B. Esin, L.S. Kulik, O.I. Ivanova, K.I. Platonova, I.S. Yemelyanov and others. The purpose of this work is to identify the features of the translation of portrait characteristics in the translation of Korolenko's literary texts from Russian into Yakut. The purpose of the work identified the following tasks: 1) to analyze the concept of "portrait characteristics"; 2) to make a solid selection of portrait characteristics from Siberian stories; 3) to consider the features of the translation of portrait characteristics when translated into the Yakut language. Descriptive and comparative methods were used to solve the research tasks. The material was collected using a continuous sampling method. The relevance of this study is due to the lack of scientific works in Yakut literary studies on the comprehensive study of portrait characteristics when translated into the Yakut language. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that in modern literary criticism, the transfer of portrait characteristics in the translation of literary texts remains still unexplored. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the fact that it reveals for the first time the features of portrait characteristics when translated into the Yakut language. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of using its results in the analysis of other similar works and their translations. Also, the research materials can be used in universities of the humanities in the creation of textbooks, textbooks on translation practice for students of the philological department.


Keywords:

russian literature, yakut literature, portrait characteristic, Siberian stories, yakut language, russian language, metaphor, epithet, comparison, personification

This article is automatically translated.

Introduction

Portrait characteristics of the characters are one of the important literary techniques used by writers when creating works of art. The writer describes the appearance, gestures, facial expressions, clothes, and so on to create a special character of the hero and form his typical features. Presenting the image of the character to the reader, the writer uses various artistic means of depiction (metaphors, comparisons, epithets, and so on) in order to not only give an idea of the character's appearance through a portrait description, but also reveal his character, inner world.

Appearance can tell a lot about a hero: about his nationality, age, social status, tastes, habits, and temperament. "Some features are natural, others characterize it as a social phenomenon (clothes and the way they are worn, manner of bearing, speaking, etc.). Others – facial expressions, especially eyes, facial expressions, gestures, postures – indicate feelings experienced. But a face, a figure, gestures can not only "speak", but also "hide", or simply mean nothing but themselves. It is noted that the appearance of a person, "being one of the most intense semiotic phenomena, at the same time is almost impossible to read" [7].

The purpose of this work is to identify the features of the translation of portrait characteristics in the translation of artistic texts by Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko from Russian into the Yakut language. The purpose of the work identified the following tasks: 1) to analyze the concept of "portrait characteristics"; 2) to make a solid selection of portrait characteristics from Siberian stories; 3) to consider the features of the translation of portrait characteristics when translated into the Yakut language.

The material for the study was the Siberian stories of V.G. Korolenko translated by N.E. Mordinov-Amma Achchygyya. V.G. Korolenko's stories represent a rich material for research, since in his stories the portrait characteristics of the characters are presented very figuratively, using various expressive means (metaphors, comparisons, personifications, metonymies, hyperboles). The Siberian short stories "Makar's Dream", "Marusina Zaimka", "At-Davan" were chosen for the study.

The main part

V.G. Korolenko, as an unsurpassed master of artistic expression, made a huge contribution to the treasury of the Russian literary language. The harsh Siberian life suggested to the artist images of people rejected by society. So, in the Siberian stories Korolenko tells about the awakening of the people, their love of freedom, their desire to break out of the vicious circle of an unbearable existence. The defining features of Korolenko's characters are intense searches for truth and justice, great sensitivity and responsiveness. Such stories include "Makar's Dream", stories about vagabonds "Sokolinets", "Marusina zaimka".

The first of the works of the Yakut cycle is the story "Makar's Dream" (1883). In this story, the main character is the indigenous Chalgan peasant Makar. The prototype is the hugged Russian peasant Zakhar Tsykunov. Makar is a collective image. Let's take a closer look at (Table 1).

Table 1. Portrait of Makar. The story "Makar's Dream" (1883).

He spoke little and rather poorly in Russian, dressed in animal skins, wore a bagel on his feet, ate at normal times one flatbread with an infusion of brick tea, and on holidays and in other emergency cases ate exactly as much melted butter as was on the table in front of him. He rode very skilfully on bulls, and in case of illness he called a shaman, who, raging, screeched at him, trying to scare and drive out of Makar the entrenched disease. He worked terribly, lived poorly, endured hunger and cold... When he was drunk, he cried... [9, p. 16]

Nouchali Kini ayancik sarara, ol sardauna Yes rastik nuccaleena key ete, kayl Tiitinen tanara, Atar of Tarbes Katara, CNR cnarge aards of lapiscine Kutta of heuuu Cainan aylestone, baragar wanna of Atin Jannik Aime La cnarge Boolean, baatin of inniger Astorga t Woolloomooloo, Deir Aryana Shire. Kini bert dio?urdaahtyk o?uhu miinare, yarytta?yna oyuunu y?yrara, ontukat kalen kyyran iirbit kurduk d 'yabylanara, Makarga olohsuybut yar yny urgutaeri, habyryna-habyryna urduger tuhuteliire. Kini surdehtik uleliire, dyadaytyk olororo, achchyktyyr, toor buolara... Kini itirik buolla?yna ytyyr ete [10, p. 3]

 The author in this fragment (Table 1) describes the appearance, habits and lifestyle of the hero. The author wants to convey to the reader that Makar lives very poorly, there are days when he even starves. After analyzing the original text and the text of the translation, it can be noted that in the translation into the Yakut language, the phrase "in emergency cases" was translated as "on joyful days", which does not correspond to the original. But despite this, the image of the hero in translation into the Yakut language is given in full.

The theme of vagrancy occupies a significant place in Korolenko's work. Korolenko did not "discover" tramps, they had already been widely used in literature before him, but he put a completely new content into these long-known images. Romantic elation and the glorification of freedom gave this old theme a new socio-literary sound [11, pp. 19-20]. In the story "Marusina zaimka" (1899), consider the image of Stepan (Table 2).

Table 2. Portrait of Stepan. The story "Marusina zaimka" (1899).

He was a tall man with broad shoulders and a slender, slender figure. He had light blue eyes, light brown hair and an almost completely white mustache, which stood out strangely against a heavily tanned red face. He could have been called handsome if it hadn't been for the dullness of his eyes, which seemed to be drawn by something, and not for that too-light mustache on his dark face. His lips were full, with a strange crease-rough and spoiling a rather favorable overall impression. There was something already broken in the whole figure, not quite normal, although strong [9, pp. 311-312]

Urduk u?uohtaah kati sarynnardaah uonna sinniges, kono biilleh kihi ebit. Syrdyk kuoh harakhtaah, syrdyk kugas battakhtaah uonna ulahannyk salgynnaabyt kyhyl sireiger orduk diibetic kostor bukatyn ma?an careyete bytyktaah ebit. Kini, tugunan ere buryolammit kurduk olboorkoyduk korbot ebite buollar uonna hara sireiger iticche olus syrdyk bytyga suo?a ebite buollar, utuken gyuhunneh kihi buoluo ebit. Toloru uostara, toloos sous buolannar, wapsayynan kini is-kiirbeh diuhunun buortuluur ebitter. Kini kiebe-tahaata, wapsayynan kuusteh-uohtaah gynan baran, haidah ere diegirbit, ochcho toloru tupsaaya suoh kurduk [10, p. 77]

In this fragment of the text (Table 2.), the author used contrasting color epithets "light blue", "light brown", "white", "red". Translated into the Yakut language, the color epithets "light blue-syrdyk kuoh", "light brown-Syrdyk kugas", "white-ma?an", "red-kyhyl" are preserved, fully convey the appearance of the hero.

In this story, the image of Timokha the ploughman, personifying a peasant farmer, is very realistically conveyed. Korolenko described Timokha's image so vividly and colorfully that it involuntarily appears before the reader's eyes (Table 3).

Table 3. Portrait of Timokha. The story "Marusina zaimka" (1899).

The worker was covered with dirt: the dust on his face and neck was soaked with sweat, the sleeve of his dirty shirt was torn, a worn and dirty deer's fur carelessly covered his head with dusty hair cut off on his forehead and falling over his shoulders, which gave him some kind of archaic appearance. This is how they draw the ancient Slavs. It would be difficult to determine his age: forty, forty-five, fifty, and maybe much less: It was one of those stocky figures, covered as if with a crown, through which neither the play and sparkle of youth nor the dull old age could be seen. The eyes, faded and faded from the sun and bad weather, barely stood out on the gray face, and only when you looked closely, you could see a spark of good-natured cunning in them [9, p. 319]

Bu kihi butunnu kirge u?kurybut kurduk kihi: sirayiger, yunugar buor koton baran kolohunuger nya?aralammit, kolohue byha sieppit yrbaahytyn siebe tyrtybyt, suhunen lappillibit, sannygar sabyryan tusput battakhtaah, tobotuger ilbiriybit, soroloobut taba bergheni tappachchi urunan kabispit, onon barytynan haidah ere byrgy uyetee kihiehe maarynnyrgy dyly. Byrgy slavyannary iti kurduk gyuhunneen oyuuluullar. Kini saahyn da byhaarar kytaanah: t?rt uon, t?rt uon bies, bies uon, ba?ar itiniehe yraa?ynan da tiibet saastaah buoluon soptoh kihi. Eder saas oonnuura, kulumnure da?any, kyrdybyt kam olbouryute da?any aton tahsan kostubet gina khatirigynan hakhhalanan syldar kurduk, somo?o kihi. Kun uotugar, ardakha-haarga kubarybyt, kurduibut kharakhtara kini Boro sireitten kyayan araaryllybyttar, arai bertke synyan oduulastakhha ere bu kharakhtarga eyeestik albytyyyy kyymnaryn taba koruhe sop [10, pp. 87-88]

This portrait characteristic (Table 3) it is rich in its expressive means of "dusty hair cut off on the forehead and falling on the shoulders -suhunen lappillibit, sannygar sabyryan tusput battakhtaah", "squat figures covered as if with a crown- khatyrygynan hakhhalanan sildar kurduk, somo?o kihi", "the sparkle of youth- eder saas oonnuura, kulumnure", "dull old age- kyrdybyt kem olbooryute" which is translated into the Yakut language. The word "squat" in the Yakut language is translated as "whole, inseparable", which does not correspond to the original.

In addition to the images of Stepan and Timokha the plowman, let's also consider the images of Abaram Akhmetzyanov and his wife Gaga (Table 4).

Table 4. Portrait of Abaram Akhmetzyanov and his wife. The story "Marusina zaimka" (1899).

He had a round face, very dark, it is true, but with soft, regular features, and large, caressing, kind eyes... She was a typical Russian beauty, somewhat overweight, with a brisk and, as they say, "troubled" look" [9, p. 333]

Kini, kardyk hara gynan baran, simna?as, tupsa?ai koru?neh, toguruk sireideh uonna imeriibit kurduk eyes ulahan harakhtardaah ete... Khotun buolla?yna aryy ethirgen so?us uonna, "aldiarhaidaah" dien aatyrar sergeh koryuleh-istiileh gynan baran, dièneh nuuccha kyrasaabyssatyn kurduk di?unneh diakhtar ete [10, p. 106]

Since these are the secondary characters of the story (Table 4), the author in a nutshell, but very accurately conveys the images to us, using the epithets "round face", "soft, regular features", "large, caressing, kind eyes". Translated into the Yakut language, the epithet "with a troubled" look" is translated using a definition. So, the translator gives an explanation in the Yakut language "aldiarhaidaah" dien aatyrar sergeh koryuleh-istiileh".

In this article, we will also consider the portrait characteristics from the story "At-Dawan". The main idea of the story is the brutal violence against a person in a bourgeois landowner society. The clerk of the postal station, Vasily Spiridonovich Kruglikov, is the image of a "little man". This is a crushed, humiliated official, in whom the best human qualities – dignity, independence, will - have been killed. Kruglikov is a little man not only in appearance (Table 5).

Table 5. Kruglikov's portrait. The story "At-Dawan" (1892).

A small round man of indeterminate age, dressed in a rather original way, entered the room. A short–necked frock coat, plaid trousers, a piqu? waistcoat, a shirt with cuffs and even an antique curling iron, a colored tie with golden flies on a green field - all this was slightly faded, worn, as if worn on occasion, reminiscent of some long-gone times. The newcomer had heavy felt boots on his feet, along with which the short-necked German suit looked very comical. However, the little man was apparently unaware of this contrast and performed smartly, with small, "pinchy" steps. [9, pp. 163-164]

Namyhah u?uohtaah, mutohuibut byhylah, toho saastaa?a billibat, diyibe so?ustuk ta?ybyt kihi hosputugar kiiran erer ebit. Multugur surtuk yrata, duobat oyuulaah ystaan, pikeiney vest, manzhettardaah, osso onu aahan bylrgyly ploikalaah shirt yrbaahy, kuoh honuuga oloror kyhyl komus sahsyr?alaah oyuulaah haaltys, – baryt kyratik kubaryya, kursuya tusput, tuoh ere naadaa anaan katillibit byhylah taas-sap hannik ere urut buolan aaspyt kamnari sanatallar. Kiirbit kihi yar khan haati?kalaah, onu kytta sergesthe German multugur kostuumne?e olus korudyustuk kostor. Iti ihiger kyraky kihiydeen ol ta?aha tabygaha suo?un oidoobot byhylah: siedaredik tuttan, "badie?eles" kyara?as hardyylarynan haamytalyr [10, pp. 34-35]

 In this fragment (Table 5), the word "little man" contains a disparaging and derogatory assessment of the hero. Even the surname of the hero Kruglikov is consonant with his insignificant life. This assessment is caused primarily by internal features – the squalor of intellectual and moral qualities. The translator, by and large, correctly conveyed the portrait feature of the hero. In the Yakut language, diminutive forms are also used, which enhance expression. For example, the word "little man" is rendered as "kyraky kihiyden", which accurately conveys the meaning of the meaning of "little man" in the Yakut language.

In fiction, a portrait can be dynamic and static, expanded and fragmentary, psychological, reflecting the moment of the psychological characteristics of the hero, as well as external, representing a description of the features of the character's appearance. This can be seen in these examples of scientific research. Portraits of characters in V.G. Korolenko's stories are characterized by realism and typicality. In them, the characters are depicted as a typical representative of their environment in an everyday setting.

Conclusion

The purpose of this work was to identify the features of the transfer of the portrait characteristics of the character of a literary text when translated from Russian into the Yakut language.

In the course of the study, the concept of "portrait characteristics" was defined. So, Yesin believes that appearance can tell a lot about the hero, at the same time it is almost impossible to read.

The portrait characteristics selected by the method of continuous sampling from Siberian stories are dominated by images of ordinary peasants, civil servants and others. In addition to the images of ordinary peasants, we see in the story "At-Dawan" a typical image from the category of persons classified as "little people". In this story, Korolenko conveys through the image of Kruglikov the gross violence against a person in a bourgeois landowner society. This is a lying, morally repressed official who is disdainful of others, but is afraid of his superiors. 

Thus, in this work, the peculiarities of translating the portrait characteristics of Korolenko's stories into the Yakut language were considered. It should be noted that portrait characterization is one of the most important tools in literature. V.G. Korolenko is a landscape and portrait writer, therefore, an expositional portrait prevails in his stories.     

Korolenko uses various methods and techniques in the portrait characteristics of his characters. Metaphors and epithets help the writer to make psychological portraits, reveal images, convey the mental state of the characters. The translation into the Yakut language is performed at a high level, since N.E. Mordinov-Amma Achchygyya is a major word artist who masterfully reveals the psychology of his characters. All portrait characteristics are transmitted in full, since the translator himself is a writer, therefore the translation into the Yakut language turned out not to be literal, but artistic.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

References
1. Bashkatova, Y.A. (2003). Linguistic features of portrait descriptions in the intertextual aspect (based on the material of English literature of the 18th–20th centuries): Dis. ...cand. Philol. Sciences. Kemerovo.
2. Basharina, Z.K. (2020). Current problems of the literary process of Yakutia in the 21st century: textbook. Yakutsk: NEFU Publishing House.
3. Basharina, Z.K. (2013). Interaction of Russian and Yakut literatures in the 20th century (history and problems of relationships): monograph. Yakutsk: NEFU Publishing House.
4. Boeskorov, G.K. (1973). Mastery N.E. Mordinova. Yakutsk book publishing house.
5. Pospelov, G.N. (1998). Introduction to literary criticism: Proc. for philol. specialist. un-tov.
6. Dmitrievskaya, L. N. (2005). Landscape and portrait: the problem of definition and literary analysis (landscape and portrait in the work of Z. N. Gippius). Yaroslavl: Litera LLC.
7. Esin A.B. (2017). Principles and techniques of analyzing a literary work: a textbook. Moscow: Flinta.
8. Ivanova O.I. (2013). The influence of Yakut reality on the evolution of constant motifs in the works of V.G. Korolenko: monograph. Yakutsk: NEFU Publishing House.
9. Korolenko V.G. (1978). Novels and stories. Moscow: “Art. lit.”
10. Korolenko, V.G. (1954). Sakha sirin tuhunan.
11. Kulik, L.S. (1961). Siberian stories by V.G. Korolenko. Kiev.
12. Chakovsky, A., Henri Barbusse. (1940). Literary portrait.

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The text submitted for publication is aimed at analyzing the translation of portrait characteristics of the heroes of V.G. Korolenko's Siberian stories into the Yakut language. Of course, the topic is new, relevant, and little explored. Thus, the material can be regarded as constructive, scientifically verified. The author indicates at the beginning of his work that "portrait characteristics of heroes are one of the important literary techniques that writers use when creating works of art. The writer describes the appearance, gestures, facial expressions, clothes, and so on to create a special character of the hero and form his typical features. Presenting the image of the character to the reader, the writer uses various artistic means of depiction (metaphors, comparisons, epithets, and so on) in order to not only give an idea of the character's appearance through a portrait description, but also reveal his character, inner world." The purpose / objectives are formulated precisely and clearly: "the purpose of this work is to identify the features of the translation of portrait characteristics when translating artistic texts by Vladimir Galaktionovich Korolenko from Russian into the Yakut language. The purpose of the work identified the following tasks: 1) to analyze the concept of "portrait characteristics"; 2) to make a solid selection of portrait characteristics from Siberian stories; 3) to consider the features of the translation of portrait characteristics when translated into the Yakut language." The language material was chosen thoughtfully: "The Siberian stories of V.G. Korolenko, translated by N.E. Mordinov-Amma Achchygyya, served as the material for the study. V.G. Korolenko's stories represent a rich material for research, since in his stories the portrait characteristics of the characters are presented very figuratively, using various expressive means (metaphors, comparisons, personifications, metonymies, hyperboles). The Siberian short stories "Makar's Dream", "Marusina Zaimka", "At-Davan" were chosen for the study. The researcher uses a comparative principle, which is quite justified. The tabular type of systematization makes it possible to visually visually record developments. Judgments in the course of work are objective, analytical. For example, "in this text fragment (Table 2.), the author used contrasting color epithets "light blue", "light brown", "white", "red". Translated into the Yakut language, the color epithets "light blue-syrdyk kuoh", "light brown-Syrdyk kugas", "white-ma?an", "red-kyhyl" are preserved, fully convey the appearance of the hero. In this story, the image of Timokha the ploughman, personifying a peasant farmer, is very realistically conveyed. Korolenko described the image of Timokha so vividly and colorfully that it involuntarily appears before the eyes of the reader (Table 3)", or "This portrait characteristic (Table. 3) it is rich in its expressive means of "dusty hair cut off on the forehead and falling on the shoulders -suhunen lappillibit, sannygar sabyryan tusput battakhtaah", "squat figures covered as if with a crown- khatyrygynan hakhhalanan sildar kurduk, somo?o kihi", "the sparkle of youth- eder saas oonnuura, kulumnure", "dull old age- kyrdybyt kem olbooryute" which is translated into the Yakut language. The word "squat" in the Yakut language is translated as "whole, inseparable", which does not correspond to the original. In addition to the images of Stepan and Timokha the plowman, we will also consider the images of Abaram Akhmetzyanov and his wife Gaga (Table 4),"etc. The work is original, interesting; the material can be used in the study of the Yakut language. The conclusion notes that "Korolenko uses various methods and techniques in the portrait characteristics of his characters. Metaphors and epithets help the writer to make psychological portraits, reveal images, convey the mental state of the characters. The translation into the Yakut language is performed at a high level, since N.E. Mordinov-Amma Achchygyya is a major word artist who masterfully reveals the psychology of his characters. All portrait characteristics are transmitted in full, since the translator is a writer himself, therefore the translation into the Yakut language turned out not to be literal, but artistic." The bibliographic list needs a little technical editing. The main topic of the study has been disclosed, the goal has been achieved. I recommend the article "Translations of portrait characteristics of the heroes of V.G. Korolenko's Siberian stories into the Yakut language" for publication in the magazine "Litera".