Rubais by Alisher Navoi: Comparative Translation Analysis

Saodat Mukhamedova and Kosimboy Mamurov

Tashkent University of the Uzbek Language and Literature, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keywords: Translation Variants, Syntactic-Semantic Unit, Agent, Object, Locative, Causative, Temporal Elements,

Position, Formal Distributive Distinctions, Combinability, Positions, Headword, Lexical Bases.

Abstract: This article explores syntactic-semantic units as translation variants between English and Uzbek languages,

focusing on constructive translation units, often manifested as sentences. A comprehensive understanding of

sentence structure is essential for effective translation, particularly regarding syntactic-semantic elements that

function as translation variants within sentence components. These elements, such as agents, objects,

instruments, causatives, temporal, and locative indicators, exhibit variations in both syntactic-semantic

features and formal distribution. These variances encompass combinability, positional placement

(prepositional or postpositional) relative to their headwords, and lexical bases. By examining these

distinctions, translators can enhance their ability to convey accurate and nuanced translations.

1 INTRODUCTION

The 21

century witnessed a rapid surge in

cooperation and information exchange across various

sectors such as economy, politics, education, and

science. Globalization, aided by advanced

communication technologies like the Internet and

social media platforms, facilitates this

interconnectedness. Despite the existence of over 200

national languages, information accessibility has

improved significantly through translation services,

both human and machine-based.

International organizations like the United

Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) ensure

multilingual access to their proceedings and

documents. The UN translates its events and

documents into its six official languages, while the

EU translates materials into all 27 languages of its

member states. Given the impossibility of mastering

numerous languages, there's a pressing need for

translating national information into major world

languages and vice versa.

In response to this demand, Uzbekistan has

established translation departments in its universities,

including the Uzbekistan State World Languages

University and the University of Uzbek Language and

Literature named after Alisher Navoiy. These

institutions focus on training translators and

interpreters proficient in various scientific and

production fields, contributing to the global exchange

of knowledge and ideas.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This article explores syntactic-semantic units as

translation variations in English and Uzbek.

Translation units, such as sentences and their

components, are crucial for effective translation.

Understanding sentence structure and its syntactic-

semantic elements deeply is essential. These

elements, like agents, objects, and instruments,

manifest as translation variants within sentence

structures. In English, these elements present both

prepositional and non-prepositional variants, while in

Uzbek, they include variants with case endings

alongside positional, combinatorial, connotative, and

stylistic variants.

Differences between languages extend to

syntactic-semantic features and formal distributive

distinctions, including combinability and positional

variations. English and Uzbek exhibit prepositional,

postpositional, and inflectional variants, enhancing

translation capacity. The effectiveness of translation

relies on a translator's language proficiency,

translation skills, and mastery in selecting appropriate

variants and transformations from source to target

languages.

Mukhamedova, S. and Mamurov, K.

Rubais by Alisher Navoi: Comparative Translation Analysis.

DOI: 10.5220/0012956500003882

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd Pamir Transboundary Conference for Sustainable Societies (PAMIR-2 2023), pages 1187-1189

ISBN: 978-989-758-723-8

1187

Exploring syntactic-semantic elements reveals

diverse options for translators. Leveraging

knowledge of languages, translators navigate various

syntactic-semantic features and formal distinctions to

choose suitable variants. Ultimately, a translator's

ability to understand and utilise different variants

shapes the translation's accuracy and richness,

contributing to effective communication across

languages.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Let's analyze the following three sentences:

i. John invited them.

ii. They were invited by John.

iii. The earth moves round the sun.

Each sentence consists of three traditional

components: the subject (John, They, the earth), the

predicate (invited, were invited, moves), and a

dependent member (them, by John, round the sun).

The subject and predicate are main components that

are essential for the sentence's structure. The

dependent member, however, is subordinate and can

be removed without breaking the sentence's structure.

Now, let's define the syntactic-semantic elements,

or syntaxes, activated in each position of the subject,

predicate, and dependent member in these sentences.

In the first sentence, "John" serves as the subject

and expresses the agent or doer of the action. In the

second sentence, "John" is also the subject but

denotes the object of the action, despite being used in

the subject position. In the third sentence, "The earth"

serves as the subject and expresses the agent of the

action.

In the predicate position, "invited" and "moves"

express the action or process. In the second sentence,

"were invited" also expresses direction, indicating

that the action is directed at the object (They).

In the dependent member position, "them" serves

as the object in the first sentence, "by John" expresses

the agent in the second sentence, and "round the sun"

denotes a locative meaning in the third sentence.

Comparing the sentences translated into Uzbek,

we find similar syntactic-semantic elements.

However, there are structural differences in word

order, with the dependent member placed between the

subject and predicate in Uzbek sentences.

The linguistic models for the English sentences

are:

i. SbAg. PrAc. SbOb

ii. SbOb. PrAc. SbAg

iii. SbAg. PrAc. SbLc

And for the Uzbek translations:

i. SbAg. SbOb.PrAc

ii. SbOb. SbAg. PrAcDr

iii. SbAg. SbLc.PrAc

Now, let's analyze a rubai by Alisher Navoi and

its English translation by K. Mamurov to assess its

adequacy.

The rubai:

i. Jondin seni ko`p sevarmen, ey umri aziz,

ii. Sondin seni ko`p sevarmen, ey umri

aziz,

iii. Har neniki sevmoq undin ortiq bo`lmas,

iv. Ondin seni ko`p sevarmen, ey umri aziz.

The English translation: I love you more than my

soul, oh my dear, I love you more than all numbers,

oh my dear. Loving anything cannot be more than

that, I love you much more than that, oh my dear.

The translation reflects the syntactic-semantic

features of the original rubai. The linguistic analysis

shows close alignment in phonetic structure, lexical

layer, and syntactic-semantic elements between the

original and translation.

Similarly, another rubai and its translation exhibit

harmony in tone, tune, and syntaxes. The translation

effectively conveys the essence of the original poem

without losing its oriental tone.

In conclusion, both translations maintain fidelity

to the source material, demonstrating the translator's

skill in preserving the tone and meaning of the

original poems in the target language.

4 CONCLUSION

The translator undertook the task of translating the

rubai from Middle Uzbek to English with great

responsibility and artistic skill, resulting in a

successful rendition. They effectively maintained the

unity of form and content, reflecting the higher

artistic-literary and linguistic-stylistic essence of the

original poem. Through employing syntactic-

semantic elements such as degree constructions and

vocative syntaxes, the translator achieved the desired

artistic effect, capturing the tone and pathos of the

rubai in the English translation.

To achieve perfection in the translation, the

translator carefully considered various linguistic units

such as phonemes, syllables, and grammatical

constructions. They ensured the adequacy and

harmony of the translation by selecting appropriate

lexical sources and formal distributive distinctions.

Although the number of syllables and phonemes may

not always coincide between languages, efforts were

made to maintain closeness, particularly in line

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structure, while prioritising semantic coherence and

syntactic harmony.

While disparities in syllable and phoneme counts

between languages were acknowledged, the focus

remained on maintaining semantic coherence and

syntactic harmony. The translator's careful selection

of syntactic-semantic elements in English ensured

that the translation conveyed the desired tone and

meaning, resulting in an adequately harmonious

rendition of the original rubai.

REFERENCES

Muḣin, A. M. (1976). Linguistic analysis (pp. 104-105).

Leningrad.

Navoiy, Alisher. (2000). Pearls from the Ocean (K.

Mamurov, Trans.). Tashkent.

Sirojiddinov, Sh., & Odilova, G. (2011). Badiiy tarjima

asoslari (p. 131). Toshkent: MUMTOZ SO`Z.

Navoiy, Alisher. (2000). Pearls from the Ocean (K.

Mamurov, Trans.). Tashkent.

Sirojiddinov, Sh., & Odilova, G. (2011). Badiiy tarjima

asoslari (p. 131). Toshkent: MUMTOZ SO`Z.

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