EXPRESSING THE INNER WORLD: TECHNIQUES FOR TRANSLATING PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES IN UZBEK LITERARY TEXTS INTO ENGLISH

Abstract

This article explores the translation of units expressing psychological states from Uzbek literary texts into English, focusing on the principles of artistic-psychological adequacy. Psychological states in Uzbek texts are often conveyed not through direct lexical nomination but via contextual cues, descriptive details, somatic metaphors, and speech-intonation markers. Through illustrative analysis of excerpts from Oybek’s Bolalik (Childhood, translated by Carolyn Wei), Shukur Xolmirzayev’s O‘zbek xarakteri (Character of Uzbek, translated by H. Allanazarova), and O‘tkir Hoshimov’s Dunyoning ishlari (Affairs of Life, translated by O. Mo‘minov), the study demonstrates how translators render these nuanced states in English using strategies such as semantic interpretation, functional equivalence, expansion, compensation, and modulation. The analysis highlights the role of descriptive/analytical predicative structures, metaphorical expressions, and emotion-masking strategies in preserving the psychological intensity, pragmatic connotations, and stylistic impact of the original text. The study confirms that successful translation of psychological state units requires a creative approach that goes beyond lexical equivalence, emphasizing semantic, stylistic, connotative, and pragmatic alignment between source and target texts. Ultimately, the article illustrates how the translation process bridges cultural-psychological meaning and preserves the aesthetic-emotional effect of the original literary work.