TRANSLATION APPROACHES TO LINGUOCULTURAL UNITS IN LITERARY TEXTS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF MARK TWAIN’S “THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER”)

Abstract

Abstract. The translation of literary texts is not merely a linguistic process but a complex act of intercultural communication. One of the most challenging aspects of literary translation is the rendering of linguocultural units, which embody national, historical, social, and cultural meanings. These units reflect the worldview, traditions, values, and everyday life of a particular linguistic community and therefore often lack direct equivalents in other languages. This article explores the main translation approaches to linguocultural units in literary texts using Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as a case study. The novel is rich in culture-specific elements such as dialects, idiomatic expressions, realia, social norms, and historical references related to 19th-century American society. The paper analyzes different types of linguocultural units found in the novel and examines various translation strategies employed to convey them adequately. The study aims to demonstrate how successful translation of linguocultural units contributes to preserving the author’s style, national color, and pragmatic effect while ensuring comprehensibility for target-language readers.