Metaphor and metonymy in translation: transformation of images in Russian versions of Guillaume Apollinaire's works

Abstract

This study is devoted to the nuances of metaphor and metonymy translation, in particular, to the works of Guillaume Apollinaire and their Russian translations. The article begins by defining the theoretical foundations of metaphor and metonymy, drawing on linguistic and cognitive theories to emphasise their importance in literary discourse. It then provides a thorough analysis of Apollinaire's unique stylistic elements, highlighting the fusion of visual and verbal poetics and how these aspects pose a challenge to the translator. The main part of the study is an in-depth analysis of selected Apollinaire works, offering a comparative analysis of the original French texts and their Russian counterparts. This segment highlights the difficulties inherent in translating Apollinaire's rich metaphorical and metonymic language, marked by a characteristic combination of visual imagery and linguistic innovation. The study uses a range of linguistic examples to demonstrate both successful and problematic translation solutions, providing a multifaceted insight into the translation process. The paper then examines the specific difficulties of translating metaphor and metonymy into Russian, given the linguistic and cultural differences between French and Russian. It presents various translation techniques such as substitution, modulation and word-for-word translation and evaluates their effectiveness in bridging the gap between the two languages. The study also critically examines examples where direct translation fails to convey the essence of the original, emphasising the importance of cultural context and idiomatic appropriateness in translation. The conclusion summarises the findings, highlighting the crucial role of cultural and cognitive considerations when translating metaphors and metonymies.