Natalia G. Rumak

The article examines examples of translating proper names from Japanese and several other East Asian languages that use logographic writing systems into Russian, within the framework of translation onomastics as discussed in the works of D. I. Ermolovich. Alongside the issues already identified in existing studies, the article outlines further questions that require consideration in the ongoing development of this field. Particular attention is given to the challenges of transcription and transliteration from different languages, the problem of preserving the internal form of the name, including the visual component of the logographic character, as well as issues of maintaining the identity of the name when translating nominal affixes.

Joining research of the phenomenon of enantiosemy (auto-antonymy) in different languages of the world, the article deals with examples from fictional literature (including those found in Japanese language corpus), where one can observe auto-antonymy in the meaning of the verb kureru “give”. This is the first work exploring semantics of a Japanese lexeme from the point of view of enantiosemy. Based on analysis of usage of this verb as auxiliary we suggest there is a semantic shift, which leads to simultaneously existing benefactive and malefactive meaning, and also differently directed vectors of the act described by the verb (either “from within to outside” vs “inside from the outside” or “from the second or third person to the first person” vs “from the first person to the second or third person”). Results of the informant survey (60 people, aged from 18 to 45 and older) confirm existence of antonymous meanings and differently directed vectors of the act, depending on the semantics of the main verb and context, including grammatical context.

In this article we study gestures and facial gestures as cultural-specific elements of a foreign culture in translation. When translating kinetic idioms, which are verbal description of gestures, facial gestures or postures and simultaneously emotions and feelings they express, a translator chooses the most adequate strategy which depends on existence of full or partial equivalents, absence of equivalents or existence of gaps in target language and culture. Ways and techniques used in every separate case, in the whole coincide with those described in the theory of translation.