The rendering of similes in the translation of the novel “Otkan kunlar”

Abstract

This article analyzes the rendering of similes and figurative comparisons in Abdulla Qodiriy’s Bygone Days (O‘tkan kunlar) from linguistic-pragmatic and translation-theoretical perspectives. E.A. Nida’s theory of formal and dynamic equivalence serves as the main methodological framework. Nida emphasizes that translation should aim at the “closest natural equivalent,” which is particularly significant when transferring nationally marked imagery, irony, colloquial comparisons, and emotional impact in literary texts. Based on representative examples from O‘tkan kunlar, the study demonstrates how similes may be rendered through literal translation, pragmatic adaptation, explicitation, and functional equivalence. The findings show that although formal equivalence may preserve national color in some cases, dynamic equivalence is often more effective in reproducing pragmatic force, including irony, ridicule, evaluation, and dialogic liveliness. The study concludes that in translating similes from O‘tkan kunlar, priority should be given not merely to lexical matching but to the recreation of artistic, aesthetic, and pragmatic function in the target language. In addition, the study clearly demonstrates the practical importance of the linguopragmatic approach in preserving cultural units and recreating the stylistic expressiveness of the original in literary translation.