THE PROBLEMS OF ACTUAL TRANSLATION OF A LITERARY PIECE (ON THE MATERIAL OF «THE ART OF WORLDLY WISDOM: POCKET ORACLE» BY BALTASAR GRACIAN)

Abstract

The article focuses on the recent translation into Ukrainian of «The Art of Worldly Wisdom: a Pocket Oracle» by Baltasar Gracián into Ukrainian, offering insights into the intricacies of translating a complex text from the Spanish Baroque period. The main goal of the presented scientific research is to describe the solutions of the problems of actual translation of this literary piece. The work of the Spanish Baroque author, a proponent of Conceptismo, poses significant challenges for translators due to its intricate use of linguistic signs. The text is characterised by orthography that is unfamiliar to the average reader. The reasons for this particular orthography, which is ambiguous and open to interpretation, are rooted in historical development of the Spanish language. This orthography reflects the transitional phase in the establishment of its phonetic system. Therefore, the original text necessitates careful analysis and interpretation to ensure accurate transmission of the original message. Another aspect that demanded significant attention was the interpretation of polysemous words, through which Baltasar Gracián intricately interwove a myriad of meanings into his message. The aphoristic form also necessitated translation efforts, namely the reproduction of the consonance of individual words in the source text in the target language. The translation does not reflect the intertextuality – the connection of «The Art of Worldly Wisdom: a Pocket Oracle» with other precedent texts known to Baltasar Gracián – because this intertextuality has been studied the least and requires a special approach and further studies.