Translation of the epics of related Turkic cultures to Yakut language: The case of translating the Altai epic «Maadai-Kara» and the Bashkir epic «Ural-batyr»

Heroic epics, being developed over centuries in many different cultures, is a folklore trove that contains a culture’s views on its history and the world around. Every new generation draws upon its epic to conceptualize its historical trajectory. Thus, the preservation and research of such epics are and will always be relevant. Thanks to the well-conceived government program for the preservation and development of the heroic epic of olonkho, there is a renewed interest in the translation of epics. As such, olonkho is translated to other languages and the epics of other cultures – to the Yakut language. However, it is not enough to simply translate and publish epics. The process of translation and intercultural dialogue arising from the translation are all of great academic importance. The uniqueness of such a process lies in the fact that the translation objects are archaic texts of related linguocultures. Not only words and phrases are translated and a captivating plot is relayed but also the translators search for new idioms from the common Turkic culture that have been transformed or forgotten through the ages. In this respect, the translation of epics and comparative research of these texts uncovers new aspects not only for linguists but also for folklore specialists, anthropologists, and historians. This article analyzes the vocabulary and syntax of the Yakut translations of the Altai epic «Maadai-Kara» and the Bashkir epic «Ural-Batyr». The article also points out similarities with the Yakut folklore – aphorisms, oral-formulaic compositions, mythological and fairytale plots. The comparison of the original and translated texts suggests the use of the comparative method and – to a lesser extent – of the statistical method that is used only when analyzing the vocabulary of the translation. The defining feature of the comparative analysis of these epic texts is the extensive use of an intermediary text in Russian. Common Turkic and unique cultural features of the Altai and Bashkir epics are adequately presented in the Russian translation made for philological use. Such similarity to the Yakut mindset which is recognized by every Yakut reader is checked in this research by comparing with the original text in Altai and Bashkir languages. Based on the inspection of the translational decisions made in these translations, the article draws a conclusion on translational techniques suited for translating texts of related cultures. A technique for comparing rhythmic-syntactic parallelisms is presented. This technique reveals inconsistencies with the original structure of the original rhythmic-syntactic parallelisms, despite the contextual and semantic accuracy of their translation into the Yakut language. Thus, the article points out the most striking linguistic phenomena and their further study would be highly beneficial for science.

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