CROSS-CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES IN ADVERTISING TRANSLATION: THE CASE OF UZBEK LANGUAGE

184 CROSS-CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC ISSUES IN ADVERTISING TRANSLATION: THE CASE OF UZBEK LANGUAGE Adinayev Odiljon Jumanazarovich Ingliz tili o‘qitish metodikasi №2 kafedrasi o‘qituvchisi O‘zbekiston davlat jahon tillari universiteti [email protected] Abstract: Translating advertisements into Uzbek is a complex process that requires linguistic, cultural, semantic, and pragmatic competence. This paper analyzes the main challenges encountered when translating advertisements and examines strategies for preserving the effectiveness, humor, emotional impact, and persuasive power of the original texts. Special attention is given to linguistic issues such as idiomatic expressions, polysemy, and brevity; cultural factors including humor, social norms, and references; semantic problems involving metaphors, ambiguity, and connotation; and pragmatic aspects such as tone, style, and audience expectations. Keywords: advertising translation, Uzbek language, linguistic challenges, cultural adaptation, semantic and pragmatic issues, humor, metaphor, adaptation. Аннотация: Перевод рекламных текстов на узбекский язык является сложным процессом, требующим лингвистической, культурной, семантической и прагматической компетенции. В статье анализируются основные трудности, возникающие при переводе рекламы, и рассматриваются стратегии сохранения эффективности, юмора, эмоционального воздействия и убедительности оригинальных текстов. Особое внимание уделено лингвистическим проблемам (идиоматические выражения, многозначность, краткость), культурным аспектам (юмор, социальные нормы, культурные отсылки), семантическим трудностям (метафоры, двусмысленность, коннотaция) и прагматическим вопросам (тон, стиль, ожидания аудитории). Ключевые слова: перевод рекламы, узбекский язык, лингвистические трудности, культурная адаптaция, семантические и прагматические проблемы, юмор, метафора, адаптaция. Annotatsiya: Reklama matnlarini o‘zbek tiliga tarjima qilish — lingvistik, madaniy, semantik va pragmatik kompetensiyani talab qiladigan murakkab jarayondir. Ushbu maqolada reklama tarjimasida uchraydigan asosiy muammolar tahlil qilinadi va original matnning ta’sirchanligi, yumori, emotsional oqibati va ishontiruvchi qobiliyatini saqlab qolish strategiyalari muhokama qilinadi. E’tibor asosan lingvistik jihatlarga (idiomatik ifodalar, ko‘p ma’nolilik, qisqalik), madaniy omillarga (yumor, ijtimoiy normalar, madaniy ta’riflar), semantik qiyinchiliklarga (metaforalar, aniq bo‘lmaslik, konnotatsiya) va pragmatik jihatlarga (ton, uslub, auditoriya kutilishlari) qaratilgan. 185 Kalit so‘zlar: reklama tarjimasi, o‘zbek tili, lingvistik muammolar, madaniy adaptatsiya, semantik va pragmatik qiyinchiliklar, yumor, metafora, adaptatsiya. Advertising translation is a complex process that requires not only linguistic competence but also cultural, semantic, and pragmatic awareness. This paper examines the main problems encountered when translating advertisements into Uzbek and discusses strategies to maintain the effectiveness, emotional impact, and persuasive power of the original texts. Special attention is given to linguistic, cultural, semantic, and pragmatic challenges, with examples drawn from popular international campaigns. Advertisements are designed to attract attention, persuade, and influence consumer behavior. When translating advertisements into another language, translators must preserve the original message, emotional tone, and appeal to the target audience. Translating into Uzbek poses specific challenges due to differences in linguistic structure, cultural norms, idiomatic expressions, and marketing conventions. The Snickers advertisement “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” is a wellknown public awareness campaign that uses humor and relatable situations to promote the message of controlling irritability caused by hunger. Translating this advertisement into Uzbek presents multiple challenges related to language, culture, semantics, and pragmatics. This analysis aims to examine these challenges and the strategies employed to produce an effective translation. Linguistic issues are among the most common problems in advertisement translation. These include: Idiomatic expressions: Many advertisements use idioms, slang, or wordplay that do not have direct equivalents in Uzbek. For example, Snickers’ slogan “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” relies on figurative language that conveys emotional as well as physical hunger. A literal translation may be grammatically correct but fail to convey the humor and tone. Conciseness and brevity: Advertisements often employ short, catchy phrases to grab attention. Uzbek may require longer expressions to convey the same meaning, which can affect rhythm and impact. Polysemy and ambiguity: Words with multiple meanings, such as light, fresh, or cool, may require careful selection of equivalents to preserve the intended nuance. The phrase “You’re not you” is grammatically simple but carries figurative meaning and humor. It implies that a hungry person behaves out of character and becomes irritable. A literal translation, such as “Sen och bo‘lganda sen emasan”, is grammatically correct; however, it lacks naturalness and fails to convey the playful tone. 186 Furthermore, the word “hungry” in the original text conveys not only physical hunger but also an emotional state. The translator must consider this dual meaning to maintain the expressive and humorous effect of the advertisement. Culture plays a crucial role in how an advertisement is perceived. Cultural challenges in translation include: Cultural references: Many ads refer to specific local events, customs, or products that may be unknown to Uzbek audiences. These references often need adaptation or explanation. Humor and wordplay: Humorous slogans often depend on puns or cultural knowledge. For example, the Snickers slogan uses humor based on behavioral change when hungry, which may not be immediately understood in another cultural context. Social norms and values: Messages must align with the cultural values of the target audience to avoid misunderstanding or offense. The advertisement relies on cultural familiarity and humor that resonate with an American audience, where eating a Snickers bar is associated with a return to normal behavior. In Uzbek culture, a similar concept exists — “och bo‘lsang, asabiy bo‘lasan” — but the wordplay in “not you” may be lost in translation. To address this, the Uzbek adaptation “Och bo‘lsang, o‘zingni yo‘qotasang” preserves both the meaning and the humor of the original. This adaptation ensures that the translated text communicates the intended effect while remaining culturally appropriate for the target audience. Semantic challenges arise from differences in meaning between source and target languages: Metaphors and figurative language: Many slogans use metaphors that cannot be translated literally. For instance, “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” contains a metaphorical meaning that requires adaptation to Uzbek: “Och bo‘lsang, o‘zingni yo‘qotasang”. Ambiguity and double meanings: Words or phrases with multiple interpretations may require disambiguation while preserving appeal. Connotation and emotional impact: Translators must ensure that the translated text evokes the same emotions and associations as the original. The phrase “You’re not you” contains a metaphor. A literal translation may fail to convey this figurative meaning, reducing the advertisement's impact. Semantically, it is more effective to render the phrase as “o‘zingni yo‘qotasan” or “o‘zingdek bo‘lmaysan”, which communicates the concept clearly while preserving the metaphorical nuance. Pragmatics concerns the function and effect of language in context. In advertisement translation, pragmatic challenges include: 187 Persuasion and call to action: The translation must maintain the persuasive power and clarity of instructions or appeals. Target audience expectations: Advertisements must resonate with the audience’s lifestyle, habits, and preferences. Tone and style: Maintaining a humorous, serious, or motivational tone is essential to preserve the original effect. The primary purpose of the advertisement is to persuade the audience using humor, relatable scenarios, and a memorable style. The translation must maintain this persuasive impact to remain engaging and effective. The Uzbek version “Och bo‘lsang, o‘zingni yo‘qotasang” achieves this goal by combining clarity with playful expression, ensuring that the advertisement remains entertaining while conveying the original message. In this case, the translation is adapted rather than literal. The primary objective is to preserve the humor, emotional resonance, and persuasive power of the original text while ensuring cultural appropriateness. Adaptation allows the translator to maintain both the communicative function and the intended effect, making the advertisement understandable and impactful for the Uzbek audience. Translating advertisements into Uzbek requires careful consideration of linguistic, cultural, semantic, and pragmatic factors. Literal translation alone is often insufficient, as it may fail to convey humor, emotion, or persuasive impact. Effective translation frequently relies on adaptation, which balances fidelity to the original with cultural and linguistic appropriateness. By employing these strategies, translators can ensure that advertisements remain engaging, persuasive, and relevant to the Uzbek audience. REFERENCES: 1. Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Prentice Hall. 2. Baker, M. (2011). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. Routledge. 3. Артемьева И.Н. Теория и практика перевода. учеб. пособие. СПб.: РГГМУ, 2020. – 130 с. 4. Гарбовский Н.К. Теория перевода: учебник и практикум для академического бакалавриата. 3-е изд., испр. и доп. М.: Юрайт, 2017. – 413 с. 5. Латышев Л.К., Северова Н.Ю. Технология перевода. М.: Юрайт, 2017. – 263 с. 6. https://camphouse.io/blog/famous-ads.