Volume 15 Issue 09, July 2025
Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
6.995, 2024 7.75
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TRANSLATION CHALLENGES: STRATEGIES FOR TRANSLATING HUMOROUS
DIALOGUES IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGE SYSTEMS
Bektoshev Mubashirkhon Odilbek ugli
EFL teacher at Kokand University
Doctoral student of Kokand State University
bektoshevmubashirxon@gmail.com
, +998916804088
Introduction
Humor is one of the most captivating yet most delicate and difficult-to-translate aspects of any
culture. It is inextricably linked not only to language but also to deep cultural, historical, and
social contexts. "Transferring" a humorous dialogue from a film, book, or series into another
language is not just about replacing words but transforming an entire emotion, intention, and
laughter into a new cultural code. This process poses an extremely complex task for the
translator: to preserve the text or its effect? This article explores the main strategies used in
translating humorous material from different language systems (e.g., English, Uzbek, Russian),
their applications, and their effectiveness.
Main Challenges in Translating Humor
The main obstacles in translating a humorous text are:
Linguistic barriers: Puns, homonyms, homophones, idioms, proverbs, and riddles. Many
of these are specific to a particular language system and cannot be translated directly.
Cultural barriers: National stereotypes, historical and political allusions, local realities
(realia), jokes about figures or events in popular culture. Making these allusions understandable
to people from another culture is very difficult.
Pragmatic barriers: Cross-cultural differences in speech techniques such as irony, sarcasm,
and understatement. Something funny in one culture may be considered literal or even offensive
in another.
Main Translation Strategies
1.
Direct translation (borrowing/literal translation)
This strategy implies a word-for-word, literal translation. It is effective only in the simplest cases,
for example, with universal humor or situations explained clearly by the context.
Application: If the humor is situational, not linguistic.
Limitations: Often loses the comic effect of the original or makes the text incomprehensible.
Example (English -> Uzbek):
Original: "I'm on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it." (Wordplay: seafood and see food sound
similar).
Direct translation: "Men dengiz mahsulotlari dietasidaman. Men ovqatni ko‘raman va uni
eyaman." – NO HUMOR. The translation loses the pun and thus the entire joke.
2.
Replacement with an equivalent (cultural substitution)
This is one of the most frequently used and effective strategies. The translator replaces the
cultural element in the source text with a understandable and humorous equivalent from the
target culture.
Application: When translating cultural allusions, stereotypes, proverbs, jokes about famous
Volume 15 Issue 09, July 2025
Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
6.995, 2024 7.75
http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass
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people.
Advantages: Makes the text natural, understandable, and funny for the new audience.
Disadvantages: Can sometimes lead to a loss of the original cultural flavor.
Example (Russian -> Uzbek):
Original: Russian joke "Ну, ты и Плюшкин!" (an image from Gogol's "Dead Souls" – a miser).
Equivalent replacement: "Voy, naq bir Xo‘jamshukurovsan-ku!" (An image from Uzbek culture
that conveys the same meaning, is understandable). – HUMOR PRESERVED.
3.
Adaptation (recreation)
This is the freest strategy, where the translator, based on the content and purpose of the original
joke, creates a completely new, but functionally equivalent, joke.
Application: For puns, complex idioms, cases of very strong cultural dependency.
Advantages: If successful, it completely restores the comic effect of the original.
Disadvantages: Very labor-intensive and risks straying far from the accuracy and style of the
source text.
Example (English -> Uzbek):
Original: "Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!" ("Make up" has
two meanings: 1. to constitute, 2. to fabricate).
Adaptation: "Olimlar nega elektronlarga ishonmaydi? – Chunki ular hamisha *zaryadlanib*
ketadilar!" – Here, "zaryadlanish" means both a physical phenomenon and "getting overly
emotional/excited." HUMOR PRESERVED.
4.
Adding a note or explanation (explication)
In this strategy, the translator translates the joke directly but provides a brief explanation in
parentheses for understanding.
Application: Used mainly in textual publications (books, articles); difficult to use in audiovisual
translation (film).
Advantages: Preserves the completeness and cultural accuracy of the original text.
Disadvantages:* Disrupts the flow of speech and almost destroys the humor, as the joke needs to
be explained.
Example: If the English phrase "Thanks, Captain Obvious!" is translated directly, the audience
might not understand. Therefore: "Rahmat, Malumotdon Kapitan! [– mocking someone for
stating the obvious]".
5.
Translating the general sense (functional equivalent)
This strategy focuses on conveying the general function of the joke (e.g., mocking someone,
lightening the mood) rather than its exact words. The translator may find another joke in the
target language that fits the situation and sounds natural.
Application: Widely used in audiovisual translation, especially dubbing.
Example (English -> Russian): When translating wordplay in the "Shrek" cartoon, translators
often used funny Russian phrases to achieve a similar comic effect rather than translating word-
for-word.
Conclusion
Translating humorous dialogues is a subtle fusion of art and science. There is no single "best"
strategy that is always effective. Effective translation always depends on the context, the type of
text (film, literary work, meme), the cultural level of the audience, and the purpose of the
translation.
Volume 15 Issue 09, July 2025
Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023:
6.995, 2024 7.75
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Often, the best result is achieved through a mixed approach—combining different strategies. For
example, one pun in a film might be replaced with an equivalent, while another might be adapted.
The key is that the translator must have a deep knowledge of both languages and both cultures,
understand the essence of the humor, and strive to recreate its comic effect for the new audience.
Translating humor is not fidelity to the original text, but fidelity to its spirit.
REFERENCES
1.
Baker, M. (2018). In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation. Routledge.
2.
Delabastita, D. (1996). Wordplay and Translation: Special Issue of The Translator.
Routledge.
3.
Newmark, P. (1988). A Textbook of Translation. Prentice Hall.
4.
Rix, M. (2020). Translating Humour: A Practical Approach. Journal of Specialised
Translation, Issue 34.
5.
Vandepitte, S. (2008). Translating Humour: A Practical Approach. Target. International
Journal of Translation Studies, 20:1.
