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«MODERN SCIENCE АND RESEARCH»
VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 4 / UIF:8.2 / MODERNSCIENCE.UZ
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INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN TRANSLATION: THE CONSEQUENCES
OF INCORRECT TRANSLATIONS
Muhammadjonova Mohirahon Mansurbek qizi
Andijon Davlat Universiteti talabasi.
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15280829
Abstract.
In an increasingly globalized world, accurate translation plays a vital role in
fostering effective intercultural communication. This paper explores how mistranslations can
significantly hinder cross-cultural understanding, resulting in social, political, and commercial
missteps. Drawing on the foundational theories of Nida (1964) and Hofstede (2001), the study
emphasizes the need for careful navigation of linguistic and cultural nuances. Notable
examples—such as the mistranslation of political speeches or marketing slogans—demonstrate
how even minor errors can lead to offense or distort intended meanings. For instance, Pepsi’s
slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” was once mistranslated into Chinese as “Pepsi
brings your ancestors back from the grave,” causing confusion and cultural dissonance.
Similarly, diplomatic translation errors—like Khrushchev’s infamous phrase “We will bury you”
during the Cold War—illustrate the potentially dangerous consequences of inaccurate
interpretation. This research highlights the importance of cultural competence in translation,
referencing Baker’s (1992) insights on pragmatic failure and Venuti’s (1995) concepts of
domestication and foreignization. By analyzing real-world cases alongside translation theory,
the paper advocates for the integration of intercultural training in translator education and the
implementation of stricter quality assurance mechanisms within international communication
settings. Ultimately, it concludes that accurate translation is not merely a linguistic task but a
powerful bridge—or, when handled poorly, a barrier—between cultures.
Keywords
: intercultural communication, mistranslation, cultural competence, translation
theory, pragmatic failure, Hofstede, Nida.
МЕЖКУЛЬТУРНАЯ КОММУНИКАЦИЯ ПРИ ПЕРЕВОДЕ: ПОСЛЕДСТВИЯ
НЕПРАВИЛЬНОГО ПЕРЕВОДА
Аннотация.
Во все более глобализирующемся мире точный перевод играет
жизненно важную роль в обеспечении эффективной межкультурной коммуникации. В
данной статье рассматривается, как неправильный перевод может существенно
затруднить межкультурное взаимопонимание, что приводит к социальным,
политическим и коммерческим ошибкам. Опираясь на основополагающие теории Нида
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(1964) и Хофстеде (2001), в исследовании подчеркивается необходимость тщательного
учета лингвистических и культурных нюансов. Известные примеры, такие как
неправильный перевод политических речей или маркетинговых лозунгов, демонстрируют,
как даже незначительные ошибки могут привести к оскорблениям или исказить
предполагаемый смысл. Например, слоган Pepsi “Оживай вместе с поколением Pepsi”
когда-то был неправильно переведен на китайский как “Pepsi возвращает твоих предков
из могилы”, что вызвало путаницу и культурный диссонанс. Аналогичным образом,
ошибки в дипломатическом переводе, такие как печально известная фраза Хрущева “Мы
вас похороним” во время холодной войны, иллюстрируют потенциально опасные
последствия неточного толкования. Это исследование подчеркивает важность
культурной компетентности при переводе, ссылаясь на идеи Бейкера (1992) о
прагматической несостоятельности и концепции Венути (1995) о доместикации и
иноязычности. Анализируя реальные примеры из практики наряду с теорией перевода,
авторы статьи выступают за интеграцию межкультурного обучения в образование
переводчиков и внедрение более строгих механизмов обеспечения качества в условиях
международного общения. В конечном счете, автор приходит к выводу, что точный
перевод — это не просто лингвистическая задача, но и мощный мост — или, при плохом
выполнении, барьер - между культурами.
Ключевые слова:
межкультурная коммуникация, неправильный перевод,
культурная компетентность, теория перевода, прагматическая несостоятельность,
Хофстеде, Нида.
Introduction
In today's interconnected world, communication across cultures has become both
inevitable and indispensable. As businesses expand globally, political dialogue spans continents,
and digital platforms connect diverse communities, the role of translation in facilitating
intercultural communication has never been more critical. Yet, despite its centrality, translation
is not a neutral or purely mechanical act—it is deeply embedded in cultural context. Words carry
connotations, values, and historical baggage that differ across linguistic boundaries. When these
subtleties are overlooked, the consequences can range from minor misunderstandings to serious
diplomatic tensions or commercial failures (Baker, 1992; Nida, 1964).
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Intercultural communication, as defined by scholars such as Hofstede (2001), involves
the exchange of meaning across different cultural frameworks, each with its own norms, values,
and communicative expectations. Translation, then, becomes a mediator—not just of language,
but of culture. However, when this mediation is flawed due to mistranslations or cultural
misinterpretations, the results can be problematic. For example, when Procter & Gamble
attempted to introduce a baby product to the Japanese market using an image of a stork
delivering a baby—common in Western storytelling—the campaign fell flat, as the symbol held
no cultural resonance in Japan (Chaney & Martin, 2011). Similarly, diplomatic errors—like the
infamous misinterpretation of Nikita Khrushchev’s phrase “Мы вас похороним” (“We will bury
you”)—sparked unnecessary Cold War anxieties due to a literal rather than contextual translation
(Faiola, 2006). Theoretical perspectives in translation studies, such as Venuti's (1995) concepts
of domestication and foreignization, further underscore the challenges of balancing fidelity to the
source text with cultural intelligibility for the target audience. Likewise, Nida’s (1964) dynamic
equivalence theory stresses the importance of capturing intended meaning rather than sticking
rigidly to word-for-word translations. This paper aims to investigate the complex interplay
between translation and intercultural communication, with a particular focus on the
consequences of incorrect translations. By analyzing real-world examples and grounding the
discussion in translation theory, this study seeks to emphasize the need for cultural awareness,
contextual sensitivity, and ethical responsibility in the practice of translation.
Methodology
This research employs a qualitative, interpretive methodology, designed to explore how
mistranslations impact intercultural communication across various real-world contexts. Unlike
quantitative approaches that focus on numerical frequency or statistical trends, this study
prioritizes contextual meaning, cultural nuance, and situational analysis, which are better
captured through qualitative tools (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). The methodology is rooted in
descriptive case study analysis (Yin, 2014), allowing for in-depth investigation of notable
incidents involving mistranslations and their cultural consequences. Through purposive
sampling, the study identifies translation events where language miscommunication led to
significant cultural or communicative breakdowns. This design is particularly useful for
uncovering the complex, often hidden relationships between language, culture, and meaning
(Stake, 1995). Moreover, the study takes an interdisciplinary approach, blending insights from
translation studies, sociolinguistics, intercultural communication, and media studies.
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This makes it possible to not only assess linguistic inaccuracy, but also evaluate its
symbolic, pragmatic, and ideological implications. The analytical lens for this research draws
from three interrelated theoretical models: Nida’s (1964) dynamic equivalence theory, which
posits that effective translation should focus on reproducing the meaning of the source message
in a way that elicits a similar response in the target audience—rather than translating word-for-
word, translators should strive for functional equivalence, ensuring the intent and emotional tone
of the message is preserved, thus helping evaluate why literal translations often fail in
intercultural contexts; Venuti’s (1995) concepts of domestication (adapting a text to the target
culture) and foreignization (retaining source culture elements), which examine whether a
translation strategy respects cultural difference or imposes dominant cultural values, often linked
to power asymmetries in global communication; and Hofstede’s (2001) cultural dimensions
theory, which identifies cultural variables such as individualism vs. collectivism, power distance,
and uncertainty avoidance that influence how messages are interpreted across cultures, making
his model critical in assessing how specific translation choices may resonate—or misfire—with
target audiences depending on their cultural value systems. These three frameworks collectively
guide the textual and discourse analysis, enabling the researcher to assess not just what was
translated incorrectly, but why the error mattered and how it affected intercultural
communication outcomes. Data was gathered through a combination of document analysis,
archival research, and secondary literature review, with the goal of compiling a diverse and
representative set of mistranslation cases from across domains such as politics, international
marketing, and audiovisual media. Political communication sources included translations of
historical speeches and diplomatic exchanges accessed from U.S. State Department archives,
Russian Federation records, and the United Nations digital library; corporate and advertising
materials involved missteps from brands like KFC, HSBC, Electrolux, and Pepsi, examined
using reports from global marketing literature (de Mooij, 2010; Usunier & Lee, 2009); media
and entertainment translation examples were drawn from subtitled or dubbed media content from
Netflix, YouTube, and streaming platforms, especially where cultural idioms and humor were
mistranslated or mislocalized (Gambier & Gottlieb, 2001; Díaz Cintas & Remael, 2007); and
academic literature included cases discussed in peer-reviewed journals such as
The Translator
,
Meta
, and
Translation Studies
, which provided scholarly interpretation of documented
translation failures. Selection criteria focused on impact—where the incident had measurable or
reported consequences such as consumer backlash or political controversy; cultural dimension—
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where the mistranslation involved cultural misunderstanding rather than just linguistic error; and
domain diversity—ensuring the cases represented different fields and geographical regions for
varied perspectives. Data was coded thematically to identify recurring patterns such as idiomatic
mistranslations, cultural taboos, or humor misfires, and cross-analyzed against theoretical
frameworks for deeper interpretation. While the study is robust in its qualitative depth, several
limitations must be recognized: generalizability is limited, as the case-based approach does not
allow for statistical extrapolation to all translation contexts, aiming instead for insight rather than
prediction (Maxwell, 2013), with broader trends requiring large-scale corpus or survey-based
methods; selection bias is possible, since purposive sampling may favor high-profile or
“spectacular” translation failures more likely to be documented, potentially skewing the dataset
away from more mundane but equally important challenges (Flyvbjerg, 2006); language range is
constrained by the researcher’s linguistic competencies and available documentation, focusing
primarily on English and widely spoken global languages such as Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish,
and Russian, while lesser-known or regional languages are underrepresented despite potentially
facing more acute translation issues due to lack of resources; temporal relevance may be affected
as some examples, particularly historical or from older media, might not fully reflect current
intercultural sensibilities or translation practices influenced by AI and machine learning,
rendering the analysis more illustrative than prescriptive; and technological constraints arise
from the study not systematically examining machine translation tools like Google Translate,
which increasingly shape global communication—an area ripe for future research, especially in
real-time or informal digital contexts. Despite these limitations, the study offers critical insights
into the real-world stakes of translation accuracy and the role of cultural competence in global
messaging.
Discussion
The findings of this study illustrate that mistranslation is not a simple linguistic mishap
but rather a profound intercultural communication failure that can influence perceptions,
behaviors, and relationships across borders. Each mistranslation studied reveals how language
and culture are deeply intertwined, and how the act of translation—when done carelessly or
without cultural awareness—can distort not only meaning, but intent, emotion, and identity. As
Nida (1964) emphasized, effective translation requires capturing dynamic equivalence—not just
the linguistic structure, but also the intended effect on the audience.
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The errors found in diplomatic and marketing translations, such as Khrushchev’s “We
will bury you” or HSBC’s “Do Nothing,” reveal that literal translation fails when separated from
cultural context. These cases demonstrate that meaning is co-constructed between text and
culture, and translators must understand both sides of the equation to avoid serious
consequences. Venuti’s (1995) concepts of domestication and foreignization provide a useful
lens for understanding how translations are shaped by cultural and ideological forces. In many
cases, domestication strategies are used to make texts more palatable to the target audience, but
this often leads to the erasure or misrepresentation of source cultures. In subtitled films, for
example, culturally loaded expressions are often replaced with simplified phrases, stripping away
the cultural richness and reinforcing ethnocentric perspectives. This raises critical ethical
questions: Should translators adapt content for easier reception, or should they preserve cultural
authenticity at the risk of misunderstanding? There is no universal answer, but the findings
suggest that cultural flattening can limit cross-cultural understanding, especially when audiences
are not exposed to the complexity of foreign worldviews. The research confirms that humor and
idiomatic expressions are particularly vulnerable in translation. These elements often rely on
shared cultural knowledge and context-specific meaning, which can be easily lost or
misinterpreted in another language. For example, puns, sarcasm, or metaphorical language may
have no direct equivalent in the target language. When such elements are translated literally, they
may confuse or alienate the audience, weakening the communicative purpose of the message
(Díaz Cintas & Remael, 2007). This is especially relevant in media translation and advertising,
where brand identity or narrative tone can hinge on wordplay or cultural nuance. The translator’s
ability to creatively reconstruct meaning—while staying loyal to the original intent—is critical
here. A recurring theme across all findings is the importance of cultural literacy. Linguistic
knowledge alone is insufficient; translators must also possess a nuanced understanding of
cultural norms, values, history, and sensitivities. As Hall (1976) argues, different cultures encode
meaning in different ways—some are high-context (relying on implicit cues), while others are
low-context (more explicit). A competent translator must bridge these differences, anticipating
how a message will be received by the target audience. This point also connects with Hofstede’s
cultural dimensions theory, which explains how concepts like individualism, hierarchy, and
uncertainty avoidance shape communication styles. When translation fails to consider these
factors, the result is not just misunderstanding, but a breakdown in trust, respect, or engagement.
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While machine translation tools like Google Translate or DeepL have become more
advanced, they still struggle with contextual understanding and pragmatic function—especially
when translating culture-bound expressions, politeness strategies, or non-verbal connotations. As
Lopez & Post (2017) and Gaspari et al. (2015) note, current AI systems lack the cultural
intelligence that human translators bring to their work. Thus, in high-stakes communication
(diplomacy, health, legal matters), reliance on machines without human oversight can exacerbate
intercultural miscommunication, reinforcing the need for skilled human translation.
Results
The analysis of case studies and scholarly sources reveals that incorrect translations can
have complex and far-reaching effects that go beyond simple linguistic errors. Mistranslations
often lead to serious
intercultural misunderstandings
,
miscommunication of intent
, and in
some cases,
social, political, or economic consequences
. These errors typically arise from a
failure to consider cultural context, connotative meanings, and audience expectations,
demonstrating that translation is not merely a mechanical process but a nuanced act of cultural
mediation.
One of the most illustrative examples comes from diplomatic history: Soviet Premier
Nikita Khrushchev’s phrase “Мы вас похороним” was translated into English as “We will bury
you,” which was widely perceived in the West as a direct threat of nuclear war. However, in
Russian, the expression more accurately meant “We will outlast you,” referring to the ideological
endurance of communism over capitalism. This mistranslation significantly escalated Cold War
tensions, emphasizing how a lack of cultural and contextual understanding in translation can
distort political messages and create unnecessary conflict (Hatim & Mason, 1997; Venuti,
1995).
In the commercial sphere, mistranslations have proven equally damaging. A notable case
involves HSBC’s global campaign slogan “Assume Nothing,” which was mistranslated in some
countries as “Do Nothing.” The confusion led to a costly $10 million rebranding campaign.
Similarly, Electrolux’s marketing campaign in the United States included the tagline “Nothing
sucks like an Electrolux,” which, due to the informal use of the word "sucks," came across as
humorous or inappropriate rather than professional. These examples highlight how incorrect
translations can lead to
financial loss
,
brand damage
, and a
loss of consumer trust
(de Mooij,
2010).
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Another significant result is the challenge of translating humor, idioms, and figurative
language. These elements are often rooted in specific cultural references and linguistic
playfulness, making them difficult to reproduce in another language without losing their meaning
or emotional effect. Research in audiovisual translation, especially in subtitling Western TV
shows into non-Western languages, shows that jokes and sarcasm often fail to resonate with the
target audience because the humor does not transfer culturally. As Díaz Cintas and Remael
(2007) note, this often leads to flattening of meaning, which reduces audience engagement and
alters character portrayal.
In the realm of public communication and health, mistranslations can even have
dangerous consequences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, miscommunications stemming from
poor translation of health guidelines into minority languages led to confusion and increased
vulnerability among immigrant communities. This situation demonstrated that the lack of
culturally and linguistically inclusive translation can reinforce
social exclusion
and
inequitable
access to information
(Piller, Zhang, & Li, 2020).
Furthermore, the increasing reliance on machine translation tools like Google Translate
introduces its own set of risks. While such tools are useful for basic communication, studies
show that they often fail to capture nuance, politeness levels, gender sensitivity, and socio-
cultural connotations (Gaspari et al., 2015). Automated translations frequently produce outputs
that are syntactically correct but pragmatically flawed, especially in contexts requiring emotional
sensitivity or professional formality. In intercultural communication, such errors can be
perceived as
disrespectful
,
robotic
, or even
offensive
.
Finally, the broader consequence of incorrect translations is a reduction in
intercultural
understanding
. When cultural subtleties are erased or distorted, it not only misrepresents the
source culture but also prevents the target audience from fully engaging with cultural diversity.
Venuti (1995) argues that the dominance of target-language norms often leads to the silencing of
foreign voices, which in turn perpetuates cultural hegemony and misunderstanding rather than
promoting dialogue and exchange.
In sum, the findings underscore the idea that mistranslation is not simply a matter of
wrong words, but a symptom of deeper issues related to cultural disconnection, lack of
intercultural competence, and insufficient investment in qualified human translators.
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The consequences can be as subtle as a misunderstood joke or as serious as international
diplomatic strain or public misinformation. Therefore, addressing these issues requires a shift in
how translation is approached—not as a technical task, but as a critical intercultural practice.
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