Keywords
Abstract
Literary translation is not merely a linguistic activity but a complex process of cultural mediation. Translators must constantly make decisions about how to handle culture-specific elements such as idioms, food names, customs, and historical references. This article examines two opposing translation strategies: domestication, which makes foreign texts feel familiar to target readers, and foreignization, which preserves cultural differences. Through comparative analysis of English translations of Russian literary works and Russian translations of English literary works, the study identifies patterns in how professional translators mediate between cultures. The findings suggest that effective literary translation requires a flexible combination of both strategies rather than rigid adherence to one approach. The article concludes that the translator's role as cultural mediator is central to successful literary translation.
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