A Cognitive-Semiotic Approach to Reconstructing Meaning in Literary Translation

This article advances a cognitive-semiotic perspective on literary translation, reframing it as a sophisticated process of reconstructing meaning and effect within a new semiotic system, rather than a simple linguistic transfer. Using John Green's novel “The Fault in Our Stars” and its Russian and Uzbek versions as a central case study, this analysis employs the theoretical lenses of frame semantics, pragmatics, and cultural connotation to deconstruct the challenges inherent in translating complex domains such as metaphors, minimalist formulae, and intertextual references. It demonstrates that successful translation requires a strategic blend of retention, modulation, and compensation to preserve the source text's conceptual structures and cultural resonance. The article culminates in a pragmatic, multi-tiered workflow designed to guide translators toward achieving not just literal accuracy, but profound artistic veracity.