Discourse Analysis of Translated Works from a “Third Language” (Based on Works Produced by Translation Students)

Abstract

Over centuries of development, the Mongolian language, its dialectal variation, and linguistic issues have increasingly drawn the attention of translators, interpreters, and linguists, particularly in relation to lexical challenges in translating foreign languages. This issue commonly arises when translating texts from Mongolian into foreign languages. However, this study focuses on the reverse process—examining common errors that occur when translating foreign texts, particularly translated works, back into Mongolian.

The study identifies frequent errors related to native Mongolian vocabulary, as well as loanwords and internationally shared universal lexical items. These issues reflect not only linguistic concerns but also broader cross-cultural influences and interrelations. Achieving an adequate translation equivalent requires not only lexical substitution but also syntactic and stylistic correspondence, as well as accurate representation of denotation and the full conceptual and discourse-level meaning of the source text. It is indisputable that this process demands extensive research and considerable effort.

Therefore, in accordance with discourse analysis—often referred to as “speech beyond speech”—this study emphasizes that rendering the actual concepts, events, and their interrelationships in literary translation extends beyond linguistic competence alone. It is closely connected to the cultural system of a given society and its various modes of linguistic expression.

Among literary genres, this article specifically examines folktales and oral literature, focusing on three aspects encountered in their translation: genre-specific characteristics, lexical usage, and cultural influence. A lexical analysis is conducted based on these dimensions. Issues such as indirect translation (equivalence), loanword usage, and semantic shift in lexical choice are discussed as phenomena arising from cultural and linguistic differences. These observations are supported by empirical analysis of more than 20 translation works produced by translation students.

The main argument of this article is to demonstrate how discourse-level conceptual meaning is expressed in translation from a purely linguistic perspective within translated literary works.