Translation of Onomatopoetic Component in Onomastics

This article covers the topic of the description of translation strategies of onomatopoetic component of proper names. The term of onomatopoetic proper names is introduced for the first time. The article is the fist work that gives a view of onomatopoetic component in proper names on the material of English proper names, product names, electronic resources, theatre plays and cartoon titles. Onomatopoeia in onomastics is seen form the viewpoint of sociolinguistics. Being an aspect of literary onomastics, onomatopoetic proper names are considered to be a functional and semantic word mark (meaning-creating and text-forming) that serves as an individualizing and characteristic device. However examples of onomatopoeia in onomastics are seen not only in imaginative literature but also in advertisements and commercials. Onomatopoetic component is a unique device that allows to verbalize lingvocultural aspects of proper names. These names are pleasant to hear and easy to remember. They help to make up brand names. Translation strategies include two techniques: translator often resorts to borrowings, in other words transliterateration or transcription of the original onomatopoeia, or makes situational equivalents like occasionalisms or oral speech equivalents to render the expressive, stylistic and evaluative components of meaning of such proper names. This article will give an example of both these techniques and deduce the most affective strategies that can be applied to translation of onomatopoetic component of proper names.

onomatopoeia, onomastics, brand, sociolinguistics, translation