THE ISSUE OF UNTRANSLATABILITY IN KOREAN CULTURALLY BOUND WORDS
THE ISSUE OF UNTRANSLATABILITY IN KOREAN CULTURALLY BOUND WORDS

Summary/Abstract: This article explores the issue of untranslatability of Korean words with cultural significance, focusing on the challenges one might encounter when trying to render them in Romanian. Korean literary texts serve as mirrors of the country’s society and customs, that is why when attempting to translate them we encounter barriers due to the cultural specificity embedded in the language. This study attempts to categorize these culturally bound words into honorifics, historical or archaic words, onomatopoeic expressions, and emotional concepts, such as han and jeong, that lack in direct equivalents in Romanian. Additionally, the article examines the unique challenges that appear in the attempt of translating Korean internet slang and youth jargon, as the language forming mechanisms are themselves unique. By addressing these complexities, the paper emphasizes the translator’s dual role as a linguistic and cultural mediator, advocating for paraphrasing and contextual explanation when direct equivalence cannot be attained. The findings highlight the link between language and culture, demonstrating how cultural relativity shapes the perception of reality in different languages.

• Details
• Contents