The concept of crime: linguo-cultural representation and features of its translation (Maigret’s Failure by Georges Simenon case study)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2617-3921.2022.21-22.7-16Keywords:
national worldview, detective novel, frame, frame analysis, extralinguistic markers, translational transformationsAbstract
Features of conceptualisation of behavioral responses and interaction of individual and collective consciousness become a subject of study in various fields of knowledge. The concept of crime refers to those fundamental and universal categories that reveal cognitive mechanisms at the level of relevant interaction with multiple concepts, national features of worldviews, cultural specifics, individual psychological experiences, and behavioral adaptation. The paper studies the linguo-cultural concept of crime in the Francophone detective novel “Maigret’s Failure” by the famous French writer of Belgian origin, Georges Simenon. The study aims to analyse the linguo-cultural representation, functional role, and verbal representation of the concept of crime in the detective novel “Maigret’s Failure” (French “Un échec de Maigret”) by Georges Simenon in the original text and translation. In order to achieve this, the article analyses the structural and genre features of a Francophone detective novel, specifies socio- cultural and lexical-semantic functions of the dominant concept of crime and defines the frame structure of the concept of crime. The translation of Mykola Meshcheriak was used for comparative translation analysis. The paper examines the functional representation of the concept of crime in a fictional narrative detective story and its translation equivalence. Frame analysis is used for this purpose. It makes it possible to investigate the relationship between lexical-semantic, stylistic, and cognitive components that reflect speakers’ worldviews. Four basic conceptual frames as crime, mystery, investigation, and punishment are identified in the study in order to examine the development of semantic components of the concept of crime in the fictional narrative. Each of them has segment slots. It is claimed that the feature of a detective novel depends on the conceptual frame the author prioritises and with what slots he completes it. For example, in accordance with the legal aspect, the dominant process may be crime – punishment; in the moral aspect, crime – motive. The lexical and stylistic elements of the concept of crime are not the only presented distinctive feature of the linguo-cultural connotation in the works of Georges Simenon. It is also the addition of various markers, distinguished by the author’s ironic and philosophical manner of portraying the main idea and therefore depicting the way of living and living conditions of the French burghers of that time. Commissioner Maigret’s arrogant and confident behavior involves all participants of the investigation process in interaction and assures of the inevitability of solving the crime. The development of the conflict, attention to detail, motives for behaviour, the silence of witnesses, empathy, and not just condemnation indicate the importance of understanding the cause-and-effect relationships of the commission of a crime rather than punishment. Comparative analysis of the original text and translation makes it possible to interpret legal relationships and extralinguistic information in the French and Ukrainian worldviews. Various features used to describe the concept of crime depend on the translation style rather than the ambiguity of interpretation. The stylistic elements of the concept are somewhat neutralised in compliance with the juridical nomination in the Ukrainian translation.
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