ENGLISH COMPOUND ADJECTIVES AS A TRANSLATION CHALLENGE: THE UKRAINIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The article explores the specifics of translating English compound adjectives into Ukrainian. Such units play a crucial role in shaping literary imagery, ensuring accuracy in scientific discourse, and enhancing the persuasive force of journalistic writing. Yet, due to fundamental differences between the morphological systems of English and Ukrainian, their translation poses numerous challenges, requiring the translator to make complex choices and strike a balance between formal precision and communicative adequacy. The study focuses on how English adjectival compounds function within literary discourse and the strategies employed to render them in Ukrainian. It has been found that descriptive constructions are the most frequent solution, compensating for the absence of direct equivalents and preserving the natural flow of the text. The use of simple adjectives is also common, reflecting a tendency toward linguistic economy. By contrast, reproducing English compounds as Ukrainian complex adjectives is relatively rare, since the Ukrainian system is less favourable to the formation of such multi-component structures. Particular attention is given to translation transformations operating across various levels of language. The analysis shows that translating compound adjectives often requires not only structural adjustments but also semantic and pragmatic shifts, as translators adapt meaning to the cultural and stylistic expectations of the target audience. As a result, compound adjectives emerge not merely as grammatical forms, but as powerful stylistic devices that intensify the expressiveness of the text and introduce additional layers of meaning.The study concludes that the translation of adjectival compounds also fulfils a cultural-mediating role, as it frequently involves the transfer of metaphorical and sociocultural connotations.