PRAGMATIC AND CULTURAL FACTORS IN THE TRANSLATION OF IRONY BETWEEN UZBEK AND ENGLISH

Abstract

Irony is one of the most complex pragmatic phenomena in human communication because its intended meaning often differs from its literal expression. This complexity becomes even greater in translation, where linguistic differences are accompanied by cultural and contextual variations. The successful translation of irony therefore requires more than lexical equivalence; it demands an understanding of pragmatic intention, cultural background, and the communicative purpose of the source text. This study investigates the role of pragmatic and cultural factors in the translation of irony between Uzbek and English. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the research examines representative examples of ironic expressions from both languages to identify the challenges translators encounter and the strategies used to preserve ironic meaning. The findings indicate that pragmatic elements, including context, speaker intention, implicature, and shared knowledge, play a decisive role in the interpretation of irony. Cultural factors, such as social norms, politeness conventions, historical references, and culture-specific expressions, also significantly influence translation choices. The study concludes that preserving the communicative effect of irony is more important than reproducing its literal wording. Consequently, translators should adopt pragmatic and culturally sensitive strategies to ensure that the target audience perceives the intended ironic meaning while maintaining the stylistic and communicative function of the original text.