Semantic Differences and Pragmatic Equivalence in the Translation of Cultural Connotations

The aim of this research was to identify the features of translating culture-specific units in literary translation between the Kazakh and Chinese languages, with an emphasis on semantic and pragmatic equivalence. The study applied a linguocultural and comparative methodology, qualitative content analysis, lexical-semantic analysis, pragmatic analysis, and interpretive comparison of annotated parallel fragments. A typology of cultural connotations in Kazakh and Chinese prose was developed, including four main groups: realities, ethnospecific terms, phraseological units, and metaphors. Kazakh texts predominantly contained units related to nomadic culture, social organization, and ceremonial practices, while Chinese texts mainly reflected Confucian values, symbolic imagery, and concepts of family hierarchy. Differences in the frequency and pragmatic functions of culture-specific units were identified. The analysis of translation strategies revealed the predominance of foreignization and descriptive translation when rendering Kazakh units into Chinese, whereas domestication was more common in translations from Chinese into Kazakh. Typical semantic transformations included meaning shifts, splitting, and partial loss of meaning. Pragmatic equivalence was often achieved through cultural explanation, contextual adaptation, and the use of connotative elements. The practical significance of this research lies in the development of a classification model for analyzing cultural connotations. This model may support translation decisions aimed at preserving semantic accuracy and pragmatic relevance when conveying nationally marked units. The novelty of this article lies in its comparative linguistic and cultural analysis of Kazakh and Chinese literary discourse, proposing a typology of cultural connotations and a two-way study of translation strategies that identifies asymmetries, semantic discrepancies, and compensatory mechanisms in translation.