Potapova A. Reproduction of stylistic means in children's fiction translation (based on Ukrainian, German and Russian translations of works by J. K. Rowling)

The thesis is focused on the problems of literary translation, specifically on translating stylistic means of children books into three languages – Ukrainian, German and Russian. The study centres on the specific character of children’s literature with its target audience being taken into account in order to achieve adequate translation. The criteria for high-quality translation of books for children have been developed. It is proposed to identify the dominant features of an author's idiostyle at the stage of pre-translation analysis and to reproduce them in the translation from a perspective of functional approach. Stylistic devices specified as the dominant ones in the books by J. K. Rowling can be divided into two groups: pragmatically adaptable and pragmatically inadaptable. Pragmatic adaptation has been determined as a mandatory tool for translation of children's literature. The thesis carries out the comparison of different translators’ tactics for rendering the basic stylistic elements in J. K. Rowling’s novels with account for their expressivity and figurativeness. These elements comprise onomastic and phraseological units, ethno-cultural flavour, metaphors and similes. Certain practical recommendations as for the choice of effective strategies and tactics in translating books for children are offered.