LINGUISTIC CORRESPONDENCES AND NON-CORRESPONDENCE IN TRANSLATION: HOW TRANSLATORS PRESERVE MEANING

Abstract

Linguistic correspondence in translation refers to the relationship between source-language units and target-language units that function as equivalents in context, while non-correspondence arises when no ready-made equivalent can be used. This article explains how translators move from regular correspondences (permanent and variable equivalents) to occasional, context-built solutions when correspondence breaks down. Drawing on equivalence-centered accounts that treat an equivalent as a potential substitute selected by context, the study highlights the decisive role of linguistic and situational context in choosing appropriate correspondences. It also uses shift-based perspectives to show that correspondence is often achieved through systematic departures from formal similarity rather than literal matching. Through focused examples, the analysis demonstrates how translators handle polysemy, culture-specific items, and equivalent-lacking terms using transposition, modulation, explicitation, borrowing, and descriptive translation. The article concludes that correspondence competence is best understood as a decision skill: knowing when to trust regular equivalents and when to construct an occasional solution without distorting meaning.