Grammatical And Stylistic Factors Of Word Order Change In Translation (English–Uzbek)

Abstract

English is a verb-medial language that allows modifiers after the noun, whereas Uzbek is verbfinal and places every modifier before its head. Translation from English into Uzbek therefore involves constant reordering, yet it is not clear which reorderings the target grammar imposes and which depend on the translator. This article examines English constructions whose word order conflicts with Uzbek and compares their possible Uzbek renderings in terms of grammaticality, naturalness and information structure. The reorderings are classified as obligatory, preferential or optional following Klaudy's model of translation transformations. Reordering inside the noun phrase proved obligatory. Relative clauses, participial phrases and prepositional modifiers move before the head and often require an added participle such as kelgan or an existential bor. Conditional and temporal clauses and the time–place order of adverbials showed preferential reordering. Causal and concessive clauses and sentence-final adjuncts allow both orders, and the choice affects emphasis. Constructions that mark information structure depend on the Uzbek preverbal focus position. English clefts and passives with a given subject keep their focus only when the focused element is placed before the verb or the object is moved to the front. The translator's freedom thus increases from the phrase to the clause and to the level of focus