THE ROLE OF CONTEXTUAL MEANING IN TRANSLATION

Abstract

This article examines the role of contextual meaning in the translation process from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It explores the linguistic and extralinguistic dimensions of context and highlights their significance in interpreting lexical, grammatical, pragmatic, and cultural meanings. Furthermore, the study analyzes the influence of contextual meaning on the quality of literary, scientific, technical, and legal translation through relevant examples. Particular attention is paid to the translator’s communicative competence, intercultural mediation, and the strengths and limitations of modern machine translation systems in interpreting contextual meaning. The findings demonstrate that a profound understanding of contextual meaning is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving semantic, stylistic, and pragmatic equivalence in translation.