THE LEXICAL-SEMANTIC SYSTEM OF RIDDLE TEXTS FROM A TRANSLATION PERSPECTIVE

This paper explores the lexical-semantic system of riddle texts and the multifaceted challenges encountered during their translation. Riddles are culturally bound micro-texts that heavily rely on semantic ambiguity, polysemy, metaphor, and wordplay. Translating these texts requires more than linguistic decoding; it demands the cross-cultural transfer of cognitive puzzles. This thesis analyzes the semantic mechanisms that construct riddles and evaluates the translation strategies—ranging from literal translation to functional adaptation—necessary to preserve both the semantic core and the pragmatic effect of the original text in the target language.