LITERARY TRANSLATION AS CULTURAL MEDIATION: PRESERVING IDENTITY AND CULTURAL MEANING IN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

Literary translation represents a complex form of intercultural communication in which translators mediate not only between languages but also between cultural systems. The transfer of a literary work into English requires decisions concerning cultural identity, historical references, social values, traditions, symbolism, and culturally embedded meanings. This article examines literary translation as a form of cultural mediation and focuses on the preservation of cultural identity and cultural meaning in English translations. The study employs a qualitative review and analytical approach based on contemporary translation studies and theoretical research concerning cultural transfer. Particular attention is paid to culture-specific items, literary style, historical references, metaphor, idiomatic expressions, and forms of social interaction. The analysis demonstrates that linguistic accuracy alone cannot guarantee successful cultural representation. Translation may preserve the denotative meaning of an expression while altering its cultural associations or pragmatic function. The article argues that cultural mediation requires a balance between accessibility for English-speaking readers and the preservation of source-cultural specificity. The translator therefore performs an interpretive and mediating function that is central to the international circulation of literature.