Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.15291/sic/1.16.lt.1

From Ukrainian Folklore to Global Audience: The English Translation of Mavka: The Forest Song

Mariana Oleniak
Victoria Marunina

Abstract

This article examines the challenges of translating Mavka: The Forest Song, a culturally rich Ukrainian animated film. It explores how translators must balance linguistic creativity, character integrity, and cultural specificity while ensuring accessibility for global audiences. As a children’s film, the English translation of Mavka plays a crucial role in fostering cross-cultural understanding. The study highlights instances where culturally embedded expressions were simplified or replaced, resulting in a more neutral text as well as a partial loss of its educational and cultural value. Additionally, it discusses how elements like colloquialisms, creative wordplay, and humor could have been better preserved. The paper critiques how the translation compromises the depth of the original by substituting culturally meaningful elements with more general expressions, particularly for young audiences who benefit from exposure to diverse traditions. Ultimately, it argues that while adaptation is inevitable, translation should prioritize cultural and narrative fidelity whenever linguistically possible.

Keywords

translation, adaptation, culture, expressive language, colloquialism, word-building techniques, style, Mavka: The Forest Song, Мавка. Лісова пісня

Hrčak ID:

343841

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/343841

Publication date:

21.12.2025.

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