Translating English Articles from Mongolian: A Case Study of Natsagdorj’s Shuvuun Saaral

Abstract

This study investigates the complexities involved in translating English articles into Mongolian, focusing on Natsagdorj D.’s seminal work, Shuvuun Saaral. The absence of articles in Mongolian presents significant challenges for translators, educators, and learners, necessitating sophisticated linguistic strategies to convey intended meanings accurately. By analyzing sentences from the Mongolian novel translated into English by Western Washington University, this study explores the translation of indefinite, definite, and zero articles. The theoretical framework integrates Hawkins' (1978) referential or location theory and Bickerton's (1981) language roots theory. This study provides insights into contextual meaning conveyance, elucidates how English definite articles are translated into Mongolian, and interprets the strategies employed by translators, along with the challenges and opportunities in article translation.