Dear Chairman!
Dear members of the Academic Council! Dear guests!
My thesis is written in Russian
Please allow me to speak in Russian
We allow you, but everyone should know that Mr. Pavlii
is fluent in Azerbaijani
The subject of my thesis is "The History and Problems of the Translation of the Ukrainian Literature into Azerbaijani"
The thesis includes three chapters
The first chapter is entitled “The Problems of History and Theory of the Translation of the Ukrainian Literature into Azerbaijani”
it consists of three parts
the first part is the historical survey of
the publications of the Azerbaijani translations of the Ukrainian literature
The second part covers the theoretical and methodological issues of translation studies
these issues should be studied in order to describe our translation analysis methodology
Based on the modern understanding of text as a linguistic sign
we formulated a "synthesized" methodology of translation analysis
and we named it "systematic 'translatological' approach to translation analysis"
This methodology involves analyzing comparative analysis of content planes of source and target texts in various aspects
including linguistic, cultural
literary, poetic and other aspects
In the next two chapters of the thesis, we tried to consistently apply this methodology
to the study of the problems of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani literary translation
But before we start the systematic analysis of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani literary translation,
in the third part of the First chapter, we reviewed the problem of the “mediated translation”
There is no question that when a text is translated not from the original, but from a translation,
under equal conditions, its quality is poorer, as a rule
Yet the analysis made in the previous part leads us to the following conclusion:
adequacy of impact of the full content plane of the translation text and the full content plane of the original text is crucial to the quality of translation
and the crucial element of providing this adequacy is the translator’s authorial personality
The second chapter, “The Problem of Rendering Lexical Meanings in the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Literary Translation” consists of five parts
The first part, “Translation of proper and geographic names” deals with the problems
caused by the lack of clear rules and orthographic standards for translating Ukrainian proper and geographic names into Azerbaijani language
The second part of the second chapter deals with translation of national-specific ‘realia’
Here we use examples to illustrate the problem of choosing the best way of translating Ukrainian ‘realia’ in specific cases
To our opinion, translators’ choices should be based on how much emphasis the original author gives to the ‘realia’ unit
If the unit is in focus it should be rendered by means of transcription or transliteration with explanation in a footnote
But if the unit serves as the background, using footnotes in the text can distract the reader from what is more important in the text
in such case it might be better to translate the ‘realia’ descriptively
In the third part of the Second chapter, we examine the problem of translating Ukrainian words that have no equivalents in Azerbaijani
and here a series of examples are used to illustrate translation of such Ukrainian verbs, pronouns, and interjections
Translation of interjections is a special case because their main meaning is connotative
Therefore a descriptive translation of an interjection that adequately renders its denotative meaning may considerably reduce its expressivity
Rendering of the connotative meanings of words and idioms in general is very important in literary translation
because only these meanings reflect personal, emotional, expressive, moral and aesthetic aspects of the meaning
which are so important for a proper perception of a literary work
The fourth part of the Second chapter deals with the problem of rendering the connotative meanings of words
Connotations are often characteristic of idioms
and the fifth part of the Second chapter deals specifically with the translation of idioms
The third chapter is named “The Aspects of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Literary Translation Related to the Text Semantics”
In the first part of the chapter, “Structural Differences between Slavic and Turkic Languages and Translation Problems”
Ukrainian and Azerbaijani languages are compared in the context of the comparative typology of Slavic and Turkic languages
similarities and differences between the structures of these two languages are identified
The second part of the Third chapter is named “The Search for Maximum Adequacy of Meaning”
It deals with the problem of rendering ‘literary’ components of meaning of Ukrainian originals
Translating literary, especially poetic texts, requires translator skills
to render these ‘literary’ components of meaning related to images, characters, phonetic features of the original
Here the translator’s authorial personality and background knowledge are crucial
In this regard, we can mention the high-quality translations by Abbas Abdulla and Mikayil Rzaquluzade
Finally, the last --third-- part of the Third chapter deals with cultural aspects of translation
and with how Ukrainian people’s customs, rituals, and beliefs (described or mentioned in the Ukrainian literary works) were reflected in the Azerbaijani translations
This work is different from the usual practice of our Council
Today we heard a Ukrainian who undertook the analysis of the translations of Ukrainian literature into Azerbaijani language
He spoke to us in Russian and Azerbaijani
The feedback of the Lead organization and the opponents included some critical comments
but I think that both the Lead organization and the opponents didn’t take into account that the researcher is not only a theoretician, but someone who is actively involved in literary translation
and we heard about his published translations of Azerbaijani poetry
His translation of a poem by Molla Panah Vagif was published by TÜRKSOY in Istanbul
This is very important
Let me repeat, he is both a theoretician and a practitioner of literary translation
I would like to affirm that the work was carried out on a high theoretical level
It is a comprehensive analysis of translations which includes cultural analysis, linguistic analysis, as well as semantic, lexical etc.
And the theoretical aspects of the work do not raise any questions
The work is made on a high level
Mr. Pavlii is an accomplished researcher defending his finished work
the scientific research performed by him personally and fully consistent with the requirements
We can only wish him success in his future theoretical and practical activities
and congratulate him on the successful defense
Considering the works defended during the recent years
a large number of theses on comparative literature
we see the sad fact that most researchers do not know the original languages of the literature they research
It is such a sad fact!
Researches in French literature, Polish literature etc., are carried out by people who do not know the languages - they are involved in this research by accident!
We have specialists who know Czech, Bulgarian, French, Italian etc.
those who should do this work professionally and conduct researches on a high level
I think we are present on a celebration of science today
because the work has been done on such a high level!
Mr. Pavlii has a blood relation to Azerbaijani culture and literature
because this relation exists even in his family
Azerbaijani language is spoken in his home. His spouse is an Azerbaijani.
His children know Azerbaijani. This is what a researcher should be like.
My graduates -specialists in Polish language- have also followed the same interesting path
They have also become relatives with Polish people -- their spouses are Polish
Their families are Polish-Azerbaijani
They have defended in Poland
wonderful theses on a high level, with a great knowledge of two languages -- Polish and Azerbaijani
Our graduates! My students! Our first graduates
who entered in 1996 and graduated in 2000
I am proud of my graduates! And I am proud of you, too!
Your thesis is indeed a great treasure for our science
Such a connection - not only spiritual, but even physical!
Knowing the language is a crucial factor for comparative researches
Therefore I believe we are all present on a celebration today --
A celebration of science and a celebration of Ukraine-Azerbaijan friendship!
Our peoples have always been attracted to each other
We've always had deep sympathies towards each other
I would like to welcome the Ukrainian Ambassador in Azerbaijan. With great pleasure, I am giving you the floor.
Your area is so important
I am so happy to be here and feel this atmosphere
not as a researcher, but as a guest
I am so pleased. I've always had a great respect for scientists
I always considered them the nation's 'arbitrators'
For me a professor was someone free from burdens of any state positions or an obligation to defend anything
but pure truth and uprightness, as Pontius Pilate in Bulgakov's "Master and Margarita" asked "What is truth?"
If truth is dominant in science then science develops and there are no false theses, nor plagiarism
when the members of the Academic Council stand on the side of the truth, then the PhD candidate rises up instead of the Council trying to come down on his or her level -- and then the science rises up as well
I am so glad to see this kind of science present here in Baku Slavic University and good words spoken about my co-citizen
whose family is half-Ukrainian, half-Azerbaijani, which is also a great pleasure to hear
I think this is the best product of that 'multiculturalism' that is talked about a lot today
[remark] But not practiced
Yes, but he is practicing it with his family!
Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity!
I enjoyed it immensely and my heart found rest on this event. Thank you!
My name is Paul Kuivinen. I defended PhD in the science of arts in Kazan State Conservatory
My Tatar language is actually better than my Russian
Firstly, I respect my friend Ivan Pavlii
and secondly, I am so thankful that the research on this subject has been recorded
because he says it twice in this thesis summary
he mentions the importance of his research for literary translation between Slavic and Turkic languages
and second time, "the theoretical problems of Slavic-Turkic translation"
So this work is important for translations not only between Ukrainian and Azerbaijani languages, but between Tatar and Russian languages, too
And I am so thankful, because it is also useful for the whole Central Asia, for the people who deal with these problems
and especially with the 'artistic' or 'literary' themes
poems, melodies
which are so close to people's hearts - spiritual things
and it is related to semiotics - something highly important for people - the values in their hearts, in their spirit
and when they want to translate it for another people...
Would you like to speak as well? I am talking to the young woman next to you
Oh, she is my wife, she graduated from the University of Languages, she is fluent in Tatar
and if she wants to say a few words in English, it's OK
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An immense work has been done
Mr. Pavlii has studied the texts thoroughly
His linguistic methods of study of texts are completely justified
Since Translation Studies specialty does not exist
the research works in Translation Studies are indexed either as 'literature' or as 'linguistics'
This work organically unites these two methodologies
That is a great achievement!
I would like to thank everyone who came to my thesis defense today, with all my heart
I thank the rector and the members of the Academic Council
all those who read my thesis summary, those who wrote feedback
I thank the official opponents and the Lead organization
I will certainly consider all their critical comments in my future activity
Thank you, Mr. Aslan (the Chariman), Mr. Nasiragha (the Secretary)
and of course I bring my special thanks to my supervisor Prof. Asif Hacılı
I also thank the guests from the Ukrainian Embassy
and Mr. Ambassador
and I thank Abbas Abdulla, who is not present here anymore (he left earlier)
for honoring me by their presence
Once again, thank you all for your attention to my research work
Thank you! And we wish you success in your future life
 
 
Ivan Vladimirovich Pavlii applied for obtaining the PhD degree in Philology, and submitted his thesis entitled “The History and Problems of the Translation of the Ukrainian Literature into Azerbaijani”
The Academic Council of 25 persons was appointed
The number of distributed bulletins – 24
The number of non-distributed bulletins – 1
The number of bulletins drawn out of the box – 24
The result of the voting
Voting for granting Ivan Vladimirovich Pavlii the the PhD degree in Philology was approved
For - 24 people / Against - none
Non-valid bulletins - none
Your Propositions?
The votes are to be approved.
Who is for approving?... Who is against? No one is against. And none neutral.
Approved!
[final votes and approvals are accepted]
Congratulations!
Thank you very much!
