Translatological concept of P. Kulish: representation through interdisciplinary approach
Authors:   SHEVCHENKO INSTITUTE OF LITERATURE OF NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, Teterina O. 
Published: June 2024

The article analyses approach of P. Kulish to the problem of literary translation through the perspective of interdisciplinary approach. Purpose of the work and tasks associated with it consist in study of the author's translatological concept in the delineated projection with an emphasis on its shaping into certain entirety in the process of creative evolution of the artist, taking into account peculiarities of evolution of the national literature and culture as a whole. The study uses achievements of comparative historical analysis, methodology of both culturalhistorical and aesthetic-receptive schools. P. Kulish's views on translatology clearly demonstrate involvement of two main aspects into his study of this matter as cross-language, inter-literary and cross-cultural phenomenon: understanding of its functionality in development of national literature (renewal of its content and form), and elucidation of problematics of the art of translation (related to comparison of an original literary work and its reproduction in another language), with an emphasis on subordination of merely translation issues to general literary/cultural ones. Conclusion about P. Kulish’s concept as a multidimensional model that fundamentally expanded – due to involvement of interdisciplinary approach – the field of national translation studies of the 19th century, and marked a new stage in its progress, is articulated. The article substantiates thesis statement which declares that views of P. Kulish on literary translation as a factor in development of the national literature/culture are fundamental part of his translatological concept, and that beyond their comprehension and consideration – only through the prism of an author's views on merely translation issues (method, principles, strategy, etc.) that undergone changes – it's impossible to get a full understanding of his translatological model (in particular, to understand its specifics both in national and global context), and to find out its milestone role in evolution of Ukrainian literature and culture as a whole. It is emphasized that translatological concept of P. Kulish, which is – together with the large-scale translation activity of the artist and his innovative original creative work – an integral phenomenon of the national culture of the specified period, played an important landmark role. It greatly outlined the prospects of Ukrainian writing in the global spiritual and cultural space, with a clear emphasis on the question of its national peculiarity, contributing to fully fledged development of the national culture in the world universe. This is the concept's mission as an "engine" of Ukrainian literature and culture as a whole on the way from romanticism to modernism. Kulish's translatological model is conceptualized in the context of views of researchers of the later periods on the problem of literary translation, which retain even now their significance for humanitaristics in general (U. Weisstein, D. Ďurišin, A. Lefevere, M. Novikova, A. Popovič, E. Sapir, F. Horst and others). Concordance of the logic of thinking of the Ukrainian author and modern scholars is emphasized, while it gives reasons to consider the concept of P. Kulish (who also creatively assimilated and rethought doctrines of his predecessors) in view of the question of sources of conceptual ideas, thoughts and approaches to the study of this problem. This is particularly true for P. Kulish's assertion about significance of translation of world classic literature as an extremely important factor in development of national literature and culture as a whole (that concept was emphasized later by both national and foreign comparativists, amongst others, by F. Horst); as regards reflections on the role of the denoted artistic phenomenon in the process of inclusion of the young literature into the world context (they echo, in particular, with opinion of A. Lefevere, who interpreted translation as an entrance/"gates" for national writing into the intercultural space). At the same time, thoughts of P. Kulish, especially taking into account involvement of cultural aspect by the Ukrainian author, are fully consistent with the attitude of comparativists to bidirectionality of intercultural communication with an emphasis on "decisive role" of the recipient literature and on its national specificity (that was substantiated by S. Bassnett, L. Hrytsyk, D. Ďurišin, I. Even-Zohar, M. Ilnytskyi, A. Lefevere, R. Gromyak, I. Limborsky, M. Novikova, A. Popovič, G. Syvachenko and other scholars). This logic of thinking, signalling about the branch's rise to the cultural level, in particular in the study of literary translation, is characteristic for supporters of cultural transfer theory, who also highlight "reverse influence" (M. Espagne). Thus, understanding of the multidimensional translatological model of P. Kulish gives every reason to see in the interdisciplinary approach to this artistic phenomenon, on which it is based, origination on the national ground of perhaps the most productive nowadays methodological paradigm of comprehensive study of literary translation – at the intersection of translation studies, comparative studies and cultural studies, which is actualized by contemporary scientists (let's add: with simultaneous access to other areas of humanitaristics, first of all, philosophy, psychology, psycholinguistics, etc.). Key words: comparative studies, translation studies, literary translation, national literature, world literature, reception, cross-cultural context.