Abstract
This study examines the translation of culturally specific vocabulary, particularly culture-bound words and expressions, in Ilyas Yessenberlin’s trilogy The Nomads from Kazakh to English. A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing a descriptive methodology to analyze military terminology, kinship terms unique to the Kazakh culture, culture-bound expressions, and Kazakh proverbs. The paper is structured into several sections, including an introduction, methodology, findings, discussion, and conclusion. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the challenges associated with conveying the meaning of culture-bound words and expressions in translation, and to examine the strategies employed to render them accurately in English. The study aims to address the following research questions: “How were culture-bound words and expressions translated into English?” and “To what extent did the translator preserve the meaning of these culture-bound expressions”? Findings indicate that military and kinship terms were primarily transliterated, with some instances of descriptive translation. Certain proverbs and metaphors were omitted, while others were translated literally. Given the novel’s extensive use of metaphorical language, the study provides valuable insights for translators, interpreters, and educators, offering additional knowledge on effective strategies for rendering culturally embedded terms in translation.