Tetiana V. Hromko
Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor,
Professor at the Department of English Philology and Translation
Ukrainian-German Educational and Scientific Institute,
National University “Odessa Polytechnic”,
Odessa, Ukraine
e-mail: hromkot@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4661-4302 Scopus ID: 59660485900
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24195/2616-5317-2025-41.10
SUMMARY
The article analyzes the linguostylistic aspects of translating Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah” as a polyfunctional linguistic construct that integrates poetic structure, musical rhythm, and cultural-semiotic codes. The aim is to identify the mechanisms that ensure emotional, prosodic, and semantic equivalence in cross- linguistic adaptation. Theoretically, the study draws on the typology of song translation (source- / transfer- / target-oriented approaches) and on the principles of intertextual, semiotic, and pragmatic analysis. Empirically, it outlines key zones of translational decision- making: rendering rhythm-melody patterns and refrains; transmitting biblical allusions and the symbolic opposition “sacred or profane”; balancing literal precision and emotional compensation; controlled compression and syntactic restructuring required for singability. It is demonstrated that successful adaptation depends on preserving rhythmic intention, intonational contour, and cognitive-affective impact, while lexical equivalence becomes functional rather than strictly denotative. The study substantiates the role of prosody as a trigger of suggestive force and as a carrier of emotional modality that shapes the listener’s receptive scenarios. It is shown that the variability of Cohen’s authorial strophe corpus generates open textual architectonics within which translation emerges as co-creation and cultural mediation. The scientific novelty lies in harmonizing rhythmic correspondence with pragmatic and symbolic equivalence; the practical significance is in formulating translation-quality criteria for song discourse (rhythmic coherence, emotional authenticity, intertextual transparency). The findings deepen the understanding of song translation as a cognitive-aesthetic process in which verbal and acoustic codes integrate into an unified mechanism of intercultural communication.
Key words: song translation, linguostylistic adaptation, rhythm- melody structure, biblical allusions, emotional equivalence, Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”.
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