Constructing Frame Structures by Means of Translation: Chinese Realia Transfer into Russian

The article considers the mechanism of frame construction in the process of translation based on the first transfer of Chinese realities into Russian in the 18th century. The main attention is paid to the cognitive and creative aspect of translation that expands the boundaries of understanding. Translation correspondences in A. L. Leontiev’s book “Notice of Tea and Silk” are used as material. The novelty of the work lies in looking at lexical correspondences in translation from the point of view of frame semantics. The research methodology is based on frame theory and the concept of information stock of translation correspondences. The results show that the combination of transliteration, calquing, analogy and description forms a frame structure, providing the most complete transfer of culturally specific concepts.