Nabokov’s Art of Translation: Effective Means to Attract a Wide Readership

Abstract

Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov was a great writer who could write in both English and Russian. His novel Lolita shocked the world but still received many praises by critics because of its humor and literary style. However, this article will not discuss his writing talent; instead, it will discuss his art of translation, for Nabokov was also a great translator. Specifically, the article will discuss Nabokov’s translation doctrine, translation approaches, and translation tactics (specific ways of tackling translation problems); and how he used them to increase readership. The article focuses on how he increased readership by targeting the audience needs, aiming at conveying complete and accurate meanings, and communicating aesthetic values of the original works.