TRANSLATING TOURISTIC TERMS FROM ENGLISH INTO KAZAKH: CHALLENGES AND PRACTICES IN LOCAL TOURISM COMMUNICATION

Abstract

This study examines the translation of tourism terminology from English into Kazakh, which is an important step in improving the accessibility of information for foreign visitors to Kazakhstan, Based on a collection of 500 terms gathered from various digital and print sources, including official tourism websites, brochures, mobile applications, and social networks, the authors of the study classify these terms into ten semantic fields: accommodation, transportation, cultural experiences, natural attractions, gastronomy, tourism services, leisure and entertainment, business tourism, religious and spiritual tourism, and digital tourism, Using qualitative descriptive methods, the author of the study identifies several key translation strategies: literal translation, borrowings, adaptation, and hybrid forms. The results show that, although common tourism terms are generally translated consistently, there is considerable variability in the translation of terms related to cultural and digital tourism. Based on these findings, the document offers several recommendations for improving
translation quality in Kazakhstan’s tourism sector. These include standardizing terminology, providing specialized training for translators, and integrating digital tools such as computer assisted translation (CAT) systems and glossaries. The study also acknowledges the significant influence of Russian as a lingua franca for terms that do not have direct Kazakh equivalents. Ultimately, this study provides a comprehensive set of data in tourism terminology and practical recommendations for improving translation quality, thereby making a valuable contribution to the field of translation studies.