On the Need of Background Knowledge in Translating Realia: Examples from Religious Texts and Their Translation from Modern Greek into Bulgarian

This article examines the necessity of background knowledge and skills in the translation of cultural specificities when translating realia from Modern Greek into Bulgarian. It analyzes several convincing examples of non-equivalent vocabulary in the field of religion (Christianity). On the basis of the examples given, various translation approaches such as calquing, transcription, descriptive translation, and footnoting are pointed out, which aim to accurately portray the nuances between the two cultures. Emphasis is put on the role and personal style of the translator in choosing strategies for switching from one cultural code to another.