REPRESENTATION OF CHEKHOV'S INTERTEXT IN THE MANGA “THE CHERRY ORCHARD”

Abstract

This article explores the linguistic and intersemiotic representation of Chekhov's intertext in Akimi Yoshida's manga “The Cherry Orchard” as a form of linguacultural adaptation of Russian classics in a Japanese polycode text. The study examines the specifics of incorporating Chekhov's words into a new genre and cultural environment, where quotation ceases to be a mere sign of recognition of the original source and acquires structural, semantic and emotional significance. The analysis reveals that Chekhov's intertext in the manga is realized primarily through a stable corpus of precise quotations and partially transformed lines that preserve the recognizability of the source but alter its pragmatics in the new narrative situation. It is shown that quotations are concentrated in compositionally strong positions in the text, primarily in the opening and closing fragments, shaping the narrative's framework and establishing its internal semantic perspective. It has been revealed that the adaptation of the source text is accomplished through verbatim reproduction of lines, syntactic compression, omission of remarks, and the emotional and semantic enhancement of individual utterances. The pragmatic shift of the quotation is particularly significant: while retaining its verbal form, it begins to function in a different communicative environment and relates to a new set of characters and experiences. It has been demonstrated that Chekhov's intertext in the manga performs a structure-forming function, linking the everyday school life of the Japanese heroines with themes of loss, growing up, and farewell, ensuring the transfer of cultural memory to a different national and generic context. Akimi Yoshida's manga the Cherry Orchard demonstrates the secondary semantic development of a classic Russian text in a different national, generic and semiotic environment.