Faranak Hashemi
Abstract
IntroductionTranslation of texts with native and cultural content has always been a big challenge for translators. It seems that we are facing two problems: first, the translator‘s correct understanding of the original text, and second, the correct and comprehensible translation of native and cultural ...
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IntroductionTranslation of texts with native and cultural content has always been a big challenge for translators. It seems that we are facing two problems: first, the translator‘s correct understanding of the original text, and second, the correct and comprehensible translation of native and cultural elements. When dealing with literature for children and young adults, other subtleties must be considered, including vocabulary, language structure and style, limited level of social and cultural experience of the young audience and many other factors. These features and theories related to their structures and translation methods are discussed in this article from the perspective of theorists of the translation of children's and young adults’ literary works, including the theories of Reiss (1971, 1982), Oittinen (2000), Puurtinen (1995-2006) , Shavit (2006), Venuti (1995), Klingberg (1986), Neumann (1979) and others.Afterwards, in the review and comparison section of the text and translation criticism, two examples of the translations of Hoshang Moradi Kermani's stories into German language, namely "Khumre" and "Chakmeh" are examined based on the theories and elements related to the translation of children's and young adults’ literature. The translation of both these stories was carried out by Ms. Mehrafaq Gallenbacher and the final text was edited by Ms. Renate Welsch, an Austrian writer and translator of children's and youth literature.In the topics of translation studies, the theories and frameworks of translation of children's and young adults’ books have been less discussed. Here, some of the most important and outstanding theories will be introduced and examined, then these structures will be examined in the German translation of the two mentioned stories.In the discussion of translating children's and young adults’ literature, similar to adult literature, we are faced with the issue of translating cultural elements and sometimes the untranslatability of phrases and terms, and in this article, the translator's approach and the type of solutions they used for this problem will be briefly examined.The main questions that are raised in this review are as follows:Has the translator acted correctly and successfully in understanding the meaning of the Persian text and transferring it into German?Is the translation text-centered or has the translator brought it closer to the culture of the target language?What methods and solutions did the translator use to achieve his goal?Are the German translations of the two stories “Khomreh” and “Chakmeh” at the level of youth literature, along with the literary value of the two works, successful examples of transferring traditional and cultural characteristics?To achieve the desired results, parts of both texts that have a special linguistic and cultural structure will be selected and their translation analyzed based on the theories of translation of children's and young adults’ books. In the comparison section of the Persian text and the German translation, the author has literally translated the examples given from the German language into Persian and as close as possible to the German translation in order to clarify the explanations. MethodIn the theoretical part, a number of definitions given by theorists of children's literature are introduced and analyzed, including definitions by Katarina Rice (1971 and 1982), Riita Ovitinen (2000), Portinen (1995 and 2006), Shavit (1991 and 2006). , Klingberg (1986), Venotti (1995) and Neumann (1979). In short, it can be concluded that the structure of the translation of texts for children and teenagers is different from the translation of adult texts. In this process, one should have the vocabulary, lived experience and cultural and social development of the child or teenager, the level of familiarity with foreign cultures, specifically the culture related to the book in question, and other cases. Among the strategies that translators can use are: adaptation, rewriting the text, localization (names, cultural values, etc.), using explanations in the text to simplify the understanding of the content for the child or teenage audience.In the review and critique chapter, the German translation of "Khomreh" and "Chakmeh" was examined based on the method of translation, language structure, the translator's strategies in facing the cultural and native elements, which are very prominent in Moradi Kermani's stories, and the removal of linguistic and cultural barriers.Both texts were translated by Mehrafaq Gallenbacher and edited by Austrian author and translator Renate Welch. Mrs. Welch, the editor of the translated text of "Khomreh" in German, wrote a short introduction titled "Water is Life" for the story, in which she points out the importance of water and the climatic and cultural differences in access and use of water. She also refers to the educational aspect of the subject and reminds its importance and thus prepares the reader's mind to some extent with the conditions mentioned in the story.ResultsIn these two stories, the translator uses long conversations, many descriptions and repetitions common in Persian speech, terms such as types of oaths that belong to a certain cultural context, special names (of places and persons) etc. Also, the cultural elements that cannot be removed, including types of sweets, celebrations and traditions, etc. Most of the proper names have remained the same and have not been replaced. To clear the ambiguity of important cultural elements, brief explanations are given in the footnote. The texts, especially "Khomreh", are shortened and repetitions and description of scenes in different parts have been removed. In a few cases, there are mistakes in the translation, including the translation of the word "Kadkhoda", which has an alternative in the German language, and considering that the whole story happens in a village, there is no doubt about the place and therefore using the equivalent to "mayor" in the German translation is a mistake.On the other hand, in the translation of "Chakmeh", and especially in its appearance and printing, eastern cultural elements are clearly visible. In the paintings of the book, a completely traditional and oriental space is depicted, and even some Persian words are given at the end of the book as examples and for practicing Persian vocabulary.On the one hand, structures that seemed to have made the story difficult for the German-speaking audience, have been removed and replaced with familiar structures or words in the target language environment, for example, replacing “Yazdi cake” with “Shortbread biscuits” (certainly a better option could be found in the German language and culture), and on the other hand, cultural elements are explained in some way or highlighted with an image.Discussion and conclusionDrawing from the theories of translating literature for children and young adults, translators in this domain encounter challenges distinct from those faced by translators of adult works. On one hand, they face issues that may pose greater difficulty in finding viable solutions. This is attributed to the fact that the younger audience possesses a more limited vocabulary concerning reading and comprehending content, has a less developed understanding of language structures, and lacks the extensive social and cultural experiences compared to adults. On the other hand, theorists and professional translators specializing in children's literature have leveraged their insights to propose solutions and recommendations for fellow translators. These range from simplifying the language and the text to changes in concepts and cultural content adapting, and rewriting.Many theorists have observed a fundamental change in content, structure, goals and process of intellectual development of children and young adults, which is particularly noticeable in recent decades, that also affects the structures and methods of translations. Each of these definitions and associated theories warrants a more profound and detailed exploration.The German translations of the two stories "Khomreh" and "Chakmeh" by Hoshang Moradi Kermani, which were examined and analyzed as an example, are somewhat consistent with the above mentioned theories. The editor of the German version of "Khomreh" wrote a short introduction for it in which he mentions water and its importance, and also the different views and positions in different societies and cultures regarding this vital element. The German text of "Khomreh" has been somewhat shortened and some repetitions, conversations and descriptions have been removed or abbreviated. The naming of people and the introduction of characters in the story are different from the original text. The content order of the story is not fully respected and the translator has moved and/or integrated some scenes. The translator gave a brief explanation for a number of culturally charged words in the footnote, examples of which were mentioned in the translation analysis. Examining the German translation of the text "Chakmeh" yielded similar results. However, due to the shorter text of the story and its simpler language, there were fewer text changes compared to "Chakmeh". In addition, the translator of both texts was the same person, and as a result, it seems that a similar method and style was used in the translation of both texts. The content analysis of the structure and criticism of the above mentioned translations has many details, and considering the global status of Hoshang Moradi Kermani as an author of works for children and young adults, a more detailed examination of these two works with regard to various theories in translation studies will yield more interesting results.