Decisions, translation strategies and process in the translation of Molope's Dancing in the Dust : a critical analysis

Date
2007-12
Authors
Magwebu, Doris NomaXesibe
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study has been a long journey to pursue the art and craft involved in a translation process. The indisputably differing natures of the languages at stake have been prominent in the translator's psychological frame throughout the process. The acknowledgement of the differing natures of languages often means knowing exactly what has to be transferred and in which manner it has to be transferred without compromising the demands of any of the languages at stake. The latter also speaks to the preservation of the message of the ST in the TL in the process of transition. The translation of Molope's Dancing in the Dust has given good ground for the exploration of the processes involved in a literary translation. Although the status of Molope's novel in the publishing market appears to be relatively new, there are some good grounds to declare it as fairly translatable. It has been noted in the study that there has been a desire to consult her existing literatures with an intention to evaluate her dominant style of writing, or any of her translated works so that it becomes easier to determine the translatability of this novel. However, this only proved to be an unsuccessful business in the sense that this novel is the first of her works, ever. Nevertheless, it has been stated simultaneously in this study that the expressiveness of Mol ope's novel, especially in rooting out the main events of the 197 6 Soweto Uprisings, ultimately convinced the translator that this art is worthy to be translated. The acknowledgement (by some legends) ofMolope's potential to probe into the main events of the struggle during that era has been another area the translator could rely on. This attempt has been done albeit Molope's sometimes poignant style of writing (much of this has been said in the study), which sought to pose some problematic areas. As has been declared in the hypothesis section, translatability is possible if the process of translation commences on a ST analysis, whereby problematic areas (or areas of interest thereof) are identified with an intention to select a suitable translation strategy. Suffice then to say that an attempt to answer the translatability question of this novel has been made in the chapter of annotation. Assembling a chapter of annotation is itself an attempt to demonstrate the translator's creativity in manoeuvring the ST material in order to produce what she assumes will suit the target readers. The discussion of well-established translation literatures in Chapter 2 serves to give background to the random choice of particular translation strategies at particular points in time. Therefore, the literature which forms Chapter 2 of this study serves to substantiate both what appears in the chapter of annotation and the entire product thereof.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie was 'n lang ontdekkingstog na die kuns en vernuf betrokke by die vertaalproses. Die uiteenlopende aard van die tale ter sprake was deurentyd 'n belangrike oorweging vir die vertaler. Die erkenning dat die betrokke tale onteenseglik van mekaar verskil, gaan gewoonlik gepaard met die besef van presies wat op watter wyse oorgedra moet word ten einde aan albei tale reg te laat geskied. Dit behels dus dat die boodskap van die bronteks (BT) in die oordragproses na die teikentaal (TT) behoue bly. Die vertaling van Kagiso Lesego Molope se boek Dancing in the Dust (2004) het as 'n goeie vertrekpunt vir die ontdekking van die letterkundige vertaalproses gedien. Hoewel Molope se roman in die uitgewersmark as betreklik nuut beskou word, kan dit om 'n paar goeie redes as redelik vertaalbaar bestempel word. In die studie het dit duidelik geword dat 'n letterkundige vertaling hetsy vereis dat auteurs se bestaande letterkundige werke geraadpleeg word ten einde hulle oorheersende skryfstyl te bepaal 6f dat enige van hulle reeds vertaalde werke bestudeer word om deur middel van vergelyking die vertaalbaarheid van die tersaaklike werk vas te stel. Aangesien hierdie roman egter Molope se heel eerste werk is, was sodanige vergelykende navorsing nie moontlik nie. Die studie toon nietemin ook aan dat die beeldende aard van Molope se roman, veral met betrekking tot die hoofgebeure van die Soweto-opstand van 1973, die vertaler uiteindelik oortuig het dat die werk 'n vertaling waardig is. Die bevestiging (deur 'n paar legendariese figure) van die potensiaal wat Molope in hierdie ondersoek na die hoofgebeure van die vryheidstryd in daardie era openbaar, was n6g 'n faktor waarop die vertaler kon steun. Die vertaling is dus aangepak ofskoon Molope se uiters aangrypende skryfstyl (waaroor daar heelwat in die studie uitgewei word) 'n paar probleme opgelewer het. Soos in die hipotese genoem, is vertaling slegs moontlik indien die vertaalproses met 'n BT-ontleding afskop waarin (moontlike) probleemareas uitgewys word ten einde 'n toepaslike vertaalstrategie te kies. Dit is dus voldoende om te se dat die annotasiehoofstuk poog om die vraag oor die vertaalbaarheid van hierdie roman te beantwoord. Die saamstel van die annotasiehoofstuk is op sigself 'n paging om te toon hoe die vertaler skeppend met die BT -materiaal omgaan ten einde 'n gepaste teks vir die teikenlesers te skep. Die bespreking van gesaghebbende, betroubare vertaalliteratuur in hoofstuk 2 dien as agtergrond vir die ewekansige keuse van bepaalde vertaalstrategiee op bepaalde tydstippe. Daarom dien die literatuur in hoofstuk 2 as stawing van die inhoud van die annotasiehoofstuk sowel as die eindproduk van die studie.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2007.
Keywords
Molope, Kagiso Lesego, 1976- -- Dancing in the dust -- Translations into Xhosa, Translating and interpreting, Dissertations -- Afrikaans language, Theses -- Afrikaans language
Citation