Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest recorded story known to humanity. It has a long and complex textual history. The final version of the epic, generally known as the standard version, was produced about 1200 B.C. in the Babylonian dialect of Akkadian by a priest and scribe named Sin-leqi-unninni. The cuneiform tablets upon which the epic was recorded, were rediscovered during the nineteenth century when European archaeologists started digging in the ancient cities of the Middle East, especially Nineveh. Since then the story has been translated into many languages; several English translations have been published. Some of these translations of the epic maintain epic poetic form, others are in prose, and there are a number of versions for children. At the moment no complete version exists in Afrikaans. This thesis presents a translation of parts from Geraldine McCaughrean's English children's version, which was published in 2002. McCaughrean adapts the structure of the standard version, clearly a strategy to make her text exciting for modern readers. The theoretical insights of André Lefevere and Lawrence Venuti form the paradigm for the translation process. Lefevere sees translation as one of a number of rewriting techniques. The detail of such a rewriting is determined by the poetics of the target culture, the patronage which enables such a translation to exist, and the ideological framework within which the rewriting develops. Venuti distinguishes between two translational approaches: a domesticating translation adapts the translation to the target culture and creates the impression with readers that they are reading an original text; foreignising translation makes the readers aware that they are reading a text from another culture. The opportunities and limitations of children's literature and translation for children are explored. Specific attention is given to taboo topics, as a number of these appears in the Gilgamesh Epic. The writers of the children's versions have solved these problems in different ingenious ways. Annotations shed light on the translational challenges and the decisions of the translator. Finally the whole project is evaluated and suggestions for further research are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Gilgamesj-epos is die mensdom se oudste opgetekende verhaal. Dit het ‘n lang en komplekse ontstaansgeskiedenis. Die finale variant van die epos, wat algemeen bekend staan as die standaardweergawe, is ongeveer 1200 v.C. in Babiloniese Akkadies geskryf deur ‘n skriba-priester genaamd Sin-leqi-unninni. Die spykerskriftablette waarop dit opgeteken is, is gedurende die negentiende eeu herontdek tydens argeologiese opgrawings van die verwoeste antieke stede in die Midde-Ooste, veral Nineve. Sedertdien is die verhaal in verskeie tale vertaal; daar bestaan etlike vertalings in Engels. Hierdie vertalings van die epos word soms aangebied as epiese gedig, in ander gevalle in prosavorm, en daar bestaan ook ‘n paar verskillende weergawes vir kinders. Daar bestaan tans egter geen volledige weergawe in Afrikaans nie. Hierdie tesis bied ‘n vertaling van dele uit een van die Engelse kinderweergawes, dié van Geraldine McCaughrean, wat in 2002 verskyn het. McCaughrean pas die struktuur van die standaardweergawe aan, ‘n duidelike strategie om haar teks vir hedendaagse lesers opwindend te maak. Die teoretiese insigte van André Lefevere en Lawrence Venuti vorm die raamwerk vir die vertaalproses. Lefevere beskou vertaling as een van ‘n hele aantal tegnieke van herskrywing. Die besonderhede van so ‘n herskrywing word bepaal deur die poetika van die doelkultuur, die patronaat wat die herskrywing moontlik maak, en die ideologiese raamwerk waarbinne die herskrywing ontstaan. Venuti onderskei tussen twee vertaalbenaderings: ‘n domestikerende vertaling pas die vertaalde teks sterk aan by die doelkultuur sodat lesers van die vertaling onder die indruk gebring word dat hulle ‘n oorspronklike teks lees; en vervreemdende vertaling, waarin die lesers bewus is dat hulle ‘n teks uit ‘n ander kultuur lees. Die moontlikhede en beperkinge van kinderliteratuur en vertalings vir kinderlesers word ondersoek. Spesifieke aandag word geskenk aan taboe-onderwerpe, waarvan ‘n hele paar in die Gilgamesj-epos voorkom, en hoe die skeppers van die kinderweergawes hierdie probleme opgelos het. Annotasies belig die vertaaluitdagings en die vertaler se keuses. Ten slotte word die projek as geheel geëvalueer en voorstelle vir verdere navorsing verskaf.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Masters of Arts, 2016 / This study focuses on the aesthetics and ethics of translating African literature, using a case of two of D.O. Fagunwa’s Yoruba novels, namely; Igbo Olodumare (1949) translated by Wole Soyinka as In the Forest of Olodumare (2010) and Adiitu Olodumare (1961) translated by Olu Obafemi as The Mysteries of God (2012). More specifically, the overall aim of this study is to determine the positions of these target texts on the domestication and foreignization continuum. The study of these texts is carried out using a descriptive and systemic theoretical framework, based on Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), Polysystem theory and the notion of norms of translational behaviour. The descriptive approach is extended by drawing on ideological and ethical approaches to translating postcolonial and marginalized literature. Lambert and Van Gorp’s model for the description of translation products is used in exploring the position of Fagunwa’s translated novels in the target literary system. A close comparative analysis of a number of extracts from the two target texts and their corresponding source texts is conducted in order to determine the approaches taken by both translators in their translation of the distinctive stylistic features of Fagunwa’s prose. Building on the work of Christopher Fotheringham (2015) in the field of stylistic analysis of translated African prose, this study describes and analyses the occurrence of shifts of formal literary features between these target texts and their corresponding source texts. This is done by employing Antoine Berman’s scheme of deforming tendencies and Anton Popovič’s scheme of stylistic shifts as the basis for the translational shift analysis. / GR2017

This thesis deals with the translations of Czech prose published in the 1970s and 1980s by Volk und Welt, the second largest publishing house in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Using the publisher's and other paratexts, the empirical research aims to reconstruct the image of Czech literature that Volk und Welt helped to create. The issue under scrutiny draws methodological as well as theoretical inspiration from Anton Popovič, the Slovak translation scholar who inter alia postulated a theory of metatexts, André Lefevere and the Manipulation School, as well as Gérard Genette, who came up with a theory of paratexts. The publishing activities of Volk und Welt are painted against a broad political and cultural background. By analysing the publisher's reviews, required for the books to be approved for circulation in the GDR, as well as by dissecting other paratexts, the author uncovers strategies whereby the selected books of Czech literature found their way both to the reviewers and the general public.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / At present there is an extreme shortage in the publication of Afrikaans children’s books. Although revised publications of popular, classic series, such as the Maasdorp-, Trompie- and Saartjie-series can help fill the void in the market, the contribution made by translations of children’s books should not be underestimated: Afrikaans translations of popular children’s books, such as the Harry Potter- and Narnia-series are well-liked and can even encourage young readers to develop an Afrikaans reading culture. Young readers throughout the world get pleasure from the books written by the renowned German author Cornelia Funke. Funke is viewed as an influential author of children’s books and this is largely due to her popular fantasy-adventure Tintenherz; the extremely original plot of this fantasy-adventure, which forms part of a trilogy, persuades young readers to change their unenthusiastic approach towards reading by showing them that reading can be a pleasant, thrilling experience. This study attempts to prove that an Afrikaans translation of Tintenherz can make an important contribution to fill the void in the Afrikaans children’s literature, as well as encourage young readers to read more. Critics fear that translations of popular children’s books might flood the market with books that might be cheaper, but that are second-rate versions of the original texts since the translations fail to achieve the same literary standards as the original texts. This study attempts to prove that knowledge of theoretical translation strategies, such as George Steiner’s hermeneutic motion, Lawrence Venuti’s approaches of foreignisation and domestication, as well as André Levere’s approach of rewrite as a form of translation do in fact make it possible to produce an Afrikaans translation of Tintenherz which not only meets the requirements of the target-culture and satisfies the wants of the target-readers, but also upholds the literary standard of the original German text.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as well as its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, have the reputation of being the most quoted and translated texts of all time, after the Bible and Shakespeare. The status of the Alice books as timeless classics is confirmed by the numerous translations and adaptations of the texts that have already been made and is still being made. In this study, a descriptive investigation of André P. Brink’s Afrikaans translation of Carroll’s classic children’s books is undertaken in order to investigate whether the translation is still suitable for Afrikaans readers today. Brink’s Afrikaans translation of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1965, and his translation of Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There in 1968. Firstly, an overview of the most important theoretical contributions to translation studies since the nineteen-eighties is given to provide a foundation for the investigation and description of translations. Relevant terminology, such as adequacy and acceptability, will be explained. Emphasis will especially be placed on the interaction between the theoretical contributions, which will serve as a basis for the conclusion drawn regarding the suitability of the translation. The conclusion will be based on an application where the translation will be investigated. The translation is studied from a theoretical point of view on macrostructural as well as microstructural level. In the macrostructural analysis, references to the title, cover pages, illustrations, chapter titles, and the (in)visibility of the translator will be made. The microstructural analysis comprises an investigation of how Brink dealt with translation problems that arose during the particular translation. As a result of the investigation of the translation, conclusions can be drawn regarding the suitability of the translation for current readers. A recommendation on the possibility of a retranslation is also offered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Lewis Carroll se klassieke kinderverhaal Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland en die opvolg Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, het die reputasie as die tekste wat, naas die Bybel en Shakespeare, die meeste aangehaal word en vertaal word van alle tekste. Die status van die Alice-verhale as tydlose, klassieke verhale word bevestig deur die verskeie vertalings en verwerkings daarvan wat reeds gedoen is en steeds onderneem word. In hierdie studie word ’n beskrywende ondersoek van André P. Brink se Afrikaanse vertaling van Carroll se verhale onderneem om vas te stel of die vertalings vir huidige lesers steeds gepas is. Brink se Afrikaanse vertaling van Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is reeds in 1965 gepubliseer en die vertaling van Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There in 1968. ’n Oorsig oor die vernaamste vertaalteoretiese bydraes sedert die tagtigerjare word eerstens gebied as gronding vir die bestudering en beskrywing van vertalings. Relevante terminologie, waaronder geskiktheid en aanvaarbaarheid, kom ook aan bod. Daar word veral klem gelê op die interaksie tussen die teoretiese bydraes, wat gesamentlik dien as ’n grondslag vir die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak word oor die gepastheid van die vertaling. Die oordeel oor die gepastheid, al dan nie, van die vertaling word gegrond op ’n toepassing waar die vertaling bestudeer word. Die vertaling word vanuit ’n vertaalteoretiese oogpunt op makro- sowel as mikrovlak bestudeer. Op makrovlak word daar onder andere verwys na die titel, voorblaaie, illustrasies, hoofstuktitels en die (on)sigbaarheid van die vertaler. Die bestudering van die vertaling op mikrovlak behels ’n ondersoek na Brink se hantering van vertaalprobleme wat in die betrokke vertaalsituasie ontstaan. Na aanleiding van die bestudering van die vertaling kan daar afleidings gemaak word oor die gepastheid daarvan vir huidige lesers en word ’n aanbeveling gemaak oor die moontlikheid van ’n hervertaling.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South African author Linda Rode‘s book In die Nimmer-Immer Bos (2009a) and Elsa Silke‘s English translation thereof In the Never-Ever Wood (2009b) have won a number of prizes in South Africa, which is evidence both of the quality of the anthology and its translation, as well as of the continued significance of the folktale genre in today‘s fast-paced, modern society. People continue to make sense of the world through telling stories and, although the stories told today might be marked by life in the 21st century, our ancestors‘ stories are still appreciated by many. Although Rode‘s tales are not unlike other folktales, her collection differs in that it is a mosaic of cultures and their folklore spanning the globe, a book that appeals to the whole family, and to young readers and listeners in particular. Through a practical translation into German of selected tales from Silke‘s English version of Rode‘s book, the present thesis investigates ways and means of translating folktales for children. A functional approach was suggested, taking into account the European audience as well as the original intention of the author. As such, the author‘s style was naturalised and an attempt was made to replicate it in the target language, whereas culture-specific items relevant to the setting of the individual tales were retained. Hans J. Vermeer‘s skopos theory, as enhanced by Christiane Nord, as well as Lawrence Venuti‘s concepts of foreignisation and domestication were discussed, amongst other relevant theories. Many of the challenges discussed in the annotations to the practical translation typically occur in the translation of literature for children, and the study thus hopes to make a contribution to research on the translation of literature for children. Interviews conducted for the purpose of the present study furthermore proved the positive impact of good cooperation between the people involved in a translation project on the final translation product. The resulting translation, meant to impart knowledge and pleasure to the audience, furthermore serves as a translation sample that is intended to entice German publishers to commission a translation of Rode‘s anthology for the German book market. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse skrywer Linda Rode se boek In die Nimmer-Immer Bos (2009a), sowel as die Engelse vertaling daarvan deur Elsa Silke, getiteld In the Never-Ever Wood (2009b), is in Suid-Afrika met verskeie pryse bekroon. Hierdie erkenning is ‘n bevestiging van die gehalte van die antologie en van die vertaling, sowel as van die voortgesette belangrikheid van volksoorleweringe as genre in die gejaagde, moderne samelewing van vandag. Mense maak steeds sin van die wêreld deur stories te vertel, en hoewel die stories wat vandag vertel word meestal handel oor die lewe in die 21ste eeu, word die stories van ons voorouers steeds deur baie mense waardeer. Hoewel Rode se verhale nie besonder anders as ander volksverhale is nie, verskil haar versameling in dié opsig dat dit ‘n mosaïek van kulture en volksoorleweringe van regoor die wêreld is. Die boek is dus een waarby die hele gesin, maar veral jong lesers en luisteraars, aanklank kan vind. Hierdie tesis ondersoek, deur ‘n praktiese vertaling van enkele verhale uit die Engelse weergawe van Rode se boek in Duits, strategieë vir die vertaling van volksverhale vir kinders. ‘n Funksionalistiese benadering is gevolg, wat die Europese gehoor sowel as die oorspronklike bedoeling van die skrywer in ag neem. In die lig hiervan is die styl van die skrywer genaturaliseer en, waar moontlik, na die doeltaal oorgedra, terwyl kultuurspesifieke items behou is wat relevant is vir die agtergrond waarteen die individuele verhale afspeel. Hans J. Vermeer se skoposteorie, soos aangepas deur Christiane Nord, sowel as Lawrence Venuti se konsepte vervreemding en domestikering is bespreek, saam met ander relevante teorieë. Baie van die uitdagings wat in die annotasies by die praktiese vertaling bespreek word, kom dikwels in die vertaling van kinderliteratuur voor. Hierdie studie hoop dus om ‘n bydrae tot navorsing oor die vertaling van verhale vir kinders te lewer. Onderhoude wat vir die doel van die studie gevoer is, het verder bewys gelewer van die positiewe impak wat goeie samewerking tussen die rolspelers in ‘n vertaalprojek op die finale vertaalproduk kan hê. Die uiteindelike vertaling, wat bedoel is om kennis oor te dra en genot aan die gehoor te verskaf, dien verder as ‘n vertaalvoorbeeld wat Duitse uitgewers hopelik sal aanmoedig om Rode se antologie vir die Duitse boekemark te laat vertaal.

A Translation project submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts (Translation). / This case study investigates and analyses the transfer of the socio-political elements of meaning, in the translated text, A Season in Paradise (1985). The study attempts to discover and account for any factors which may have impacted on the transfer of the socio-political elements from the source text. to make the study as systematic and as objective as possible, an adaptation of the model of analysis proposed by Lambert and Van Gorp is used. Lambert and Van Gorp are theorists who fall within the branch of translation studies called Descriptive Translation studies. The adaptation of the Lambert and Van Gorp model takes into account the factors which could have influenced the translator's reading of the literary text and which could have impacted on her translation strategy. The macro-analysis establishes the background to the translation and compares the physical features and the publishing circumstances of the target text with that of the source text. It contains a discussion on any similarities or differences found. On the micro-level, specific extracts with a socio-political theme are compared using selected linguistic concepts from Halliday's An Introduction to Functional Grammar as interpretive tools. The shifts discovered here were linked to the discoveries made in the macro-level analysis. It: was determined that prevalent reading strategies at the time did to a limited extent influence the transfer of the socio-political elements of meaning present in the text. This study is done to shed more light on the process of translating a literary work and the factors which may influence this process. / Andrew Chakane 2018

Child-oriented Chinese indigenous children's literature was created with the translation of western children's works and theories on children's literature. The study on translated children's literature in China is significant not only to the research on Chinese children's literature, but also to Chinese translation history. At present the study on translated children's literature both at home and abroad occupies a marginalized position. Particularly in China, the limited research that has been done on the subject is of poor quality. / Key words. Translation Studies; translated children's literature; poetics; patronage; linguistic elements; personality; influence study; reception. / This dissertation combines the methods taken from Descriptive Translation Studies, children's literature research and Comparative Literature to describe and analyze the production, reception and influence of translated children's literature in China during the period of 1898-1949. Based on two catalogues compiled by the author of this dissertation, namely, A Catalogue of Translated Children's Literature During 1898-1919 and A Catalogue of Translated Children's Books During 1911-1949, the dissertation describes a picture of translated children's literature in China during the period of 1898-1949. The production of translated children's work is analyzed from four perspectives: poetics, patronage, linguistic elements and personality of translators. The reception part, based on the reception models by Yves Chevrel, takes Curoe translated by XIA Mianzun, The Watch translated by LU Xun, and "Translated Russian Children's Literature in China" as three case studies to examine the reception of translated children's literature in the Chinese context. The influence part adopts the methodology of chronology and doxologie to prove and conduct the detailed aspects of the influence of translated children's literature upon indigenous Chinese children's literature from three aspects: techniques, content and image. The dissertation ends with an outlook for future research on translated children's literature in China. / 李麗. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2006. / 參考文獻(p. 222-238). / Adviser: Chee Fun Fong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-02, Section: A, page: 0562. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2006. / Can kao wen xian (p. 222-238). / Li Li.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Portuguese

Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis re-evaluates the writing of seminal Afrikaans modernist Etienne Leroux from a South African English perspective. The present author's new translation of Leroux's prizewinning novel Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins (1962) is the focal point of an enquiry into how “rewriting”, in translation theorist André Lefevere's coinage, has shaped the reception of Leroux's work outside the Afrikaans literary system. It is shown from a literary-historiographical viewpoint that translation played a crucial role in Leroux's rise to international prominence and subsequent eclipse. It is demonstrated that Leroux's standing within the English literary system rests predominantly on extant translations of his novels, without taking into account the cyclical quality of his fiction, especially the overarching nine-novel cycle – the basis of Leroux's renown in Afrikaans. The distortions produced by this fact are critiqued. In particular, the received idea of Leroux as an apolitical obscurantist is challenged, the work of J.C. Kannemeyer especially showing that Leroux's politics and art were much more integral and radical than previously (mis)understood. A case is made for Leroux's re-evaluation as a seminal contributor to modern South African fiction comparable to J.M. Coetzee, and for the production of fresh translations of his work to facilitate this re-evaluation. A detailed account of the translation process behind the present author's new translation of Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins follows. A series of close readings compares this new translation to the first translation by Charles Eglington (1964), shows how Eglington's translation obscured certain textual strategies vital to a full comprehension of Leroux's text, examines the difficulties inherent in restoring them, and argues for the new translation's success therein. A mise au point in which insights yielded by this process feed back into an assessment of Leroux's relevance today concludes the thesis. Leroux's technique is shown to have immunised his texts against the desuetude into which time-bound “committed” literature often falls. In particular, Sewe Dae by die Silbersteins, or its new translation, emerges as a satirical anatomisation of subjectivity under late modern capitalism entirely in tune with contemporary cultural representations of apartheid as metaphor for global capitalism. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word die skryfwerk van die hoog-aangeskrewe Afrikaanse modernis Etienne Leroux vanuit 'n Suid-Afrikaans-Engelse oogpunt in heraanskouing geneem. Die kandidaat se nuwe vertaling van Leroux se beroemde roman, Sewe dae by die Silbersteins (1962 ), word as uitgangpunt gebruik vir vrae oor hoe Leroux se werk “herskryf” is deur kritici en vertalers. In verband hiermee word die vertaal-teoris André Lefevere se werk gebruik om die ontvangs van Leroux se werk buite die Afrikaanse literêre-sisteem in oënskou te neem. Uit n literêr-historiografiese standpunt word bewys dat vertaling 'n sleutel-rol in Leroux se internasionale beroemdheid en sy daaropvolgende verdwyning gespeel het. Leroux se status binne die Engelse literêre-stelsel berus tans hoofsaaklik op bestaande vertalings van sy romans, wat beperk in omvang en gehalte is. Leroux se “Engelse” reputasie neem as gevolg hiervan glad nie die sikliese eienskappe van sy fiksie in ag nie, bowenal sy oorkoepelende siklus van nege romans, wat die grondslag van Leroux se roem in Afrikaans vorm. Verskeie misvattings wat uit hierdie toestand voortspruit – veral die gedagte dat Leroux se skryfwerk apolities en “duister” is – word bevraagteken. Vernaamlik die werk van J. C. Kannemeyer wys daarop dat Leroux se kuns baie meer integraal en radikaal is as wat dit blyk binne die wanvoorstelling daarvan in Suid-Afrikaanse kritiek in Engels. ‘n Pleidooi word gemaak vir ‘n herwaardering van Leroux as 'n sentrale figuur in moderne Suid-Afrikaanse fiksie, vergelykbaar selfs met J.M. Coetzee. Verder word gepleit vir die behoefte aan nuwe vertalings van Leroux se werk, om sodoende 'n deeglike herwaardering moontlik te maak. Daarna volg 'n bespreking van die vertalingsproses van die kandidaat se nuwe vertaling van Sewe dae by die Silbersteins. 'n Reeks noukeurige beskouings wat die nuwe vertaling met die bestaande vertaling (Charles Eglington, 1964) vergelyk, wys daarop dat Eglington se vertaling kerneienskappe van Leroux se teks effektief verdoesel. Hierdie eienskappe, word aangevoer, is noodsaaklik vir 'n deeglike begrip van Leroux se teks. Die kandidaat bied ‘n wye analise oor hierdie eienskappe aan en voer ook aan dat sy nuwe vertaling die wese van Leroux se roman in ere herstel. Die tesis sluit af met 'n mise au point waarin die insigte wat bereik is deur die vertalingsproses voorgestel word as stof tot nadenke oor Leroux se belangrikheid in vandag se leefwêreld. Daar word vervolgens ook bewys dat Leroux se werk bestand is teen die onbruik waarin tydgebonde littérature engagée dikwels verval. Veral Sewe dae by die Silbersteins, en die nuwe vertaling wat hier aangebied word, bied 'n satiriese beskouing van subjektiwiteit onder apartheid-kapitalisme wat strook met huidige voorstellings van apartheid as metafoor vir globale kapitalisme.