Elsabe Steenberg's oeuvre, consisting among others of forty two stories in book format, has four target groups -- preschool children, young children, teenagers and adults. Her narrative work is so richly textured and contains such a depth of insight into the complexities of life that it should not only attract attention because of its topicality, but that it should also be exposed -- especially in a society searching for direction -- to as large a number of readers and researchers as possible. It is clear that all of her works represent a view of reality which, from an intertextual point of view, could be seen as being grounded in the ontological point of departure. The main focus of the present study is to investigate the representational procedes through which the ontological view is represented in four selected texts from the oeuvre. This is done in order to establish internal textual variants and constants. The four selected texts, in which tree symbolism manifests itself in various intertextual permutations, are: Die boom wat wou loop (for preschool children), Soek-soek op soek (for young children), Boom homer boomste (for teenagers) and Plek van die bruin geeste (for adults). The rest of the oeuvre, as well as Elsabe Steenberg's poetics, are referred to cursorily in order to establish a corroborating intertextual comparative base. The procedes representing the whole internal textual universe, from concrete object, • through the different but also complementary narrative elements, further to the overt representation and manifestation of the abstract theme and view of the narrative world, are all investigated. The four texts are first discussed independently by means of a structuralist-semiotic approach, after which the variants and constants are determined intertextually. The numerous aspects of the representational system of the view of reality in all four the intensively studied texts, as well as those in the rest of the oeuvre which are only touched on briefly, an point toward one fundamental factor as semiotic sign, namely: God is. Identity as an intertextual constant plays a very prominent role in the whole oeuvre. Consequently, the numerous ways in which the fundamental view of reality are represented, are thus also associated with God's identity or Being, for example, God is the Origin, God is the Giver of insight into the diversity, interrelatedness and meaning of reality, and God is the real regenerating Force. / Proefskrif (PhD (Afrikaans en Nederlands))--PU vir CHO, 1997.

Elsabe Steenberg's oeuvre, consisting among others of forty two stories in book format, has four target groups -- preschool children, young children, teenagers and adults. Her narrative work is so richly textured and contains such a depth of insight into the complexities of life that it should not only attract attention because of its topicality, but that it should also be exposed -- especially in a society searching for direction -- to as large a number of readers and researchers as possible. It is clear that all of her works represent a view of reality which, from an intertextual point of view, could be seen as being grounded in the ontological point of departure. The main focus of the present study is to investigate the representational procedes through which the ontological view is represented in four selected texts from the oeuvre. This is done in order to establish internal textual variants and constants. The four selected texts, in which tree symbolism manifests itself in various intertextual permutations, are: Die boom wat wou loop (for preschool children), Soek-soek op soek (for young children), Boom homer boomste (for teenagers) and Plek van die bruin geeste (for adults). The rest of the oeuvre, as well as Elsabe Steenberg's poetics, are referred to cursorily in order to establish a corroborating intertextual comparative base. The procedes representing the whole internal textual universe, from concrete object, • through the different but also complementary narrative elements, further to the overt representation and manifestation of the abstract theme and view of the narrative world, are all investigated. The four texts are first discussed independently by means of a structuralist-semiotic approach, after which the variants and constants are determined intertextually. The numerous aspects of the representational system of the view of reality in all four the intensively studied texts, as well as those in the rest of the oeuvre which are only touched on briefly, an point toward one fundamental factor as semiotic sign, namely: God is. Identity as an intertextual constant plays a very prominent role in the whole oeuvre. Consequently, the numerous ways in which the fundamental view of reality are represented, are thus also associated with God's identity or Being, for example, God is the Origin, God is the Giver of insight into the diversity, interrelatedness and meaning of reality, and God is the real regenerating Force. / Proefskrif (PhD (Afrikaans en Nederlands))--PU vir CHO, 1997.

While over the years stakeholders such as publishers and academics have taken a keen interest in research into writing and publishing, they have been less concerned about research into indigenous children‟s literature. In this thesis a comprehensive examination of children‟s literature in the indigenous African languages of South Africa and in Zulu in particular, is presented. Qualitative research methods have been applied, using questionnaires and interviews to gain first-hand knowledge of problems and possible solutions to the dearth of original children‟s literature in the indigenous languages. The data obtained in this regard has proved invaluable to the researcher and, hopefully, will be so to others in the future. Oral folktales narrated before the influence of the missionaries qualify as children‟s literature. The transition from the oral performance of these folktales to the reading of written children‟s texts is discussed in detail. This is achieved by considering the milieu, themes, content, functions and values of this children‟s literature. The discussion of imilolozelo (lullabies) and izilandelo/izidlaliso (game songs) presents the genre of children‟s traditional oral poetry as a form of performance based not only on narrative but also on songs and/or chants interspersed with rhythmical movements to relay their message. Zulu school readers as modern literature for children are also examined by tracing their background and the development of original Zulu children‟s written literature since it was first recorded by the missionaries. Contents and themes of these early readers, dating from the 1800s, are examined and compared with a series of graded readers published in 1962 by C.L.S. Nyembezi. The sixth chapter of the thesis investigates Zulu children‟s picture books as contemporary literature. Various types of picture books and their functions are discussed. Research findings point to an urgent need for the training of African authors in the writing of age-appropriate books in indigenous African languages. Lastly, the study proves that it is feasible to regard traditional oral and modern indigenous texts as children‟s literature. / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)

Uppsatsen syftar till att undersöka om barn och ungdomslitteraturen tillägnat sig filosofiska tankegångar och hur detta har utryckts i fyra skönlitterära verk. Barnlitteraturen används i skolan framförallt för att öka läsförståelse och ordkunskap. I denna studie har jag pekat på att litteraturen även kan föra fram filosofiska idéer. Uppsatsen kan fungera som en vägvisare till hur filosofiska idéer kan hämtas från skönlitteraturen och på så sätt exemplifiera dessa med hjälp av litteraturen, men också hur vi på samma sätt kan göra litteraturen mer begriplig med hjälp av filosofiska exempel. Uppsatsen har visat att barnlitteraturen innehåller djupa och intressanta filosofiska tankegångar. Både äldre och nyare barnlitteratur kan därför med fördel användas i skolan för att introducera filosofiska begrepp på ett stimulerande sätt.

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.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globalization and the inherent shrinking of geographical boarders have rendered modern societies progressively culturally heterogeneous spaces. Increased encounters between people from different cultures have thus become a normal occurrence. Germany is in no way an exception to this socio-cultural phenomenon and has witnessed an emergence of multi-cultural societies, leading to concerted efforts in developing intercultural competence in all spheres of influence. Literature plays a pivotal role in the representation and transfer of culturally determined imaginations and perceptions of the “other”. This role is further emphasized in the case of children’s and youth literature, which has an imminent pedagogical function. For a long time, research in children’s and youth literature has received very little attention as an integral part of literary studies; this is observed both in English and in German literature, though the pace of development differs slightly (Hunt 1999; Weinkauff and Glasenapp 2010; Ewers 2000). In Germany, historical development of children’s and youth literature as an autonomous area of literature and field of study was influenced by societal values and attitudes as well as perceptions of childhood. This has continued to be the case, though recent research indicates a growing emphasis on children’s literature as a tool to develop literacy as well as an appreciation of the aesthetic value of literature. A third component is the intercultural aspect it is able to offer. Impelled by the paucity of systematic analyses of the representation of Africa in German children’s and youth literature, this dissertation sets out to offer a critical appraisal of intercultural aspects and the image of Africa in contemporary German youth literature. A corpus of literary works has been selected for this purpose. The central thesis of the study is that these literary works are involved in a sustained debate of questioning and contesting numerous representations of Africa and Africans. Given the fact that the study touches on several overarching issues, it draws from diverse theoretical perspectives that include intercultural theories on perceptions of the cultural “other” and “imagology” as well as postcolonial studies, with reflections on the pedagogical nature of youth literature. The study considers intercultural and postcolonial theories as conceptualized by Hofmann (2003; 2010), Mecklenburg (2003, 2006; 2008), Gutjahr (2002; 2010) and Göttsche (2003; 2010; 2011; 2012) as well as considerations on imagology as conceptualized by O’Sullivan (1989; 2000) and Beller (2007). In its exploration of the representation of Africa and Africans, this dissertation shows how literary works make use of diverse artistic, stylistic and narratological strategies and devices as possible ways of presenting and rethinking long-held perceptions about Africa. The present study proposes a reading and an appraisal of the corpus of literary texts as important discursive tools that allow for the expansion of self-conception and definition of otherness and the relationship to this otherness, thus contributing to increased intercultural awareness and competence among young readers. / AFRIKKANSE OPSOMMING: Globalisering en die gepaardgaande krimping van geografiese grense het moderne samelewings algaande omskep in kultureel heterogene ruimtes. Sodoende het toenemende ontmoetings tussen mense van verskillende kulture ʼn normale gebeurtenis geword. Duitsland, geen uitsondering op hierdie sosiokulturele verskynsel nie, was getuie tot die totstandkoming van multikulturele samelewings en dit het gelei tot doelgerigte pogings om interkulturele vaardigheid in alle invloedsfere te ontwikkel. Letterkunde speel ʼn deurslaggewende rol in die verteenwoordiging en oordrag van kultureel bepaalde verbeeldings en persepsies van die “ander”. Hierdie rol word verder beklemtoon in die geval van kinder- of jeugliteratuur, wat ʼn belangrike pedagogiese funksie het. Vir ʼn lang tyd het navorsing in kinder- en jeugliteratuur baie min aandag geniet as ʼn integrale deel van literêre navorsing en dit kan in Engelse sowel as Duitse letterkunde opgemerk word, hoewel die pas van ontwikkeling effens verskil (Hunt 1999; Weinkauff en Glasenapp 2010; Ewers 2000). In Duitsland is die historiese ontwikkeling van kinder- en jeugliteratuur as ʼn outonome veld van letterkunde en van navorsing beïnvloed deur die samelewing se waardes en houdings sowel as persepsies van kindwees. Dit word steeds voorgesit hoewel onlangse navorsing toon dat daar groter klem geplaas word op kinderliteratuur as ʼn manier om geletterdheid asook ʼn waardering vir die estetiese waarde van letterkunde te ontwikkel. ʼn Derde komponent is die interkulturele aspek wat dit kan bied. Aangespoor deur die gebrek aan sistematiese analises van die uitbeelding van Afrika in Duitse kinder- en jeugliteratuur, beoog hierdie proefskrif om ʼn kritiese waardering te bied van interkulturele aspekte en die beeld van Afrika in kontemporêre Duitse jeugliteratuur. ʼn Korpus van literêre werke is geselekteer vir hierdie doel. Die sentrale hipotese van die navorsing is dat hierdie literêre werke betrokke is, dikwels ten spyte van hulself, in ʼn volgehoue debat oor die bevraagtekening en betwissing van verskeie uitbeeldings van Afrika en Afrikane. Die studie raak verskeie oorkoepelende kwessies aan en steun daarom op diverse teoretiese perspektiewe wat interkulturele teorieë oor persepsies van die kulturele “ander” en “beeldstudies” insluit, sowel as postkoloniale studies en beskouings van die pedagogiese aard van jeugliteratuur. Interkulturele en postkoloniale teorieë soos voorgestel deur Hofmann (2003; 2010), Mecklenburg (2003; 2006; 2008), Gutjahr (2002; 2010) en Göttsche (2003;2010; 2011; 2012) asook oorwegings oor “beeldstudies” soos voorgestel deur O’Sullivan (1989; 2000) en Beller (2007) sal in aanmerking geneem word. In die ondersoek na die uitbeelding van Afrika en Afrikane wys hierdie dissertasie hoe literêre werke gebruik maak van diverse artistieke, stilistiese en narratologiese strategieë en middele as moontlike maniere om tradisionele persepsies oor Afrika voor te stel en te heroorweeg. Hierdie studie stel ʼn lees en waardering van die korpus van literêre tekste voor as belangrike diskursiewe instrumente wat ruimte laat vir die uitbouing van selfbeskouing en definisie van andersheid en die verhouding tot hierdie andersheid, om sodoende ʼn bydrae te maak tot die verhoogde kulturele bewustheid en vaardigheid onder jong lesers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the evolution of children's historical fiction dealing with World War II in order to describe the changes that have occurred over the past 50 years. Two questions were asked in the study: (1) Has the characterization of protagonists portrayed in historical fiction about World War H evolved since 1943? and (2) Have the accounts of the events of World War H portrayed in historical fiction evolved since 1943? Content analysis was used as the method of collecting data. The sample consisted of 86 novels written from 1943 to 1993. Upon completing the reading and coding, the researcher discussed the categories and questions posed. As part of analysis, the discussion of the novels in each period was accompanied with an overview of trends in children's literature and events affecting society. The analysis led to the following conclusions: 1. Authors were impacted by changes in the social and political climate, as evidenced by the changes in the gender of the protagonists, an increase of violence, and the inclusion of women. 2. Novels written during the 1980s and 1990s were written with a stronger American perspective. 3. At the time that an increase of violence was seen in American society, descriptions of World War II events and protagonists' actions became more violent and more graphic. 4. Though the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war with Japan, an inadequacy still exists in the number of novels that provide readers with details related to the atomic bombs. Though much of World War II was fought in the Pacific Rim, a deficiency remains in the number of novels set in Pacific Rim countries. Recommendations for further research include performing a study that examines other genres, analyzing the changes observed in the portrayal of protagonists. A study could be conducted to analyze the author's ethnicity and relationship to the war and determine if differences exist.

Summery This thesis deals with the issue of translation Milos Macourek's fairy tales into Polish. The starting point for the analysis is a comparison of two versions of a translation of selected texts. The author of the first one is Marie Erhardtowa, the second version is translated by Herman Grzeszczyk and Andrzej Kulikowski. The first part of the thesis is a theoretical preparation which explains the basic questions of literary translation. The main goal of the practical part of this thesis is to determine the target groups of readers, followed by an analysis of the particular translation issues.The conclusion contains a summary of findings and an assessment of individual translation in terms of adequacy.