| Elizabeth Goodwin-Andersson, University of Edinburgh |
| Wed 07 Oct 2015, 16:30 - 18:00 |
| David Hume Tower Lecture Theatre A |
If you have a question about this talk, please contact: Hephzibah Israel (hisral)
All Welcome
Abstract:
Research in Lathey (Lathey 2010) suggests UK children’s translations are more domesticated than US versions. Lathey’s examples are simultaneous English translation, where separate UK and US versions exist. However, individual translations for each nation are not always produced; sometimes an English translation is the same text for both nations: a ‘transatlantic’ translation. Since different types of translation practice exist, the present project attempts, firstly, to create a taxonomy for different translation types and, secondly, to ascertain each type’s frequency. The project will then analyse each translation type, through case studies of Scandinavian children’s books. The case study methodology is comparative analysis, located on three levels: textual, paratextual and metatexual. The textual level, based on Klingberg’s theory of purification, will compare and contrast Anglophone versions of the same text. The paratextual (Genette) and metatextual, explores occurrences outside the text as a means to explain the phenomena located within.
Children’s literature presents unique challenges in translation because the target culture introduces powerful educational, social and cultural constraints. However, the existence of transatlantic translation assumes the target cultures of UK and US are identical. The existence of different translation types challenges preconceived ideas regarding the concept of target culture within DTS, in that target culture is usually defined and delimited by geopolitical borders. Therefore, the concept of target culture per se requires further theoretical refinement, which this thesis hopes to address.
Ultimately the research aims to determine the advantages and disadvantages of publishing bespoke translations for Anglophone countries over the streamlined compromise of a transatlantic translation.
Elizabeth Goodwin-Andersson, Translation Studies PhD Candidate, University of Edinburgh