Résumés
Abstract
This paper focuses on the transposition from English into Maltese of the various proper names encountered in Frank McCourt’s memoir Angela’s Ashes (Chapter 1). To achieve this aim, an extended practical translation exercise by the author himself is used. Eight different categories of proper names were identified in the source-text ranging from common people names to nicknames, titles and forms of address. Four different categories of cross-cultural transposition of proper names were considered, although only two were actually used. Various translation strategies were adopted ranging from non-translation to modification, depending on whether the particular proper name has a ‘conventional’ meaning or a culturally ‘loaded’ meaning. Although cultural losses were unavoidable, cultural gains were also experienced. Wherever possible, the original proper names were preserved to avoid any change in meaning and interference in their functionality as cultural markers. Moreover, a semantic creative translation was preferred, especially with proper names that were culturally and semantically loaded to reduce the amount of processing effort required by the target-reader and to minimize the cultural losses of relevant contextual and cultural implications in the target-text.
Keywords:
- transposition strategies,
- proper names,
- cultural losses,
- cultural gains,
- literary translation
Résumé
Cet article traite de la transposition de l’anglais au maltais de différents noms propres utilisés au chapitre 1 des mémoires de Frank McCourt Angela’s Ashes. Ce travail repose sur un long exercice pratique de traduction effectué par l’auteur. Huit catégories de noms propres ont été définies dans le texte source, allant des noms de personnes courants à des surnoms, titres et formes d’adresse. Quatre catégories de transpositions interculturelles ont été prises en compte, même si deux seulement ont effectivement été utilisées pour cet article. Des stratégies de traduction variées ont été adoptées, absence de traduction et modification, selon que le nom propre considéré possède un sens « conventionnel » ou culturellement « chargé ». Bien que des pertes culturelles soient inévitables, des gains culturels ont également eu lieu. Chaque fois que c’est possible, les noms propres originaux ont été préservés afin d’éviter un changement de sens ou une interférence avec leur fonctionnalité de marqueurs culturels. Par ailleurs, une traduction sémantiquement créative a été favorisée, particulièrement avec les noms propres qui sont culturellement et sémantiquement chargés, afin de réduire l’effort de traitement du lecteur cible et de minimiser les pertes culturelles des implications contextuelles et culturelles du texte cible.
Mots-clés :
- stratégies de transposition,
- noms propres,
- pertes culturelles,
- gains culturels,
- traduction littéraire
Resumen
El presente artículo trata de la transposición del inglés al maltés de diferentes nombres propios que figuran en el capítulo 1 de las memorias de Frank McCourt Angela’s Ashes y descansa en un largo ejercicio de traducción del autor. Se han identificado en el original ocho categorías de nombres propios, desde nombres comunes de personas hasta apodos, títulos y formatos de dirección. Se tomaron en cuenta cuatro categorías de transposiciones interculturales, pero solo dos se utilizaron en el presente trabajo. Igualmente se adoptaron varias estrategias de traducción, desde la no-traducción hasta la modificación, según el nombre propio poseía un sentido «convencional» o culturalmente «cargado». Si bien pérdidas culturales sean inevitables, también ocurren ganancias culturales. Cada vez que ha sido posible se han conservado los nombres propios originales con el fin de evitar cambios de sentido o interferencia con su funcionalidad de marcadores culturales. Por otro lado se privilegió una traducción semánticamente creativa, particularmente en el caso de los nombres propios cultural y semánticamente cargados, con miras a reducir el esfuerzo de tratamiento por parte del lector meta así como minimizar las pérdidas culturales con respecto a las implicaciones contextuales y culturales del texto meta.
Palabras clave:
- estrategias de transposición,
- nombres propios,
- pérdidas culturales,
- ganancias culturales,
- traducción literaria
Parties annexes
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