Adaptation And Translation Essay

Adaptation and Translation:

3. Cultural References:

The third angle of this data analysis is concerned with the occurrence of cultural references-defined above- and the strategies used to render them in the target language in both of the translations.

Each strategy used will be defined briefly, then a number of examples will be given to further illustrate the strategy.

A. Sayidati Al-Jamila (My Fair Lady):

When analysing the translation of cultural references in this adapted version of Pygmalion, one will notice that the translators Bahjat Qamar and Sameer Khafaji have used mainly four of the strategies suggested by Ivir (1987) and Maihac (1995) to deal with the cultural gaps found in the original text. These strategies include: borrowing or importation, cultural substitution, lexical creation and literal translation.

1. Borrowing or importation:

According to Ivir (1987), this strategy involves borrowing or importing expressions, phrases or customs from other cultures into the target language or culture. This strategy should be used when there is a real need for it as excessive borrowing in one text can sometimes disrupt communication. In addition to that, the borrowed expression should easily conform to the TL, both phonologically and morphologically.

However, it is noted here that this strategy has not been used much in this adapted version (Sayidati Al-Jamila) as only one example of borrowing was found. This is the borrowing of the British custom of “tea time” which is illustrated in the scene when Professor Higgins is teaching Eliza to say “a cup of tea” properly at the tea time. This appeared in the translation in the scene when the housekeeper مدام شجرة الدر (Mrs. Shagarit Al-Dorr) enters with the tea cart to serve ...

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...grammatical English, then Higgins comments:

• Pickering: Eh? What difficulty?

Higins: To her to talk grammar. The mere pronunciation is easy enough (Shaw 1991:29)

• بيكرنج: إيه؟ أية صعوبة؟

هجنز: أن نجعلها تتكلم بالنحو. إن مجرد النطق السليم أمره أسهل. (Al-Rashidi 1967:82)

In this example, there are two clauses that are considered literal translation. The questioned expression (Eh) is transalted literally with an Arabic questioned expression إيه(ih). The other clause is the one by Higgins (talk grammar) which is translated literally as تتكلم بالنحو which is a expression that already exists in colloquial Egyptian Arabic, and usually used when the person is indicating proper language.

References:

“Procedures and strategies for the translation of culture” by Vladimir lvir, cited in "Translation across cultures", Gideon Toury, Bahri Publications, New Delhi, 1987.