Translation Challenges in Children's Literature: A Comparative Study of Story Narratives
Haneen Qasim Saeed
College of mass communication, Department of Public Relation. University of Baghdad
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.8.6.11
Keywords: translation, cultural, children's story, voice preservation, educational
Abstract
This paper presents the intricate issues and strategies related to the translation of children's books, and it particularly focuses on the comparative analysis of "The Tale of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter and "Le Petit Prince" (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The study finds that the typical problems in translation are, idiomatic expressions, cultural reference, and the voice preservation, along side-sheet-specific challenges which each of the text faces. The translator of Potter's work should have skills of transposing all culturally oriented peculiarities of the UK land to the international audience to keep it accessible. On the contrary, "Le Petit Prince" translation will be the process of capturing the abstract philosophical themes in the simple yet profound language. It is also stressed that the role of the translation as a cultural mediator similarly requires the use of innovative techniques adapted to indigenous culture. Among the next steps for research is the extension of comparative studies to the text of diverse cultures and an inclusion of interdisciplinary approaches, incorporation of technological support and finally an empirically study of the impact of texts. This study is also the fuel for the development of the understanding of translating children's literature and to make these stories more accessible and educational throughout the whole world.
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