The characteristics of narrative translation: theory and application on some fables of Kalila and Dimna
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25130/Lang.9.3.P3.20Abstract
In principle, a good translation requires the transfer of the complete meaning from the source language to the target language. The bilingual translator must be competent in both languages. In order to achieve this goal, learners should rely on auxiliary resources, particularly theoretical ones such as André Dussard's article entitled ‘Faux sens, contre sens et non-sens ... un faux-débat’ (False meaning, counter-meaning and nonsense ... a false debate); which focuses on three essential elements: omission, addition and imperfect transfer of meaning. On the other hand, Héla Najjar's article: Cultural Constraints seems useful in this area.
In terms of its field of application and given its classical style, the corpus of this research is limited to the book Kalila and Dimna by Ibn Al-Muqaffa. This universal work presents a collection of fables that was the source of inspiration for La Fontaine in the 17th century. In fact, whatever the theoretical constraints guiding our journey, we cannot do without omission or addition in the translation process; however, the aim of this study is to warn translators not to undermine the meaning of the context of the selected statement. Nevertheless, the limited use of punctuation in Arabic compared to French encourages translators to resort to illustrative additions where necessary. It goes without saying that stylistic devices and cultural aspects contribute to the success of a translation.
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