International Journal for Tourism and Technology (IJTT)
Translation is vital for bridging linguistic and cultural gaps, particularly in literature, where preserving the author's intent and cultural context is crucial. Régina Yaou's novel Sœurs de Sang, a significant work in African literature, remains untranslated into English, limiting its accessibility to Englishspeaking readers, scholars, and students. This lack of translation not only restricts appreciation of the novel but also hinders critical discourse on its themes and potential translation strategies.This study aimed to produce an English translation of Sœurs de Sang, addressing the linguistic and cultural challenges encountered. The focus was on analysing and resolving grammatical, syntactic, rhetorical, and pragmatic issues to maintain the novel's authenticity and accessibility.The study revealed significant challenges in retaining the novel’s stylistic and cultural nuances. Adjustments were made to French grammatical structures, sentence syntax, and rhetorical devices to ensure readability for English-speaking audiences. Cultural elements were carefully adapted to retain their specificity, ensuring the translation’s accuracy and cultural relevance.The study recommends that future translations emphasise cultural familiarity and contextual sensitivity. This includes ongoing training for translators, collaboration with native cultural experts, and strategic use of translation tools. Regular feedback from native speakers is also crucial for refining translations and improving their reception among target audiences. By implementing these strategies, future translations can better bridge linguistic and cultural gaps, enhancing the global reach and impact of important literary works like Sœurs de Sang.
Helping two people who do not speak the same language to understand each other is referred to as translation (Maksymski, 2015). This single activity, although it may seem straightforward, is multifaceted in the way it ensures effective communication between individuals who speak different languages. Translation can take various forms, including interpretation, subtitling, sight translation, and more. Interpretation is the oral translation of spoken language, which can happen in real-time (simultaneous interpretation) or after the speaker has finished talking (consecutive interpretation) (González-Davies, 2020). Subtitling, according to García-Escribano (2023), involves translating spoken dialogue in films or
television shows into written text that appears on screen, helping viewers understand the content even if they do not speak the original language. Sight translation is the process of translating written text into spoken words on the spot, often used in legal and medical settings where documents need to be read aloud in another language (see Zou et al., 2022).
Literary translation involves translating literature, such as novels, poems, and plays, from one language to another (cf. Valdeón, 2018). This form of translation requires not just a literal translation but also capturing the style, tone, and cultural nuances of the original text. Technical translation focuses on translating technical documents such as manuals, user guides, and scientific papers, requiring specialised knowledge of the subject matter. Legal translation involves translating legal documents such as contracts, statutes, and legal opinions, where accuracy and understanding of legal terminology are crucial. Medical translation involves translating medical documents such as patient records, research papers, and pharmaceutical instructions, requiring knowledge of medical terminology and concepts. Machine translation is the use of software to translate text from one language to another. While machine translation has improved over the years, it still requires human oversight for accuracy and cultural sensitivity. Specialists in translation strive to understand its nature deeply. Numerous attempts have been made by experts to define translation, highlighting its complexity and multifaceted nature (Hermans, 2013). Linguists, translation theorists, writers, and researchers have proposed various definitions from their perspectives. Ghosal (2023) defines translate as the process of converting the meaning of a written message (text) from one language to another.”This broad definition captures the essence of translation: transferring a message from one language to another. By understanding these different forms of translation, we can appreciate the various ways in which this essential activity bridges language barriers and facilitates communication across cultures.
Literary translation, cultural adaptation, African literature, translation challenges, linguistic accuracy, Sœurs de Sang