The influence of language variation on literary translation : George Weideman's 'Matrys'

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of language variation on literary translation. This will be done by firstly determining the origin of language variation and a comparison between standard and non-standard language varieties. The specific characteristics belonging to a geographical language variety (geolect) will also be discussed, by referring to the unique grammatical characteristics of Griqua Afrikaans. The unique grammatical characteristics of a language variety, has certain implications for the translation process as well as translation theory. The relevance of prescriptive translation approaches such as equivalence will have to be assessed, and alternative approaches will need to be identified. This will be done by discussing the theories of Even-Zohar, Toury and Derrida. The most relevant features of these theories will be selected and applied. The practical implications of language variation will also be investigated by analysing the source text, namely the short story '(Matrys)' by George Weideman. '(Matrys)' is written in Griqua Afrikaans, and displays all the unique characteristics of the geolect. These unique characteristics will influence the translator's approach, as will become clear after a comparative analysis of two unpublished commissioned translations of '(Matrys)'. The translation categories of House (1981) and Klingberg (1986) will also be analysed in terms of their appropriateness for th is study. The translation strategies employed by the two translators will also be analysed in order to determine their effectiveness in transferring the cultural element of the source text to the target texts. The translation strategies of Newmark (1988) will also be discussed in order to determine their appropriateness for this study. Finally, a conclusion will be made concerning the influence of language variation on literary translation, based on the information and data gathered during the course of the study