Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature
This study examines the challenges posed by translating the invented character names in Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy into Turkish. It investigates the methods used in the process and the factors that influence the translator’s methodological decisions. A total of 99 character names were colle...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Names |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ans-names.pitt.edu/ans/article/view/2326 |
| _version_ | 1811343313111875584 |
|---|---|
| author | Naile Sarmaşık |
| author_facet | Naile Sarmaşık |
| author_sort | Naile Sarmaşık |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
This study examines the challenges posed by translating the invented character names in Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy into Turkish. It investigates the methods used in the process and the factors that influence the translator’s methodological decisions. A total of 99 character names were collected from Peake’s novels. The list included full names, first names, surnames, surnames with titles, and nicknames. The Turkish equivalents of these names from the trilogy were then gathered from the two Turkish translations produced by the same translator. The study found that four main methods were used to translate the character names: (1) copying, (2) translation, (3) transcription, and (4) substitution. It investigates the ways in which the proper names in the trilogy are translated by the famous Turkish literary translator, Dost Körpe. Attention is paid to the translator’s onomastic choices in view of translational norms, which are, in turn, highly influenced by the position of translated literature in the literary polysystem of the target culture. The study concludes that the peripheral position of translated fantasy literature in the Turkish literary polysystem, as well as the desire to preserve the essence of the source text, were influential in shaping the translator’s onomastic decisions.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:27:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5931fb0512e46aea0670f5eae21fe79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0027-7738 1756-2279 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T19:27:06Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | University Library System, University of Pittsburgh |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Names |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5931fb0512e46aea0670f5eae21fe792022-12-22T02:33:19ZengUniversity Library System, University of PittsburghNames0027-77381756-22792022-06-0170210.5195/names.2022.2326Translating Character Names in Fantasy LiteratureNaile Sarmaşık0Atılım University This study examines the challenges posed by translating the invented character names in Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy into Turkish. It investigates the methods used in the process and the factors that influence the translator’s methodological decisions. A total of 99 character names were collected from Peake’s novels. The list included full names, first names, surnames, surnames with titles, and nicknames. The Turkish equivalents of these names from the trilogy were then gathered from the two Turkish translations produced by the same translator. The study found that four main methods were used to translate the character names: (1) copying, (2) translation, (3) transcription, and (4) substitution. It investigates the ways in which the proper names in the trilogy are translated by the famous Turkish literary translator, Dost Körpe. Attention is paid to the translator’s onomastic choices in view of translational norms, which are, in turn, highly influenced by the position of translated literature in the literary polysystem of the target culture. The study concludes that the peripheral position of translated fantasy literature in the Turkish literary polysystem, as well as the desire to preserve the essence of the source text, were influential in shaping the translator’s onomastic decisions. https://ans-names.pitt.edu/ans/article/view/2326fantasy literaturetranslationpolysystem theoryMervyn PeakeGormenghast trilogyliterary onomastics |
| spellingShingle | Naile Sarmaşık Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature Names fantasy literature translation polysystem theory Mervyn Peake Gormenghast trilogy literary onomastics |
| title | Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature |
| title_full | Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature |
| title_fullStr | Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature |
| title_full_unstemmed | Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature |
| title_short | Translating Character Names in Fantasy Literature |
| title_sort | translating character names in fantasy literature |
| topic | fantasy literature translation polysystem theory Mervyn Peake Gormenghast trilogy literary onomastics |
| url | https://ans-names.pitt.edu/ans/article/view/2326 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nailesarmasık translatingcharacternamesinfantasyliterature |