Translation Strategies: A Case Study of Caroe and Howell’s Translations

Abstract

Translation is a complex cognitive and linguistic process that involves transferring the sense and meaning of a text from one language to another while also considering the cultural nuances and context embedded within the original language. Per the Newmark model, this paper aims to elucidate the various translational strategies employed in representing culture-specific items. To fulfil the objective, the researcher has gathered data from a renowned Pashto poem titled "Kismat," authored by the esteemed Khushal Khan Khattak and subsequently translated into English. The identification and subsequent analysis of culture-specific items within the target text are conducted. The empirical evidence suggests that translators employ various translation strategies, with a notable prevalence of utilizing couplet and triplet techniques. Various translation strategies have been identified in the literature, including paraphrase, compensation, functional equivalent, synonymy, descriptive equivalent, componential analysis, cultural equivalent, and modulation. These strategies have been explored and discussed by scholars in translation studies. The findings of this study also indicate that the translational approaches under investigation exhibit inherent resistance. The translation of literary works, mainly poems, poses a significant challenge for translators due to the dual task of faithfully capturing both the semantic content and the aesthetic qualities of the source text.