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Cultural Issues in Translation

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ISSN 1648-2824 KALBŲ STUDIJOS. 2002. NR. 3 * STUDIES ABOUT LANGUAGES. 2002. NO. 3

Cultural Issues in Translation

Anna Ginter

Abstract. Translation is recognised as an act of culture-specific communication. A translator is the ‘first

reader’ of the other culture as is shown in the foreign language text and, consequently, has to present the other
in a primary process. For him learning to translate means ‘learning to read’, i.e. to produce meanings which are
acceptable for the cultural community the reader belongs to. Each translated text for a target public that has no
access to the original, is the source for a different and new way of reading, which implies a major responsibility
for the translator.
As it has been observed, such interaction between two or more cultures in the process of translation results in a
creation of a ‘hybrid’ text, which appears in the target culture by adopting some of the features of the text in the
source culture. As a matter of fact, a hybrid text can be described as a product of a compromise between two or
more cultures.
The paper will concentrate on the kinds of the interaction and intercultural activity, which refer to ‘translating
between cultures’. The basis for discussion will be literary texts by Vladimir Nabokov as well as Helen
Fielding and lyrics of songs presented in different language versions of the musical Metro.

text production, translation into a foreign language will

Introduction always be an instance of intercultural communication.
The objective of this paper is to discuss the problem of Bearing in mind that culture plays the undeniable role in
cultural differences and cultural aspects in a literary text as the process of translation, theorists propose new definitions
well as the ways of their translation by means of some of this term, revising the previous opinions. The most
specific strategies. I intend to compare selected English appropriate and relevant to the cultural approach to
and Polish materials with their Russian, Polish and English translation seems to be the definition worked out by
equivalents in order to delineate three different approaches Olgierd Wojtasiewicz, a Polish linguist and the author of
to the art of translation. The source texts, which I have the first Polish monograph concerned with the theory of
singled out for the purpose of the analysis, come from translation. According to Wojtasiewicz, ‘the mechanism of
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Bridget Jones’s Diary by translating a text a formulated in the language A into the
Helen Fielding and Metro by Agata Miklaszewska and language B means formulating the text b in the language B
Maryna Miklaszewska (the authors of libretto). so that the reader would have the same or similar
As we shall see, it is extremely difficult to find a text in associations as the reader of the text a’ (Wojtasiewicz,
which all cultural issues would be translated by means of 1992:26).
the same strategy. However, it would be worth observing Hence, the translator will have to bridge the gap, small or
how some translators resolve the problems that arise when large, between two cultures. Culture is to be understood
the elements of one culture should be transposed to the not only in the narrower sense of man’s advanced
environment of another. intellectual development as reflected in the arts, but also in
Primarily, I wish to present the theoretical background the broader anthropological sense of all socially
concerned with cultural elements and the ways of their conditioned aspects of human life, as a totality of
translation. I depict the issues from the standpoint of the knowledge, proficiency and perception. Culture has thus to
theory of translation and linguistics. Further on, I will do with common factual knowledge, usually including
briefly analyse the selected examples of cultural aspects political institutions, education, history and current affairs
and their equivalents in translated texts, concentrating on as well as religion and customs.
the strategies of their translation and on the role which they Since translation is recognised as an act of culture-specific
play in conveying information referred to the presented communication, a translator is the ‘first reader’ of the other
events and characters. culture as is shown in the foreign language text and he is
expected to present the other in a primary process. It
Translation as a Culture-specific Communication should be also mentioned that for the translator learning to
translate means ‘learning to read’, i.e. to produce meanings
The concept of culture is fundamental to any approach to which are acceptable for the cultural community the reader
translation. If translation is defined as source text induced belongs to (cf. Wolf, 1997:128). Each translated text for a
target public that has no access to the original, is the source

27
for a different and new way of reading. All this implies a у меня сейчас маловато в банке, но ничего, буду жить
major responsibility for the translator. долгами, как жил его отец по словам поэта (Набоков,
1989:280),
The main problem for the translator is how to comply with
cultural issues, i.e. to decide which issues take priority: the where a quotation from Evgeny Onegin by Aleksander
cultural aspects of the source language community, the Pushkin is substituted for a quotation from Macbeth by
cultural aspects of the target language community, or William Shakespeare. Such a solution makes it possible for
perhaps a combination of the two, a compromise between the reader to share the cultural knowledge presupposed by
two or more cultures? The choice of cultural strategy may the author.
result in source-culture bound translation (the translation A similar method can be observed in the translation of
stays within the source language culture – so called wordplay. Although in some cases Nabokov does resort to
foreignisation), target-culture bound translation (the explanation and sometimes even omits the pun altogether,
translation stays within the target language culture – so he prefers to substitute an equivalent related to Russian
called domestication) or in a ‘hybrid’, where the translation language or Russian culture. These equivalents are often
is a product of a compromise between two or more extremely ingenious and just as effective as the original.
cultures. Here are a few typical examples:
The concept of a hybrid text as a feature of contemporary 1. one hardly had to be a Coleridgian to appreciate the
intercultural communication that could contribute to trite poke of: „A. Person, Porlock, England” (Nabokov,
translation studies has been described by Christina 1995:250).
Schäffner and Beverly Adab in their article Translation as
intercultural communication – Contact as conflict (1997). П.О.Темкин, Одесса, Техас (Набоков, 1989:285).
The authors presented four independent opinions of the The quotation from English version of Lolita is a clear
following panellists: Anna Trosborg, Sonja Tirkkonen- literary allusion to Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his Kubla
Condit, Candace Séguinot and Ieva Zauberga, who Khan where appears ‘a person of Porlock’, whereas in the
participated in a discussion on some selected questions translation Nabokov draws the reader’s attention to the
connected with the problem of hybrid texts. history of the Soviet cinematography and the film directed
A hybrid text has been provisionally defined as follows: by Sergiej Eisenstein.
‘A hybrid text is a text that results from a translation process. It 2. An ordinary encyclopedia informed me who the peculiar
shows features that somehow seem ‘out of looking „Phineas Quimby, Lebanon, NH” was (Nabokov,
place’/’strange’/’unusual’ for the receiving culture, i.e. the target 1995:250).
culture. These features, however, are not the result of a lack of
translational competence or examples of ‘translationese’, but they The word ‘Quimby’ is not only an allusion to the name of
are evidence of conscious and deliberate decisions by the the American hypnotist and pioneer in the field of
translator. Although the text is not yet fully established in the psychotherapy, but also a contaminated form of the words
target culture (because it does not conform to established norms ‘Quilty’ i ‘quim’ [a slang offensive name of woman’s
and conventions), a hybrid text is accepted in its target culture sexual organs]. In the Russian version Nabokov introduced
because it fulfils its intended purpose in the communicative to the text equally intriguing information:
situation (at least for a certain time)’ (1997:325).
Из невинных Бермудских Островов он сделал остроту -
Even though the concept of hybrid texts applies mainly to каламбур, который пристойность не разрешает мне
political texts or legal documents, some of its aspects refer привести. (Л 286)
also to the majority of literary texts which come to
existence as a compromise between various cultures and which might be understood as ‘Бери муть с кия остро в
‘are arrived at as an outcome of negotiations between ы(ижицу)’ (Paszek, Skwarek, 1992:82) and refers to the
different languages and cultures and may involve features relationship between Lolita and Humbert, similarly to the
which are contradictory to target language and target English version.
culture norms’ (330). As an example it would be worth Word play and sound-instrumentation are quite important
considering one of Nabokov’s techniques of translation. for understanding the plot and the message of the novel;
thus without transposition of these devices into the target
‘Hybridisation’ in Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov language culture the readers would miss a significant
element in comprehending the book.
In his own Russian translation of Lolita Vladimir Nabokov
does not transpose the setting from the United States to the
Soviet Union, as he does in his early translation of Alice in Foreignisation and Quasi-domestication of Bridget
Wonderland. He does not change names, places or events. Jones’s Diary
What he transposes, however, are historical and literary The terms ‘domestication’ and ‘foreignisation’ are
allusions which are quite frequently replaced by references extensively used in the works referred to translation
from another literature, as it can be proved by the studies. ‘Domestication’ in the broader sense means the
following example: domestic assimilation of a foreign text. A full explanation
I have not much at the bank right now but I propose to borrow - of its meaning is to be extracted from the following
you now, as the Bard said, with that cold in his head, to borrow paragraph:
and to borrow and to borrow (Nabokov, 1995:293).

28
‘Translation is often regarded with suspicion because it inevitably Hardy. The same passage in Polish version reveals a
domesticates foreign texts, inscribing them with linguistic and different translator’s strategy. Naczynska adds some
cultural values that are intelligible to specific domestic information related to Morecambe and Wise, and describes
constituencies. This process of inscription operates at every stage the sort of programme in which John Noakes and Valerie
in the production, circulation, and reception of the translation. It
is initiated by the very choice of a foreign text to translate, always
Singleton appear.
an exclusion of other foreign texts and literatures, which answers Here are two further examples of the method of translation
to particular domestic interests. It continues most forcefully in the presented above:
development of a translation strategy that rewrites the foreign text
in domestic dialects and discourses, always a choice of certain ‘Oh, hello, Mark, I know of you, of course,’ gushed Perpetua as if
domestic values to the exclusion of others. And it is further she were Prunella Scales in „Fawlty Towers” and he were the
complicated by the diverse forms in which the translation is Duke of Edinburgh (Fielding, 2001:101).
published, reviewed, read, and taught, producing cultural and
- Och, Witaj, Mark. Oczywiście słyszałam o tobie - zagęgała
political effects that vary with different institutional contexts and
Perpetua, jakby była Prunellą Scales z „Hotelu Zacisze”, a on
social positions’ (Venuti, 1998:67).
księciem Edynburga (Fielding, 2000:79).
This concept of ‘domestication’ only to some degree - О, здравствуйте, Марк. Я знаю о вас, конечно, - изрекла
applies to the translation of Bridget Jones’s Diary by Перпетуя, как будто она была королевой-матерью, а он
Helen Fielding, at least to the Russian one. The cases of герцогом Эдинбургским (Филдинг, 2000:120).
domestication intersperses between the numerous
examples of foreignisation. As a matter of fact, the strategy Stereotypical notions of shelves, spinning wheels and sexual
scrapheaps conspire to make you feel stupid, no matter how much
of ‘domestication’ has been used here in order to assimilate time you spend thinking about Joanna Lumley and Susan
or change those elements which may have been too alien to Sarandon (Fielding, 2001:20).
the reader (because of some limitations concerning his
knowledge). However, it would be worth observing two Stereotypowe wyobrażenia półek, kołowrotków i seksualnych
techniques of translation demonstrated in Polish and złomowisk sprawiają, że czujesz się jak idiotka, bez względu na
to, ile czasu spędzasz, myśląc o Joannie Lumley i Susan
Russian versions of the Diary.
Sarandon.
Moskvicheva and Naczynska, the authors of Russian and *Joanna Lumley (ur. 1946) - aktorka brytyjska (Fielding,
Polish translations respectively, undoubtedly are aware of 2000:20).
the differences and enormously complex relations between
the West and the East, which still exist in spite of the Стереотипные представления о старых девах, прялках и
полной сексуальной непригодности наваливаются
process of globalisation. In many cases they both supply
исподтишка и заставляют женщину чувствовать себя
additional explanations related to English places, идиоткой, сколько бы времени она ни проводила о Голди
institutions, holidays, etc. or they even omit some of them Хоун и Сьюзен Сарандон (Филдинг, 2000:29).
altogether. Sometimes, however, keeping in mind that
Polish or Russian people may have limited knowledge
about British culture and its representatives, they take Musical in Translation
certain steps to bring the novel closer to the reader and The cases mentioned so far required choices that were
decide to change some names and replace them by the limited to some passages or even structures or proper
others – better known or more popular in the target names. However, many texts when translated demand
language society. Let us compare three language versions transposition entirely into the target language culture if
of the following passage: they are to convey a certain message. As an example it
Then we ended up lying side by side and not touching, like we would be worth considering two lyrics from the musical
were Morecambe and Wise or John Noakes and Valerie Singleton Metro (by Janusz Stokłosa - music, Agata and Maryna
in the Blue Peter House (Fielding, 2001:124). Miklaszewska’s - libretto, and Janusz Józefowicz -
director, choreography) and their translations into Russian.
Potem leżeliśmy obok siebie, w ogóle się nie dotykając, jakbyśmy
byli Morecambe’em i Wise’em albo Johnem Noakesem i Valerie Metro had its premiere in Poland in 1991. The first public
Singleton w „Błękitnym Piotruśiu”. performance in Russia took place in October 1999 in
*Morecambe i Wise - duet komików telewizyjnych. Moscow Operetta Theatre. The plot of Metro is based upon
a purely romantic story combined with such serious
**Błękitny Piotruś - cykliczny program telewizyjny dla dzieci. problems as money and betrayal, the generation gap and
(Fielding, 2000:96)
cruel reality. Its message, addressed mainly to young
Наконец мы улеглись рядышком, не касаясь друг друга, people, is to present universal values that are worth
словно Лорел и Харди на каникулах. preserving in a world of cruelty, hopelessness and sadness.
*Лорел и Харди - известные американские клоуны. This is also the reason why in every country where it was
(Филдинг, 2000:146) staged, Metro is adjusted to the local environment,
portraying various problems and aspects of life of the
It is not difficult to see that Moskvicheva, the Russian place. For Poland it was the beginning of the post-
translator, replaces the names of the lesser known communist era, while for Russia it was the step of Russian
Morecambe, Wise, John Noakes, Valerie Singleton and the youth into the 21-st century, the ability to express yourself
title of their programme Blue Peter, not familiar to the in the world of adults.
reader, by two names of commonly known and world-
famous U.S. film comedians, Stan Laurel and Oliver

29
The difference between cultural background of Polish and Pieniędzy nie mam. Zbyt mało jeszcze wiem
Russian audience, taken into consideration in the process Poznaję dużo słów, rozumiem prawie wszystko
of translation, may be easily observed in a fragment of the A świat wygląda jakby był za szkłem.
lyrics of the first song introducing the musical: Gdy obojętnie mijają mnie przechodnie
Próbuję wierzyć, że przetrze się ta mgła
Gdy zmęczy cię obcego miasta ulic szum
Że będę mogła znów naprawdę czegoś dotknąć
Gdzie nie dla ciebie są towary na wystawach
i cud się stanie - zniknie tafla szkła
Nie możesz przebić się przez obojętny tłum
Co dzień ta sama...
Do metra zejdż! Tam całkiem inne rządzą prawa.
Jestem na gigancie. Nawet nie wiecie, co to jest ‘gigant’. „Стекло”
Normalnie, uciekłam z domu. Tu mnie nie znajdą. Zobaczą mnie
dopiero w telewizji, na ekranie. Może wreszcie mnie zauważą. Лишь только имя, да может быть занятие
Zresztą, nie wiem, czy będzie mi to pasować, jak będę sławna. Вот всё, что люди желают знать о нас
Когда же всё, что мучит, готова рассказать я
Нас вообще-то трое было. Каждый вечер втроём на От них лишь холод, холод всякий раз.
дискотеку. А потом Серёгу с Витьком в армию забрали. Я
ещё им и завидовал типа тельняшки, крапов и берета. Ага, Чего же ждать мне, подумала тогда я
весной вернулись. Серёгу теперь дискотека не фукает - у Ведь жизнь одна лишь и так летят года.
него ног нет. А Витёк лежит лицом к стене. По нём психушка Легко ли было мне уйти из дома зная
плачет. Теперь мне повестку прислали.(...) Я был в команде, Нельзя обратно, можно лишь туда.
так под придуркой закасил, аж сам поверил. Талант у меня! Жизнь - это клетка, да клетка где одна ты
Артистом буду! Иль сон который и в детстве ты гнала
Какого хрена ты там от отчизны ждёшь? В нём от других людей стеклом отделена ты
И как не бьёшься - не разбить стекла.
Её заботами и так ты сыт по горло. В нём от других людей стеклом отделена ты
И как не бьёшься - не разбить стекла.
А здесь пускай за песню кинут жалкий грош
Когда мне грустно, тогда пишу я письма
Кивни, но гордо.
Куда - не знаю. Не знаю и кому.
In comparison to its Russian equivalent, the Polish version Но между ним и мной опять стекло повисло
of the song and its passages of spoken text sound quite Опять преграда каждому письму.
neutral and even trivial. Jurij Rashencev, the author of the Стекла так много, глаза витрин у окна
Russian libretto and lyrics, realises the gulf between Polish Я так надеюсь, что вот исчезнет мгла
conditions and mentality and Russian experiences Случится чудо вдруг и вдребезги все стёкла
connected with the horrors of war against Afghanistan and И между нами больше нет стекла.
then Chechenia. Undoubtedly, the Russian version is much Жизнь - это клетка, да клетка...
more tragic. Thus, in this particular case the Russian The Russian translation contains some words and
spectator is not expected to share the cultural background expressions that emphasize the state of hopelessness more
presupposed by the author of the original text - the main strongly than in the Polish text and, what is more
aim is to bring the musical closer to him and substitute important, may be understood as a historical allusion to the
those elements that are crucial for understanding the communist era. ‘Life’ has been compared to a ‘cage’
message. which also may be easily associated with the conditions in
The translation of the next lyrics, Szyba, does not differ the Soviet Union. Nevertheless such an explanation would
from its original to such degree. Both texts describe the suggest the necessity of interpreting the musical politically.
feelings of loneliness, separation, helplessness and
powerlessness. However, the Russian version still conveys Conclusion
deeper emotions referring to the cultural background of the
target language society, which includes such appalling The examples discussed in the article show that all
historical events as those mentioned above: translated texts are to some degree hybrids since each of
them can be viewed as a transplant of the source text into
Pytają wszyscy, skąd jesteś i co robisz an alien, target culture environment. In the process of
To im wystarczy, że imię jakieś masz translation the form-content unity of the source text is
Nie musisz odpowiadać i mówić im o sobie
disrupted. Inevitably some pressure is exerted upon the
Bo zamiast ciebie oni widzą twarz.
target language, as the transfer of foreign elements is
Myślałam wtedy, że nie ma na co czekać impossible without a certain ‘violence’.
Czas szybko mija, a życie jedno jest
To nie był łatwy gest, mówili, że uciekam The translator, as it has been proved, should be an
Z biletem w dłoni, w jedną stroną rejs ‘intercultural mediator’. As Michaela Wolf writes in her
study of aspects of cultural anthropology in translation,
Co dzień ta sama zabawa się zaczyna
‘translating between cultures’ means that ‘other’ meanings
I przypomina dziecinne twoje sny
Chcesz rozbić taflę szkła, a ona się ugina are transferred to (con) texts of the industrialised world
I tam są wszyscy, a naprzeciw - ty which is coined by its institutions, traditions, and its
Chcesz rozbić taflę szkła, a ona się ugina history (1997:128). Such intercultural activity requires a
I tam są wszyscy, a naprzeciw - ty carefully considered choice of cultural strategy. The
choice, however, should be subject to the purpose of
Zostałam sama, więc piszę długie listy

30
translation and the message of the source language text. References
Thus, a creative translator should be always mindful of the 1. Martuszewska, A. (2000). „Presupozycje odbiorcy przekładu”, [w:]
best solution available. Przekładając nieprzekładalne, red. Kubiński, W. Kubińska, O.
Wolański, T.Z Wyd. Uniwersytetu Gdańskiego, Gdańsk, ss. 529-
536.
Bibliography
2. Nabokov, V. (1967). Speak, Memory. An Autobiography Revisited,
Source materials: London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

1. Fielding, H., (2001). Bridget Jones’s Diary, Picador, London. 3. Nabokov, V. (1991). The Annotated Lolita, Edited, with preface,
introduction, and notes by Appel, A. Jr, New York: Vintrage books.
2. Fielding, H., (2000. Dziennik Bridget Jones, przeł. Zuzanna
Naczynska, Warszawa. 4. Paszek, J., Skwarek, I. (1995). Kalambury w „Lolicie”, w: Fast, P.
(red.), Klasyczność i awangardowość w przekładzie, „Śląsk”.,
3. Филдинг, Х., (2000). Дневник Бриджит Джонс, пер. Katowice.
А.Н.Москвичевой, „Торнтон и Сагден”, Москва.
5. Schäffner, C., Adab, B. (1997). Translation as intercultural
4. Miklaszewska, A, Miklaszwska, M. (2001). Metro, „Metro” - CD. communication - Contact as conflict, in: Snell-Hornby, M.
5. Miklaszewska, A, Miklaszwska, M. (2001). Стекло, „Metro” - CD. Jettmarova, Z., Kaindl, K. (ed.), Translation as Intercultural
Communication, John Benjamins Publishing Company,
6. Miklaszewska, A, Miklaszwska, M. (2001), Szyba, Amsterdam/Philadelphia.
www.metro.of.pl.
6. Venuti, L. (1998). The Scandals of Translation. Towards an Ethics
7. Nabokov, V. (1991). Lolita, przekł. i posł. R. Stiller, Warszawa: of Difference, London and New York: Routledge.
PIW.
7. Wojtasiewicz, O. (1992). Wstęp do teorii tłumaczenia,
8. Nabokov, V. (1995). Lolita, Afterword by Raine, C. Penguin Books. Warszawa:Tepis.
9. Набоков, В. (1989). Лолита, пред. Ерофеева, В. МП „АНИОН”. 8. Wolf, M. (1997). Translation as a process of power: Aspects of
cultural anthropology in translation, in: Snell-Hornby, M.
Jettmarova, Z. Kaindl, K. (ed.), Translation as Intercultural
Communication, John Benjamins Publishing Company,
Amsterdam/Philadelphia.

Anna Ginter

Kultūrinės vertimo problemos

Santrauka
Vertimas yra suprantamas kaip specifinis kultūrinio bendravimo veiksmas. Vertėjas yra kitos kultūros, tekste nusakytos užsienio kalba, “pirmasis
skaitytojas” ir todėl turi ją pristatyti pirminiu procesu. Mokytis versti jam reiškia mokytis skaityti, t.y. pateikti reikšmes kurios yra priimtinos tai
kultūrinei bendruomenei, kuriai priklauso skaitytojas. Kiekvienas išverstas tekstas tikslinei visuomenei, kuriai originalas yra neprieinamas, yra ir kitokio,
naujo skaitymo būdo šaltinis už kurį vertėjui yra atsakingas.
Kaip jau pastebėta, tokios sąveikos tarp dviejų ar daugiau kultūrų vertimo proceso pasekoje sukuriamas “hibridinis” tekstas, kuris pasirodo tikslinėje
kultūroje, priimant kai kuriuos originalo kalba parašyto teksto bruožus. “Hibridinį” tekstą galima apibūdinti kaip kompromiso tarp dviejų ar daugiau
kultūrų produktą.
Straipsnyje kalbama apie sąveiką ir tarpkultūrinę veiklą dėl “vertimo iš kultūros į kultūrą”. Aptariami literatūriniai Vladimiro Nabokovo ir Helen Fielding
tekstai ir miuziklo Metro dainų lyrika skirtingomis kalbomis.

Straipsnis įteiktas 2002 05

Parengtas spaudai 2002 11

The Author
Anna Ginter, PhD, assistant professor at the Department of History of East-Slavic Languages in the Institute of Russian Philology, University of Lodz
and at the Department of Language Communication in the Institute of Polish Philology, Academy of Humanties and Economy, Lodz, Poland.
Academic interests: she specialises in analysing stylistic devices used in Russian, Polish and English literature and their translation in the background of
modern theories.
Publications: several articles and book revies related to the aspects of translation and a monograph ‘The World behind Nabokov’s Words. Plays on
Words and their Translation (to be published by Lodz University Press).
Address: Jana 12 m. 35, Lodz 91-350, Poland.
E-mail: [email protected]

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