ABSTRACT
Translation of prose falls under “literary translation” that
involves these other genres: poetry and drama. In literary translation enough
works have not actually been done in prose, drama and poetry. In translating
these genres, a lot of problems are usually encountered. This work is therefore
aimed at examining these problems and highlighting some cultural elements in
the text. This could not be done in isolation and for this reason, the text, Eze
Goes to School by Onuora Nzekwu and Michael Crowder was selected and
translated from English into Igbo. The translated work was analyzed. For the
analysis, examples from the source and target texts were placed side by side
and suitable techniques employed. The problems encountered were highlighted.
Recommendations were made. This work will be of immense
value to the target language users, would-be translators and linguists. The
highlighted cultural elements will be greatly appreciated by the owners. This
will help to resuscitate some of the cultural elements that are about going
extinct. Having seen some of the problems and adequate techniques employed in
solving them, literary authors and translators will be stimulated to produce
more literary translated works.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
The place of
translation as a means of giving out information makes translation very
necessary. Any needed information which is in another language could be
re-expressed into other languages through translation for proper communication.
Translation as a means of communication has the basic role of educating and
informing. The importance of sharing information cannot be over stated because
of what it can accomplish in the lives of individuals, organizations and
nations. In fact, there is no area of endeavour that is excluded in this
aspect.
Important facts and
truths that are locked up in every piece of information which in turn is often
expressed in some foreign languages are exposed through translation. Such
facts, be they in sciences or arts, when translated are made accessible for the
benefit of others.
Translation as a
veritable tool for any human activity has been viewed and explained by various
people. Th8/4riveni (2000:1) states that “translation is not simply a matter of
seeking other words with similar meanings but of finding appropriate ways of
saying things in another language”.
Commenting on the
communicating role of translation, Ajunwa (1991:13) views translation as “a
means of communication born of cultural contacts and interactions between
speakers of different languages”. This goes to suggest that translation cuts
across the cultures of the world. Therefore, if people should know about other
people’s culture and other aspects of their lives, then
the need for translating from one language to the other is very necessary.
Buttressing the
above explanations, Edebiri (1982:1) states that; “Translation, one of the most
important cross-linguistic and cross cultural practices has been going on in
Nigeria for over a century now”. The inference is still on translation cutting
across different cultures of the world.
Translation
actually started in Nigeria with the coming of the missionaries in the 17th
century. During this era, some religious materials were written and translated
by these missionaries, to aid the work of spreading the gospel. Not long, some
indigenous writers joined in writing either in the Igbo or English languages.
But it was observed from the works produced that the interest of these
indigenous writers was more in writing than in translating. With this, many
works were produced in the area of Prose, Drama and Poetry. These works were
written in English or Igbo.
In the area of
Prose, works like Things Fall Apart, only Eze Goes to School,
Drummer Boy, The Only Son, Efuru, Omenụkọ, Ije
Odumodu Jere, Ala Bingo, Isi Akwụ dara N’ala and Mbediọgụ were
produced. In Drama, we have works like, Ọjaadịlị, Nwata Rie
Awọ, Obidiya, Akụ Fechaa, Akụ Ụwa, Eriri Mara
Ngwugwu and Ọkụ Ụzụ Daa Ibube. Poetry though a more difficult area
is not left behind. Some works have actually been produced in this area.
We have works like, Abụ maka Ụmụntakịrị, Ụtara Ntị,
Akpa Uche, Echiche, Akọ na Uche, Ụyọkọ Mbem and
Uche Bụ Ahịa.
Surprisingly, of
all the listed works, Things Fall Apart, Mbediọgụ and Omenụkọ have
recently been translated into Igbo and other languages. It has been
realized that not having enough translated Igbo works in other languages and
also works in other languages being translated into Igbo has actually locked up
facts and ideas about these people that own these languages, especially as it
concerns the rich culture of the parties involved.
Against this
backdrop, the researcher has taken up the task of translating the text Eze
Goes to School into the Igbo language. This text produced in 1963 is one of
the oldest literature texts for the Junior Secondary Schools all over the
federation. As an old text with an Igbo background, there is the need for it to
be re-expressed in the Igbo language so as to be of great benefit to the
grassroot. Also, we should understand that no matter how educated or
experienced one is in a foreign language, it is still a foreign language.
“Honest and Dynamic people are generally more comfortable speaking, writing and
reading in their own language”, Nwadike (2008:18). There is also the sense of
fulfillment, independence and belongingness in using one’s language.
1.1 Significance
of the Study
In a multilingual
nation like Nigeria, the importance of a study of this nature is obvious. The
translation of the text Eze Goes to School will help some Igbo people
that are not literate enough to read and appreciate some of the cultural
elements that were highlighted in the text. Apart from this, the reading of the
entire book in their own indigenous language will also be highly appreciated.
The work will also
be of immense help to students and teachers of the Igbo language who will find
out through this study that Igbo is as good as any other
language for the expression and dissemination of some cultural element seen in the
text that are peculiar to the Igbo people. Finally, the study highlights some
translation problems and how these problems hinder good translation work.
1.2 Scope of the Study
This work is
limited to the translation of the text Eze Goes to School from English
into Igbo. The work also covers the problems encountered in the process of
translating the text from English into the Igbo language.
1.3 Background
of the Study
It is generally
believed that translation is as old as written literature. In Nigeria
translation is viewed as an offshoot of missionary activities. According to
Edebiri (1982:15), “translation has been going on in Nigeria for more than a
century now”. When the missionaries came into Nigeria and launched in earnest
evangelization, they realized that availability of the bible in various local
languages will facilitate their work but the absence of a written tradition in
the indigenous languages was an obstacle. By the middle of the last century,
the Bible had been translated into some of the indigenous languages. The
personalities that helped in translation during this period were Bishop Ajayi
Crowther, Rev. J. C. Taylor, S. W. Kolle, Archdeacon Thomas Dennis and others.
Comparing the work
of these missionaries, Edebiri (1982:20) said that by the middle of the last
century they (the missionaries) had already rendered the Bible into
the Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Ijaw, Efik and Kanuri languages. Apart from
translating the Bible into some Nigerian indigenous languages, the missionaries
also showed some interest in translating some other aspects of indigenous
literature into the English language. Some English literatures were also
translated into some indigenous languages. For instance, The Pilgrim’s Progress
(Ije Nke Onye Kraịst Jere) and some catechism texts were translated
by Archdeacon Thomas J. Dennis with the help of some Igbo indigenes.
So it could be
rightly said that the foundation of translation in Nigeria was actually laid by
the early missionaries. They prepared the ground on which the indigenous
writers/translators started planting.
1.4 Methodology
The research method
and procedure adopted by the researcher were done in two stages:
1.
Through reading of the source text, Eze
Goes to School.
2.
Translating the source text from
English into Igbo.
Some
related literatures were reviewed to gather some useful information.
Dictionaries
were also consulted.
In translating the
source text, Eze Goes to School, the researcher will be guided by the
principles of translation as propounded by Ettin in Nida (1964:14). She
identified the text as a literary text. This text was thoroughly read with
interest and some difficult words and structures were fished out. Some
academics in this area (Linguists) were consulted for some clarifications.
First
and second translations of the Source Text into the Target Language were then
made. These were given to some knowledgeable people to review. Corrections and
comments were made by these people with justifications.
After all these, the researcher
then made her final rendering of the Source Text from English to Igbo.
In the analysis of
the translated text, the researcher employed some techniques. The entire work
was guided by the principles and theories of translation.
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