Seventeenth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

Using the translation work of A Perfect Idiot by Frank Iodice, this study analyzeS the main differences between a romance language, rich of nuances, and a more direct and pragmatic system like English. There is often a specific word or phrase in the source language that has a corresponding one in the target language, but, to translate emotions, one needs more than an exact word: the exact correspondence of that specific emotion is necessary, even if most of the time this means using a different term. How does one recreate the same emotion in both readerships being as loyal as possible to the original text? Does one have to change or re-write the text, which is much more than translating it? Can the borders sometimes created by translations be surpassed and lead to a true cultural transfer? How can translators overcome these linguistic and cross-cultural boundaries? The study uses examples from the translation of Iodice’s novel comparing it with the literary case of Milan Kundera, who reworked the English translation of his own novel. The aim is to demonstrate that translating emotions can be the most stimulating and engaging aspect of a literary translation work, even if this means that the translator and the author have to collaborate and change -or even improve- the text. However, if the main objective of fiction writers is to stimulate readers’ emotions, this could be the best choice.