Projecting Galician Culture in English: Ethics and Strategies in the Anglophone Translation of Os libros arden mal

Abstract

[Abstracts] Translating literary texts imbued with cultural specificity into a language of unequal hegemonic status for new audiences is a complex task which calls for consciously selected approaches in order to succeed. With this in mind, this study examines the strategies employed in Books Burn Badly (2010), Jonathan Dunne’s English-language translation of Os libros arden mal (2006), a novel originally written in Galician by Manuel Rivas. Drawing on the functional translation theories of pertinent scholars in the field, including Nord, Schleiermacher, Venuti, and Vermeer, this paper assesses Dunne’s methods in terms of their fulfilment of the Skopos, namely their ability to amplify and make accessible Rivas’ work for an anglophone readership as well as preserve the Galician history and culture that underpin and permeate the original novel. With a view of ensuring the translation’s Skopos is met, a Mediated Heuristic Strategy is put forward, an alternative and supplementary framework informed by translation theories with culture at their core, including those of Appiah and Vidal Claramonte. This study explores the significance of translation choices and their perceived impact on anglophone readers’ interpretations, taking into account the contextual, ethical and practical questions surrounding the often-overlooked translation of minoritylanguage works into a hegemonic lingua franca. The subsequent conclusions drawn offer an insight into the key role translators play in transcending established norms and successfully articulating culturally entangled works. Not only does this paper seek to aid in the expansion of Galician literature and its representative authors, but it may also offer some insight for future translations from other minority languages.