Techniques Used and Gaps Found In Translation Of Cultural Terms: A Case of the Novel “By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept”
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Education Tribhuvan University Kirtipur, Kathmandu
Abstract
This research work entitled Techniques Used and Gaps Found in
Translation of Cultural Terms: A Case of the Novel “By the River Piedra I
Sat Down and Wept” is an attempt to identify and categorize the cultural
terms used in the novel “By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept”, to find out
the techniques employed in translating cultural terms in Nepali version of the
same novel and to point out the gaps found in the translation process. I selected
112 cultural terms as sample from original version of the novel using purposive
non-random sampling procedure. Observation checklist was used as a tool for
data collection. The findings of the study showed that out of total one hundred
twelve cultural terms, 43 (38.39%) were related to social culture, 33 (29.46%)
were related to organization, customs, activities, 16 (14.29%) were related to
ecology. In the same way, it was found that 11 (9.82%) cultural terms were
related to material cultures whereas 9 (8.04%) cultural terms were related to
gestures and habits. Likewise, it was found that eight different techniques were
used to translate cultural terms. They were literal translation, transference/
borrowing, substitution, definition/ paraphrasing, addition, deletion, blending
and mistranslation. It was found that literal translation was used mostly i.e.
46(41.07%). Likewise, it was found that there had been linguistic and cultural
gaps in the translated version of the novel, e.g. SL term- worker is replaced by
TL term kisān and SL term- ritual is replaced by TL term- prakirya which
showed linguistic and cultural gap respectively.
This thesis is organized into five chapters. The first chapter deals with the
background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study,
research questions, significance of the study, delimitations of the study and
operational definition of the key terms. The second chapter includes review of
related theoretical literature, review of related empirical literature, implications
of the review for the study and conceptual framework. Similarly, the third
chapter includes design and method of the study, population, sample and
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sampling strategy, study areas/field, data collection tools and techniques, data
collection procedures and data analysis and interpretation procedure. Likewise,
the fourth chapter presents the analysis and interpretation of results and the
fifth chapter included conclusions and recommendations at three different areas
(policy related, practice related and further research related) followed by
references and appendices.
Description
Keywords
English Literature, English Novel, Techniques