Translation and manipulation in children's literature : Ian McEwan's The Daydreamer

Abstract

Translation is the path to knowledge; it unlocks the doors to a vast repository of foreign wisdom and experience which would otherwise has remained untapped. In spite of the scarce appreciation it has had along the years, with the exception of the last few decades, it is undoubtedly an important and worthwhile service to the community. Furthermore, if translation in general has had, until recently, a relatively low status, it can be assumed that the translation of children’s texts has suffered even more. In this respect, the introductory part of this dissertation, Chapter 1, offers an insightful evaluation of the historical and cultural development of children’s literature and its translation. To better focus on the various issues involved, the case study in Chapter 3 which has been chosen for translation is a section of The Daydreamer, a children’s story by one of Britain’s foremost living authors, Ian McEwan. A clear methodological path is traced to ensure a systematic approach to the task at hand. This serves to highlight the meticulous approach required in modern translation and the renown of the author. The translation itself is backed up by an overview of the main theories of translation related to children’s literature; particularly the polysystem theory, culture and ideology, the voice of the translator and the question of manipulation and adaptation. Indeed like writing itself, translation never happens in a vacuum; but to it the translator brings to bear his own upbringing and life story which must integrate with those of the author in a subtle discreet way without violence to the artifact, even if this is done involuntarily. The hub of this study is the Maltese rendering of part of The Daydreamer which is first examined critically in its own right and then compared to the Italian translation of the same chapter. Various interesting features emerge which show how different languages work in diverse ways to transmit a particular corpus of meaning. The dissertation confirms the newly-acquired importance of translation, especially translation of children’s works, both as a literary device and in terms of more practical use.