Imiba edinga ukuthathelwa ingqalelo kuguqulelo loncwadi lwabantwana Pertinent issues in translation of children’s literature

Abstract

Ukuguqulela uncwadi lwabantwana kudinga ingcali engapheleli nje ekujongeni ukuvelisa umyalezo wolwimi lwentsusa ngolwimi ekusiwa kulo; koko eza kuwuvelisa ngendlela eyamkelekileyo kubalesi bolu lwimi kusiwa kulo. Abo balesi ngabantwana ke kule meko. Ithiyori yeSikoposi icebisa ukuba umguqulelimbhali aqiniseke ngokufezekisa injongo yoguqulelo kwakunye nokwaneza abantu abaza kuyilesa loo nguqulelo. Oku kunokwenzeka ngokusebenzisa iindlela ezithile ezicetyiswayo kule thiyori nakwezinye iithiyori ezijonge ukuvelisa inguqulelo efundeka njengeyoqobo kulwimi ekusiwa kulo. Umphandi usebenzise le thiyori yeSikoposi ukuphicotha iincwadi zabantwana eziguqulelwe zasuswa esiNgesini zasiwa esiXhoseni. Ekuphicotheni kwakhe ezi ncwadi ubhaqe iimpazamo ezithile ezinokuwethisa umdla womntwana ekufundeni incwadi enjalo. Kweli nqaku kucaciswa ezi mpazamo zifumanisekileyo kunye neendlela ezinokuphetshwa ngazo. Umphandi ufumanise ukuba zikhona iimpazamo ezenzeka kuba umguqulelimbhali elandela ulwimi lwentsusa, zikwakhona nezo zibangelwa kukungalandeli imigaqo yentetho yolwimi ekusiwa kulo. Ezinye iimpazamo sezendele kangangokuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba abanye abaguqulelibabhali abasazithathi njengeempazamo kubhalo lwabo. Enye yezinto ezicetyiswayo kukuba umguqulelimbhali aqiniseke ukuba uyayifundisisa inguqulelo yakhe ukuyigqiba kwakhe, phambi kokuba ayidlulisele kumhleli nomjongizimpazamo.

Translation of children’s literature needs an artist who not only aims at producing the source language message in the target language, but will produce it in an appropriate manner and language to the target audience. In this case, the audience is children. The Skopos theory maintains that the translator needs to ensure that they fulfil the translation aim and the expectations of the target reader. This can only happen by using various strategies suggested by this and other functional equivalence theories. The researcher has used the Skopos theory to critically analyse children’s texts translated from English into isiXhosa. In the critique, the researcher noticed some errors in the translations, which may end up discouraging the child reader from reading such texts. This article explains the errors found in the texts and how they could be averted. The findings were that there are errors that happen because the translator is faithful to the source language, while there are others that are caused by nonconformity to the target language conventions. Some of these errors are so common in isiXhosa that it is possible that they are no longer considered errors by the translators. One of the recommendations is for the translator to reread the translation before they forward it to the editor and proofreader.