This paper deals with Romanian translations of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit". Tolkien has acquired a certain status of fame in Romania, but apparently, to the large public, "The Hobbit" is probably more famous than his creator and this is particularly due to Peter Jackson’s film adaptation. However, there are already four retranslations of the novel, which is of no little significance, as this suggests an interest in the book itself. Our analysis relies on the four translations performed so far of Tolkien’s "Hobbit". It was impossible to find the 2010 version signed by Dan Slușanschi that was issued by Paideia Publishing House. However, through the generosity of professor Slușanschi’s son, we managed to have access to the text of the translation.
The aim of this study is double fold. On the one hand, given that the translations were performed in different periods and the time span between them is considerable, we set to identify to which extent they bear the signs of their epoch. The moments of translation production were governed by distinct translation norms which were influenced by the prevalent ideological background, the status of the literary genre to which the novel pertains, the category of target readership envisaged and even the translators’ own agenda, idea on authorship and view of the translation process itself. In close connection with the concept of translation norms, the other objective of the investigation is to detect the overall orientation of the Romanian versions, i.e. whether they tend towards domestication or foreignization.
The research advances in concentric circles, from the more general towards particular elements of the analysis. A significant part is dedicated to the survey of children’s literature, particularly since fantasy is most often included in this subdivision of literature; in addition, three of the four Romanian translations explicitly address children of various ages. Further still, we have also proceeded to a contextualisation of the translations, which includes background information on the translators, but also a general outlook on the status of translations in general and of fantasy in particular in the Romanian literary polysystem at the distinct moments of translation production.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
METHODOLOGY
GENERAL SURVEY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
Operational concept: “children”
Major features of children’s literature
Diachronic evolution of children’s literature
FANTASY
Features of fantasy literature
Typologies of fantasy
Translating fantasy
The fantasy genre in Romania
THE AUTHOR AND HIS TEXT
Biographic information on J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit or There and Back Again
ROMANIAN TRANSLATIONS OF THE HOBBIT
Macrotextual considerations
Paratextual analysis
Translation of the titles
Translation of the poems
Typographic interventions
Translation of proper names
Marks of orality
Archaisms
TRANSLATOR VISIBILITY
CONCLUSIONS
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this work is to provide a diachronic, comparative analysis of the four existing Romanian translations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Hobbit." The research explores how the sociocultural context, prevailing translation norms, and the specific status of fantasy literature in Romania at different points in time influenced the translators' strategies and the final reception of the work.
- The influence of the historical and ideological background (communist era vs. post-revolution) on translation strategies.
- The evolution of "children's literature" and "fantasy" within the Romanian literary polysystem.
- Comparative analysis of translation techniques regarding titles, proper names, poems, and orality markers.
- The role of paratextual elements (prefaces, illustrations, cover design) in framing the reception of the translations.
- The translator's visibility and orientation towards either domestication or foreignization in the rendition of the source text.
Excerpt from the Book
Typographic interventions
The specificity of each text is given not only by the construction of the plot, of characters, language in all its aspects, but also by how the author understands to make use of other textual elements such as punctuation, indentation, capitalisation or graphic emphasis, in other words, what it is normally considered “graphically representational language” (Hatim 1997, 52). In the process of translation, this form of written language should be carefully considered, as the treatment of the above-mentioned elements in a particular manner is loaded with meaning and is part of the text message similar to the verbal content.
In the source text, this graphically representational language is mainly relevant in respect of emphasis. There are two strategies present that mark textual emphasis: capitalisation and italics. Since they are carriers of meanings, these techniques have to be preserved in the translated texts, obviously, in compliance with the conventions of the target language in respect of such use. In the source text italics are used both to mark emphasis and as a means of quoting other characters. In Romanian, usually emphasis is marked with the help of italics, words written in caps or simply capitalised words. Here are some examples of visual emphasis in the source text:
ST:
And there is our little Bilbo Baggins, the burglar, the chosen and selected burglar.
Is that The Mountain?
We need food, for one thing, and rest in reasonable safety (…)
‘My dear fellow’, said he, ‘whenever are you going to come? What about an early start?’
That you MUST NOT do, for any reason.
Be good, take care of yourselves – and DON’T LEAVE THE PATH!
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: This chapter outlines the scope of the study, examining retranslation as a cultural phenomenon and introducing the four Romanian versions of "The Hobbit."
METHODOLOGY: This section presents the theoretical framework, primarily utilizing Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS) and the concept of norms as defined by Gideon Toury.
GENERAL SURVEY OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE: This chapter provides an overview of the development of children's literature, focusing on the changing perceptions of childhood throughout history.
FANTASY: The text discusses the genre of fantasy, its marginal status in academic research, its core features, and its subgenres.
THE AUTHOR AND HIS TEXT: This section provides biographical background on J.R.R. Tolkien and an overview of his most famous work, "The Hobbit."
ROMANIAN TRANSLATIONS OF THE HOBBIT: This is the analytical core of the book, which compares the four Romanian versions across various linguistic and paratextual criteria.
TRANSLATOR VISIBILITY: The chapter explores the role and presence of the translator in the target text through the lens of Venuti’s domestication/foreignization framework.
CONCLUSIONS: The book concludes by summarizing the findings regarding the diachronic evolution of the translations and the translator's agency in interpreting the source text.
Keywords
The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, Romanian translation, retranslation, fantasy literature, children's literature, descriptive translation studies, Gideon Toury, domestication, foreignization, paratext, orality, proper names, translator visibility, chronotope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this book?
The book provides a detailed scholarly analysis of the four distinct Romanian translations of J.R.R. Tolkien's novel "The Hobbit," written by Roxana Ștefania Bîrsanu.
What are the core themes addressed in the work?
The work focuses on the translation history of "The Hobbit" in Romania, the evolution of the fantasy genre, the role of retranslations, and the comparative linguistic strategies employed by different translators.
What is the primary research question?
The study seeks to identify how the variables governing the time of translation production—such as the status of the fantasy genre and the dominant ideology—influenced the translators' choices and the resulting target texts.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The research relies on Descriptive Translation Studies (DTS), utilizing concepts such as translation norms (Gideon Toury) and the domestication/foreignization framework (Lawrence Venuti).
What aspects of the translation process are analyzed in the main chapters?
The main part of the work analyzes macrotextual considerations, paratextual elements (blurbs, illustrations), title translations, poetry translation, the handling of proper names, markers of orality, and the use of archaisms.
What characterizes the keywords of this research?
The keywords highlight the intersection between Tolkien's fantasy world and the academic discipline of Translation Studies, emphasizing both specific literary terms and theoretical concepts.
How does the author characterize the first Romanian translation?
The author notes that the first translation by Catinca Ralea in 1975 was produced during a communist regime with strict censorship, leading to a domesticating orientation that aligned the book with Romanian folk fairy tales.
Why does the author consider Tutunea's translation "interventionist"?
The author argues that Tutunea’s 1995 version is highly interventionist due to massive, frequent, and often unnecessary additions, expansions, and reorganizations of the text that obscure the author's original voice.
How does the work address the translator's use of archaisms?
The work examines how translators used archaisms to create a sense of remoteness and time-depth, while also warning against the danger of creating a "hybrid text" that confuses the reader.
What role do the "Moon runes" play in Slușanschi's translation?
The author highlights that Professor Slușanschi added a creative layer by including chapter titles in both Romanian and "Moon runes," which serves to enhance the mystery and atmospheric depth of the work.
- Quote paper
- Roxana Stefania Birsanu (Author), 2020, An Analysis of Romanian Translations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/921248
