MENTAL TRANSLATION IN THE SELF-TRANSLATION OF LITERARY TEXT. THE WORKS OF PANAIT ISTRATI
MENTAL TRANSLATION IN THE SELF-TRANSLATION OF LITERARY TEXT. THE WORKS OF PANAIT ISTRATI

Summary/Abstract: This article approaches the subject of mental translation in the case of French-Romanian writer Panait Istrati. Mental translation appears as a first stage in the process of self-translation and it derives from the unusual choice of the language in which the writing is done. Usually, mental translation is considered an important element for postcolonial writers, as their activity stands at the crossroad between national heritage and colonial linguistic imprint. In the case of the Romanian writer, this issue emerges from the underlying circumstances of authorʼs literary activity that was initiated in France and later followed by publishing the Romanian versions in his home country. Understanding the mechanisms of mental translation in literary creations holds major importance for the self-translation process. Not only it gives a more profound description of this type of texts but it also illustrates the great intercultural role played by self-translators on the universal scene of literature. Our demonstration will be grounded on the integral linguistics of Romanian linguist Eugen Coșeriu, as it provides a vast conceptual framework – starting with the concept of ʼlinguistic competenceʼ – that can give a broad view of how mental translation is done. Moreover, we will illustrate the existence of this type of translation in one of Panait Istratiʼs works, Oncle Anghel / Moș Anghel, with the help of the same scholarʼs theory upon text linguistics.

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