ON THE TRANSLATION OF FANTASY LITERATURE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE ITALIAN VERSION OF ANDRZEJ SAPKOWSKI’S THE WITCHER SERIES Cover Image

O TŁUMACZENIU LITERATURY FANTASY NA PODSTAWIE WŁOSKIEGO PRZEKŁADU CYKLU WIEDŹMIŃSKIEGO ANDRZEJA SAPKOWSKIEGO
ON THE TRANSLATION OF FANTASY LITERATURE THROUGH THE LENS OF THE ITALIAN VERSION OF ANDRZEJ SAPKOWSKI’S THE WITCHER SERIES

Author(s): Alessandro Amenta
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, Translation Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: fantasy; Andrzej Sapkowski; The Witcher; foreignization; domestication; translation of cultural specific items;

Summary/Abstract: Studies on the specific features of fantasy literature that can influence translation strategies are becoming more and more widespread among scholars, as a consequence of increasing interest in the rendition of cultural items and the legitimation of fantasy literature as a field of research. Focusing on the Italian version of The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski, published in 2010–2016, the article investigates the problems posed by the creation of imaginary worlds and the form of literary cycles as distinctive traits of fantasy literature, as suggested by Guttfeld (2012). The author shows how they can affect cultural and lexical consistency in the translation of anthroponyms, toponyms, units of measurement, culinary terms, and fantastic creatures. Whereas in Polish translations of fantasy texts a foreignizing strategy prevails, due to the domination of anglophone writers and the imbalance of cultural systems, the Italian translation of Sapkowski’s works appears significantly more domesticated.

  • Issue Year: 2020
  • Issue No: 40
  • Page Range: 7-21
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Polish