Translating Harry Potter for a Sepedi audience
Date
2011-11-21
Authors
Sehlola, Patrick Sekgathi
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Abstract
This study explores the translation of the first Harry Potter book into Sepedi.
Selected passages are chosen for translation and the strategies adopted are
examined with regard to the rendition of specific cultural elements, namely, food,
proper names, humour, forms of address and the transport system for the Sepedi
audience. Secondly, it answers the question of which elements of the story could be
regarded as effective in the target culture, particularly given that it is characterised by
witchcraft and wizardry.
One of the subsidiary aims of this study is to introduce a genre of fantasy for children
in the target culture through translation, and to investigate whether this could
encourage a culture of reading among young children within the African culture, and
the Sepedi culture in particular. Currently, this type of genre does not exist in any
translation for the target audience. Therefore, Harry Potter with its history of
changing and shaping the culture of reading internationally was an obvious choice
for this research.
Description
M.A. Faculty of Humanties, University of the Wiwatersrand, 2011