Abstract
M.A. (Applied Linguistics)
This study investigates the transference of deeper meaning in the translation of the literary text, Die boek van toeval en toeverlaat (2006). It investigates the role of the translator in this process in order to understand to what extent the translator’s choices impact, consciously or unconsciously, the meaning in the text. Furthermore, the role of culture in the translation process is investigated, because literary texts are also cultural products. For this reason, a comparison between Die boek van toeval en toeverlaat, the South African translation, the base translation and the American translation is made. The comparison will be made by means of Lambert and Van Gorp’s descriptive model. This model proposes four levels according to which a comparison is drawn on the micro- and macro level. Translation strategies will be added to the descriptive
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model because they expose the choices made by the translator. All comparative studies must study one aspect, this study focusses on the translation of central themes in Die boek van toeval en toeverlaat since it may indicate important levels of meaning in the novel. This study shows that small changes made to the translation can alter meaning in the novel. Both the South African edition and the American edition show the global strategy of foreignisation, which means that both translations bring the reader closer to the source culture and for this reason keeps the status of South African cultural construct.