The Influence of an English Mediating Translation in Translating Figures of Speech into French from the Malayalam novel, Chemmeen

Abstract

This study intends to investigate whether the translation of figures of speech in an indirect translation could be influenced by the techniques adopted by the translator of the translation that serves as the mediating text (MT). The English translation of metaphors, idioms, and colloquial expressions from the Malayalam novel Chemmeen and its subsequent French translation comprise the data of this study. The objectives of this study are: (i) to identify the translation techniques that have effectively conveyed the figurative meanings to the foreign reader in the indirect translation, and (ii) to investigate to what extent the English translation which serves as the mediating translation (MT) has influenced the French indirect translation (ITr) in representing the meanings embodied in the Malayalam metaphors, idioms, and colloquial expressions. Principles of translation postulated by Baker (2011) and Newmark’s (1988) typology of translation techniques guide the data analysis and discussions in this study.

Keywords: Figures of speech; translation techniques; indirect translation; mediating text; Chemmeen.

Highlights:

• Exploration of Indirect Translation via English as a Mediating Text (MT):
  The study examines how the English translation of Chemmeen by Menon functioned as a mediating text and influenced the subsequent French translation by Balbir, with a particular focus on the transmission of figurative language.
• Evaluation of Translation Strategies for Figures of Speech:
  Through a comparative framework drawing on Baker (2011) and Newmark (1988), the paper analyzes the techniques used to translate Malayalam idioms, metaphors, and colloquial expressions into English and subsequently into French.
• Identification of Semantic Shifts and Cultural Losses:
  The findings highlight significant shifts in meaning and loss of nuances resulting from paraphrasing, omission, and literal translation,  particularly in culturally embedded expressions.
• Filling a Critical Research Gap on Chemmeen’s Translations:
  This is the first academic study to examine the French version of Chemmeen, providing a valuable contribution to the understudied area of indirect literary translation from regional Indian languages.
• Reaffirmation of the Translator’s Role as Cultural Mediator:
  The paper underscores the importance of bi-cultural competence in translation, advocating that translators handling indirect or cross-cultural texts must balance fidelity to meaning with awareness of cultural specificity.