Translating naïvism : a comparative study of L1 versus L2 translation of style in Erlend Loe's Naiv. Super. and Doppler

Abstract

This thesis explores one L1 and one L2 translation of Erlend Loe’s two novels Naiv. Super. and Doppler, with particular attention to style. The purpose of this is to illustrate how the retention of style and the degree of foreignization and domestication varies according to whether the translators are translating into their L1 or their L2. Due to factors like the translator’s integrated bias towards their native culture, L2 translation can be expected to be more foreignizing and more faithful to style. Research was carried out in the form of identifying stylistic traits, procedures used to translate these, as formulated in 1958 by Vinay and Darbelnet (31-40), and finally determining to what degree these procedures were foreignizing or domesticating. It was concluded that the L2 translation was more foreignizing and that the L1 translation was more domesticating. Furthermore, it was discovered that the L2 translator tended to preserve style to a greater extent, whereas the L1 translators tended to standardise certain stylistic elements. The new light thus shed on L2 translation suggests that this practice might be an adequate resistance towards the Anglo-American cultural and linguistic hegemony.