A Study of Problems in Translating Rhetorics in Literature

Abstract

A translator encounters many problems in literary translation. They are of two types.(a) Theoretical (b) Practical. Theoretical problems are related to theories involved in translation. Practical problems have to do with language and culture concerned. In this paper I discuss the problems encountered in translating rhetorics in literature. Most widely used rhetorics by the writers are similis, idioms, proverbs, paradoxes, oxymorons and metaphors. Several problems involved in translating rhetorics are as follows. • Problems of creativity of the translator • Lack of understanding the context • Insufficient knowledge of the source culture • Translator's inability to understand the fact that some rhetorics can not be translated and they can only be reproduced in target language. For example how can translate one of the most common Japanese proverbs "Saru mo ki kara ochiru" (Even monkies fall down from trees) in to Sinhala. A translator can easily translate it as "Vandurot gas valin vatenava" .But does this translation remain the same powerful expression as Japanese does? Sinhala speaker can very well understand if it is reproduced in target language as "Guruntat akuru varadi". Then the power of expression remained in both source and target language is same. Most of the literary translators have fear of making reproductions as above mentioned. They rather tend to translate them. Thus problems arised in translating rhetorics are numerous. For the study of these problems data are collected from a few contemporary literary translations and the evaluation is made considering the suitability and the appropriateness of the rhetorics translated in to target language. This type of study gives valuable insight to translators, scmantists, interpreters and literary critics.