| Abstrakt: |
Saud Al-Sanousi emplots his novel, Saaq al-Bamboo with instances that convey the plight of migrants with the process of translation becoming the trope via which it is elucidated; in an interesting synergy of the two. The novel is originally written in Arabic, but disguises itself as an Arabic translation of an autobiography written by the protagonist, in Tagalog/Filipino language. The author uses a fictional translator, language of translation, and large number of footnotes along with a translator's note in the beginning, as a stylistic technique to further his argument. The paper will try to closely analyze the unique narrative technique the author has adopted and its relation to the theme he engages with, i.e. migration, in an attempt to assimilate both the processes and look for theories that can be applied on both. The paper also intends to explore the politics of translation in East-West context emphasizing elements like choice of the text and changes in translation with regard to cultural hegemony of the West, based on a close scrutiny of the English translation of the said novel that omits the stylistic novelty of the text. It will also look into the freedom of the translator, juxtaposing the traditional notion of the original/translation binary and the new notions in translation theory that offer a claim of originality to the translated text. Moreover, based on a close examination of the Malayalam translation of the novel, it will undertake a thorough study of the practice of translation among Eastern languages as well paying attention to the concept of 'untranslatability' as well as the politics underlying translation practices. The study will question the universality of inherently Eurocentric translation theories and thus conclude by highlighting the need for a theory that deals with translation practices within the East as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
