On the translation of 'a farewell to arms' into Albanian

• Author: Silvana Dervishi
• Position: University of Tirana
• Pages: 35-41

European Journal of Economics, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

Vol. 1 No. 2

June, 2017

ISSN 2519-1284

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

35

On the translation of “a farewell to arms” into Albanian

Silvana Dervishi

University of Tirana

Abstract

The present paper aims at analyzing some aspects of translating Hemingway’s A Farewell to

Arms from English in Albanian language. We will examine how the translator had succeeded

in conveying exhaustively, loyally, truthfully and fl uently the multiple layers of voices,

images, symbols, connotations and denotations of such a masterpiece to his own audience,

from Source Language (English) into the Target Language (Albanian). We will see how the

translator has overcome the obstacles fi nding the Source Language adequate equivalents

standing for objects, actions, ideas and thoughts expressed in the Source Text.

Keywords: Message, source language, target language, translatability, untranslatability.

Introduction

As critics have o en agreed, “A Farewell to Arms “ represents Hemingway’s most

accomplished novel and through this novel the author has tried to myth himself as a

master of writing. The theme of this paper, i.e., translation of the poem into Albanian

is inspirational and challenging at the same time. Therefore, profound a ention and

consideration should be given to Hemingway’s works in order to try to shed some

light regarding the fact how they are received in Albanian language, literature and

culture.

It is usually agreed that the process of translation involves the transfer of a message

from one language to another, and as Komissarov states “Translation from language

to language is ipso facto translation from culture to culture” (1991, 12). For many

scholars translation of literary work is challenging and the main concern of the

translator is whether to prefer the content over the form or vice - versa. Newmark

(1981,7) asserts that “translation is a cra in which the translator tries to substitute

a wri en message in the source language for another wri en message in the target

language”.

Understanding and exercising translation as creative writing conditioned by the

Source Text, which, in the fi nal analysis, is nothing but the embodiment of personal

experiences in poetry, prose or dramaturgy, the translator Vedat Kokona, through the

translation of the novel “A Farewell to Arms” from the Source Language (English) into

the Target Language (Albanian), has succeeded in conveying exhaustively, loyally,

truthfully and fl uently the multiple layers of voices, images, symbols, connotations

and denotations of such a masterpiece to his own audience.

Most of the translation problems in A Farewell to Arms are related to the style used

by Hemingway. This paper shows that his style is simple, straight and actual rather

than a empting to make his prose look more gracious than it has to be. Compare:

“All thinking men are atheists.” = “Të gjithë mendimtarët janë ateistë.” (Page 8 versus