Cultural filters and cognitive stocks in translation Eva Hoffman's Lost in translation Cover Image

Filtry kulturowe i zapasy poznawcze w przekładach Lost in translation Evy Hoffman
Cultural filters and cognitive stocks in translation Eva Hoffman's Lost in translation

Author(s): Urszula Dąmbska-Prokop
Subject(s): Literary Texts
Published by: KSIĘGARNIA AKADEMICKA Sp. z o.o.

Summary/Abstract: The two filters, linguistic and cultural, are discussed in Eva Hoffman’s book Lost in Translation and its Polish and French versions. Eva Hoffman’s own “paradise lost” of childhood in Poland is conditioned by an American filter and her criticism of the “brave new world” of America is inspired by a Polish filter. The comparison between the original and both translations reveals author’s and translators’different perception of the world. The Polish translation tries to upgrade the stylistic level but curtails the text in terms of variety of associations. The reader gets a less subtle message of the inner struggle and hesitation of the author. The French translation seems too literal but that is why sometimes it goes paradoxically astray. The comparison of both Polish and French translations shows that the filters used in each case can lead to different results.

  • Issue Year: 2009
  • Issue No: 15
  • Page Range: 89-102
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Polish