A Relayed Translation. Looking for the Source Text of the First Polish Translation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre
A Relayed Translation. Looking for the Source Text of the First Polish Translation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre

Summary/Abstract: The first Polish translation of the successful Victorian classic Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë was published thirty four years after the original. The novel translated as Janina by Emilia Dobrzańska was attached in instalments to a weekly periodical “Tydzień” based in Piotrków Trybunalski. Although the subtitle claimed the story was translated from English, the text of the translation inter alia demonstrates a curious preference for French phrases and calques. A close analysis of some features of the translation in comparison to the French translation by Noëmi Lesbazeilles Souvestre dating back to 1854 reveals a striking similarity between the two texts, which can be traced in a variety of contexts explored in this paper. As a result, one may draw the conclusion that the Polish translation was as a matter of fact translated not directly from English, but relayed from French instead. The paper explores the underresearched topic of relay translation, along with mostly negative scholarly attitudes towards this controversial translation method. The aim is to capture some reasons for its occasional use or even a preference for this translation technique in certain circumstances.

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