The master's thesis examines the translation of culture-specific elements in Maja Haderlap's novel "Engel des Vergessens" through its Slovenian translation "Angel pozabe" (Štefan Vevar, 2012) and English translation "Angel of Oblivion" (Tess Lewis, 2016). The study aims to analyze the strategies employed to convey culturally, historically, and socially conditioned concepts into the respective target languages.
Operating on the hypothesis that the two translations adopt different approaches due to their varying cultural proximity to the source text, the research establishes a theoretical framework grounded in key models of contemporary translation studies, notably skopos theory (Vermeer/Reiß), polysystem theory (Even-Zohar), and the "cultural turn" (Bassnett/Lefevere). In the empirical section, selected excerpts from the original and both translations are systematically compared and analyzed according to categories of culturally specific elements (Newmark, Franco-Aixelá).
The analysis demonstrates that Vevar predominantly employs strategies of cultural integration and semantic fidelity, reflecting a shared cultural background. In contrast, Lewis more frequently utilizes adaptation and clarification techniques to ensure accessibility for readers outside Central Europe. These translation strategies mirror the cultural contexts of the respective linguistic environments and underscore that translation constitutes an intercultural act that extends beyond mere linguistic transfer.
The study concludes that cultural proximity or distance from the source culture significantly shapes the choice of translation strategies. Translation thus functions as a form of cultural mediation and preservation of collective memory, fostering intercultural dialogue across linguistic and cultural boundaries.
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