Caroe and Howell's Analysis of Cultural Specific-Items and Translation Strategies used in the Translation of Khushal Khan Khattak's Poem, Khazan, Based on Newmark Model

Abstract

Translation is a complex cognitive and communicative process that involves transferring the sense and meaning of a text from one language to another, while also taking into account the cultural nuances and contextual elements that are inherent to the original language. The present research paper endeavors to elucidate the various translational strategies employed for the representation of culture-specific items, as per the framework proposed by Newmark. In order to fulfill the objective at hand, the researcher has gathered data from a renowned Pashto poem titled Khazan, authored by the esteemed Khushal Khan Khattak and subsequently translated into the English language. The identification and subsequent analysis of culture-specific elements within the target text are undertaken. The empirical evidence indicates that translators employ a variety of translation strategies, with a notable prevalence of the utilization of couplets and triplets. Various translation strategies have been identified in the literature, including paraphrase compensation, functional equivalence, synonymy, descriptive equivalence, componential analysis, cultural equivalence, and modulation. The findings of this study also indicate that the translational strategies under investigation exhibit inherent resistance. The utilization of culture-specific items in translation poses challenges for the readers of the target text. The translation of literary works, particularly poems, presents a formidable challenge for translators due to the intricate nature of their task. Translators bear the weighty responsibility of faithfully conveying not only the semantic content but also the aesthetic elements inherent in the source text.