LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL ISSUES IN TRANSLATION WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE ON NOVELS OF JAMES JOYCE, SAUL BELLOW, AND VLADIMIR NABOKOV TRANSLATED FROM ENGLISH INTO ALBANIAN BY BETIM MUÇO

Abstract

This study is a comparative analysis on linguistic, cultural and literary translation which aims at describing differences and similarities between two languages English and Albanian in order to establish a translation modeling. Subsequently, it will examine lexicogrammatical and syntactic features, cultural issues, stylistic processes of translations, and the occurrences of three aspects of text: macrostructure, microstructure and systemic context in translations from English to Albanian in three modern novels written in English and their Albanian translations by Betim Muço, such as: “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” written by James Joyce, “Seize the Day” written by Saul Bellow, and “Lolita” written by Vladimir Nabokov. From the study, it will be also found if there are substantial relations among the metatexts, macrostructures and microstructures. The macrostructures are universals accommodated by language register. The microstructures, however, do not reflect systematic correspondence; they are often determined by language peculiarities and translators‟ preference and choice. English is more diverse with its peculiarities allowing many microstructure elements to surface. Albanian, on the other hand, shows moderate usage and less distinctive usage of microstructure elements. Generally, it will be examined if there are substantial intertextual and intersystemic relations between translated versions by all the three novels from the same translator and as proposed by José Lambert and Hendrik van Gorp. Moreover, consideration will be given to the importance of language characteristics, typology and language universals as explained differently by Noam Chomsky in his „Universal Grammar‟ and Joseph Greenberg in order for the translation to achieve greater acceptability for the readership.

Keywords: linguistic approach, cultural approach, translation strategies, translation theories, literal translation, etc.