Translation of Word- and Language-Play

Translation of Word- and Language-Play: Comparison

Please note this is a comparison between Version 2 by Ivy Yuan and Version 1 by Thorsten Schröter.

Translation primarily refers to interlingual translation here, i.e., the transfer of texts (broadly understood) between distinct languages. Wordplay is used synonymously with puns, while language-play is a broader concept referring to the intentional manipulation of linguistic elements for special effects. Language-play thus includes, but is not limited to, wordplay. This paper provides an overview of the issues involved in the translation of language-play, including wordplay. To this end, definitions, categories, and arguments related to translation on the one hand, and to word- as well as language-play on the other, are presented. This includes an introduction to different modes, purposes, and challenges of translation, as well as a discussion of the possible forms, functions, and effects of language-play, partly in relation to humour. Based on this groundwork, claims and findings related to the combination of the fields, i.e., the translation of word- and language-play, will be summarized. The paper concludes with an attempt at placing word- and language-play translation into a broader context, including societal and educational concerns, as well as the latest changes affecting the translation profession.

translation
wordplay
puns
language-play
rhymes
alliteration
humour
constraints
translation strategies
translation procedures

The topic of this entry paper features three constituent concepts—translation, as well as word- and language-play—and these first need to be introduced and discussed in their own right, which will happen in Section 2 and Section 3, respectively, before they can be brought together in Section 4. Section 5 will provide concluding remarks and an outlook.

The following abbreviations are established in the academic field of Translation Studies and will also be used in the present context:

ST:

the source text, i.e., the original text in the original or source language, that serves as the basis for a translation

TT:

the target text, i.e., the resulting product of the translation process in the target language

SL:

the source language, i.e., the language of the ST

TL:

the target language, i.e., the language of the TT