RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 La traducción de la novela gráfica: Perspectiva semiológica y multimodal
A1 Khodorenko, Ganna
K1 translation strategies, multimodality, discourse, graphic novel.
AB Key words: translation strategies, multimodality, discourse, graphic novel.In this paper we have analysed a graphic novel “Maus. A survivor tale” by Art Spiegelman as wellas some variants of its translations in the framework of theory of multimodal discourse analysis (ADM)(O`Halloran). The article focuses on analysing the corpus of investigation on its language and nonlanguage level. The aim of the research is to explain in terms of the multimodal discourse analysis theoryof main principles of graphic novel translation while observing the way of source language graphic noveltransmutation and reconstructing its architecture in the target novel. The methods having been applied inthe present paper are those of linguistic observation and description, empiric comparison of translationvariants and translation results analysis using ADM tools. Applying methods of ADM in the process ofanalysing graphic novel results from the necessity to respond to the main challenges of ADM theory for thestudies in theory and practice of translation, as well as semiotics and general linguistics. The objectives ofthe article are to outline the iconic-textual structure of the graphic novel under the analysis, to characterisethe visual level of the investigated graphic novel, to generalise arising problems to the translator. Theconcept of multimodality derived from semiotics is being studied in the article explaining the reason forapplying the multimodal approach in the study of the graphic novel. Modalities represented in the graphicnovel on non-language level are systematised through different types of multimodal phenomena andtheir relevance for target text meanings transcreation is described. Both visual and language modalities,which are important for the construction of the meaning, are focused attention to and the multimodalphenomena are piled and systematised in the article. The relationship between the visual and writtenmodalities are discussed and the role and importance for the translation process are explained. Untilnow there are different investigations of the Maus, but there is no investigation from the multimodalperspective. The investigators focuse on the discursive and pragmatic part, as well as on the expressivevalue of the work, compare the characteristics of the translation; draw attention to the problems of theliterary style of the work Maus; study the role of images in the creation of the work. However, there is stillno study of graphic novels from the perspective of multimodal discourse analysis. By means of a series ofoperations of translation techniques the original text is reconstructed in the translation variant. It involvescompressing or widening of the original text, removing inconsistencies between different modalities,reinterpreting “language shell” so that a semiotic content could be preserved and the author’s messagetransmitted without corruption, for that redrawing some characters or chapters, removing, or replacingsome visual symbols with different ones. Illustrative material shows a certain logic scheme to follow theprocess of translation taking into consideration different multimodal phenomena, as well as the absence ofsome of its constituents. On the one hand, extralinguistic objects engraved in pictures of the graphic novelmay present the reason for the translation technique of addition, and on the other hand the absence ofsome details in the pictures may justify the translation technique of omission. Evaluating functional typesof multimodal phenomena also may lead one to adequate selection of synonyms or a phrase to choosein a process of translation having as a “guide” visual image supporting language level of a graphic novel.The term “graphic novel” is specified as well as the difference between terms “comic” and “graphicnovel” is outlined. Graphic novel format is proved to assimilate to the literary novel with the content ofmemoirs, autobiography, history, documentary reports etc. Maus is the first graphic novel dealing withHolocaust theme aimed at the adult audience. According to the definition of the graphic novel, Maus is seento share discursive mechanisms with visual narrative instruments, embedded in multimodal phenomena.The types of multimodal phenomena are selected in the present investigation and grouped with illustrativeexamples taken from the corpus. In the framework of ADM theory, the selection of translation techniquesand operations are justified, and the reasons for certain translation variants are explained. As it is shown inthe paper, graphic novel translation differs from literal one. The most important characteristics of graphicnovel translation distinguishing this genre of literature have been outlined: 1) the graphic novel translationunit obligatory consists of both verbal and visual parts; 2) the intonation of the characters of the graphicnovel is a part of a style and is taken into consideration in the course of translation; 3) visual part of thegraphic novel is presented by multimodal phenomena that influence the strategies of translation.General recommendations for the translation of the historic graphic novel have been given, mainly:1) for the purpose of collecting information from the visual part. It is recommended to read and discoverthe entire content of the novel before starting the translation, paying attention to the multimodalphenomena and their types mentioned in this article. Attention is paid to past events, other extralinguisticmeaningful objects. An individual language style is translated with the same style and is maintainedISSN 2523-4463 (print) ВІСНИК УНІВЕРСИТЕТУ ІМЕНІ АЛЬФРЕДА НОБЕЛЯ.ISSN 2523-4749 (online) Серія «ФІЛОЛОГІЧНІ НАУКИ». 2023. № 1 (25)2throughout the text; 2) on the language level, it is recommended to choose at least the sentence as theminimum translation unit of the graphic novel using substitution techniques within the unit as long as thefinal sentence reflects the same message. However, the largest translation unit can be chosen. Appropriateoptions are a speech bubble (speech bubbles) or the entire page. Bubbles (speech balloons) often containcolloquial speech, which differs much more between languages than literal text of a book. The ease ofcolloquial speech is nearly impossible to achieve without the freedom to change the order, composition,and number of sentences. Often, it is not the character-specific phrases that need to be translated, butrather the emotion of outrage or joy, recreating it using the character’s language (such as the speech ofthe immigrant, the main character, Vladek, or his wife); 3) the use of bold. It is understood that it is notnecessary to use bold type in the same units that appear in the original. The most important thing is toconvey the same meaning and intonation in the translation avoiding the “word for word” translation; 4)the language style of the author and the characters. The author and the characters of the graphic novelhave their own language style, which is part of the meaning. Characters may have their own characteristicexpressions and circumstances that explain the choice of phrase translations. After reading the text andvisualising the novel, it becomes clearer what type of the target text of the protagonist should be createdto remain truthful and sound natural; 5) “Litmus paper”. It is recommended to read the translation after acouple of days without looking at the original text thinking about whether or not the author would choosethe same words, style, intonation; 6) Culture references create a certain atmosphere and are translated(6.1) literally as in the example of gefiltefish translation or (6.2) simplification is used the culture in case oftranslation of the same unit into Russian рыбафиш; 7) translation of anthroponyms and proper names. Itis not recommended to translate the proper names of the historical graphic novel taking into account thedocumentary part of the novel. The same variants of anthroponyms are maintained throughout the text;8) accuracy is the second priority after avoiding meaning corruption. One should try to preserve accuracyif it is possible, respecting the condition of preserving the meaning without corrupting it. To achieve theeffect of equal perception of the novel by the reader both in the original language and in the translationlanguage, two things are needed: understanding what is said in the original text and reconstructing it inthe target text.The ADM theory, in this respect, is the tool to achieve the most adequacy and the most accuracy atthe same time.
SN ISSN 2523-4463 (print) ISSN 2523-4749 (online) DOI 10.32342/2523-4463-2023-1-25
YR 2023
FD 2023-01-25
LK https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/75526
UL https://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/75526
LA spa
NO Khodorenko, A. (2023). La traducción de la novela gráfica: Perspectiva semiológica y multimodal. Alfred Nobel University Journal of Philology, 1(25), 290-315. https://doi.org/10.32342/2523-4463-2023-1-25-21
DS UVaDOC
RD 09-may-2025