Cross cultural communication and miscommunication through connotation usage in translation: The case of two African classics in translation

Abstract

This study seeks to argue that in a literary translation, like the case of the two African novels in translation under examination, cross cultural communication and miscommunication problems may confront the reader.

Since communication is the main aim of literature and since by its very nature it is deep‐rooted in its cultural context it is suggested that the translator of such literary works should keenly and creatively assess the purposeful message of the text which is usually couched in figurative language. The tone of the original text, the intention of the author, the cultural background of the message in terms of cultural and traditional values and thought processes are important factors that need to be considered in any literary translation enterprise since all these constitute the essential markers of the communicative process.

John Reed's translation of Things Fall Apart and Michel Ligny's translation of Le Vieux Nègre et la Médaille have been examined in the light of how they succeeded effectively and adequately in communicating the message of the original texts and how they failed to communicate the intended message of the authors of these novels. The study is an investigation in cross cultural communication in which the reader is invited to apply multi‐dimensional strategies in order to evaluate effective and appropriate transmission of a literary message.