Núria Molines, Autonomous University of Barcelona
This paper will tackle the issue of dialect translation in literary works focusing on the translation of German dialects and regional languages. Taking into account the particular features and the very special status of regional languages and dialects in their linguistic context, we shall see which problems raise the translation of a work where different dialects and languages coexist. The paper will analyse different translations of two German books – Eine Jugend in Deutschland and Schloß Gripsholm. Our approach will ponder on ideological and ethical issues from the framework of deconstruction to challenge dominant views on equivalence that have gathered most of the attention in discussing dialect translation. The paradigm shift introduced by deconstruction involves the empowerment of translators by questioning equivalence and translators’ status, thereby forcing translators to take a responsible role. The analysis will reveal how the variety of languages/dialects in the original is made invisible by applying a monolingual filter. Deconstruction in Translation Studies offers a critical perspective on the ethical decision that must be made when translating a postmonolingual text.