A Question of Values: Translation Preferences Among Polish Readers of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Abstract

The chapter discusses the results of a survey conducted among Polish readers of science fiction and fantasy aimed to characterize their attitude to English-Polish translation. The survey sought to test their perceived and actual level of linguistic and cultural competence, so as to define the extent to which translators could rely on the background knowledge of their target audience rather than explicate elements such as wordplays or intertextual references. The answers indicate the respondents might need translators to resort to techniques clarifying or substituting the original content; however, at the same time, translators are expected to remain invisible, which probably excludes overt or frequent cultural substitution from the list of available techniques. The survey also required respondents to choose between diverse values a translation could prioritize and establish the readers’ reaction. The key value seems to be faithfulness to the original, which can be allowed to overshadow translation’s clarity, euphony or consistency with other translations. Out of diverse translation techniques used to render particular types of challenging items, paratextual glosses appear to enjoy significant support. This may be related to the general expectation of faithfulness, understood as refraining to intervene in the translated text itself. Support for paratext, then, would be an answer to two issues the survey seems to signal: the expectation of non-intrusiveness and the risk of misinterpretation and confusion, should the readers be left to their own devices.

Sources of Excerpts Used in the Survey

Card, O. S. 2000. Cień Endera, trans. P. W. Cholewa. Warszawa: Prószyński. Gaiman, N. and T. Pratchett. 2000. Dobry omen, trans. J. Gałązka and J. Wilczur-Garztecki. Warszawa: Prószyński. Gaiman, N. and T. Pratchett. 1991. Good Omens. London: Corgi. Pratchett, T. 2006. Piąty elefant, trans. P. W. Cholewa. Warszawa: Prószyński. Varley, J. 2004. Press Enter. In The John Varley Reader, 271–326. New York: Ace Books. \Willis, C. 2005. Inside job. Burton, MI: Subterranean Press. Zelazny, R. 2005. Książę Chaosu, trans. P. W. Cholewa. Poznań: Zysk. Zelazny, R. 2004. Nine Princes in Amber. In The Chronicles of Amber, 1–155. London: Millenium/Gollancz. Zelazny, R. 2006. Pan światła, trans. P. W. Cholewa. Warszawa: ISA. Zelazny, R. 2003. Znak Chaosu, trans. P. W. Cholewa. Poznań: Zysk.