Translating biculturalism in A Free Life by Ha Jin
Abstract The genre of migration literature is increasingly gaining prominence in the globalized world we live in today. Its translation particularly raises questions about its circulation and reception in other linguistic and cultural spheres. The translation of such a literature can be challenging,...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Discover Global Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s44282-025-00161-0 |
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| Summary: | Abstract The genre of migration literature is increasingly gaining prominence in the globalized world we live in today. Its translation particularly raises questions about its circulation and reception in other linguistic and cultural spheres. The translation of such a literature can be challenging, for it often deals with hybridity of culture, language and literary style. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate, through the analysis of the French and German translations of A Free Life by Ha Jin, the difficulties associated with translating migration literature and its limits, relying on translation theories and strategies used by the translators. Ha Jin’s novel takes us to the United States, where a Chinese family, forced to leave their homeland, attempts to navigate the hardships of life in a country where they do not master the language or the socio-cultural codes. In this novel, biculturalism is omnipresent, bringing American and Chinese cultures into contact. This encounter gives rise to cultural, linguistic, and identity hybridity, characterized in Ha Jin's work by linguistic variations such as a transliteration of the Chinese accent—resulting in orthographic changes in dialogues to convey the mispronunciation of Chinese protagonists. The presence of numerous cultural references also invites reflection on the strategies of domestication or foreignization in translation. Furthermore, the author addresses the harshness of the migration experience with a light and humorous tone. This humor is especially characterized by situational comedy linked to the clumsy manipulation of idiomatic expressions by characters who do not have a perfect command of their host language. The author relies on the polysemy of words and the flexibility of the English language to create amusing misunderstandings. The translators thus assume the role of cultural mediators, whose main goal is to convey these two cultures into a third target language. The analysis of the existing translations shows that there are no such thing as perfect translations when it comes to translating culture. Translators often face a choice between conveying the sense or the spirit of a text, and it can be challenging to achieve both. This work meets the challenges posed by the migration literature and inspire new reflections on the translation of culture. |
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| ISSN: | 2731-9687 |