Empirical Research of Translating Albanian Literary Text into English by Albanian EFL Students

Abstract

Literary translation is a type of translation, which requires a great commitment in realizing it. The differences that may be shared by the SL and TL make translation as a process a complicated and challenging one, especially when it comes to literary text translation. The messages, emotions and culture that the literature of a language shares sometimes seem almost difficult to be passed from one language to another one. This is a consequence of differences that the two different languages share in their construction and in their culture. This paper has been focused on the problems of equivalence while dealing with Albanian literary text translation to English, carried out by Albanian university students who study English Language and Literature. Empirical and qualitative are the research methods that have been used in this scientific paper. All these methods have verified the three hypotheses of this research as well as have found the answers to the questions on this research. In addition, the results reached from the three aforementioned research methods have helped in achieving the objectives and aims of this paper.The corpora that has been used in this research is the Albanian literary texts: “Ajkuna qan Omerin” from Kangë Kreshnikësh (Kreshink’s Songs). The text has been translated by Albanian students that study English Language and Literature at the University of Gjakova “Fehmi Agani”, Faculty of Philology, department of English language and Literature and at University of Prizren “Ukshin Hoti”, Faculty of Philology, department of English language and Literature. The translated versions were used as primary source materials for analysis. Another instrument used in this research is the questionnaire, consisting of two open-ended questions. One question aimed at identifying difficulties or challenges that students might have or face during their translation, whereas the second question asked them about the solutions that they might find when dealing with difficulties or challenges during Albanian literary text translation. Thus, the problems of equivalence during Albanian literary texts translation have been identified based on the analysis of students’ translation, and on their responses regarding difficulties or challenges that they faced or had during text translations. The work presents the most common strategies used by Albanian students during the process of literary text translation from Albanian into English.

Received: 18 October 2021 / Accepted: 2 February 2022 / Published: 5 March 2022