STRATEGIES OF TRANSLATING WORDPLAY IN GERMAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE

Research article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18454/RULB.2022.29.1.12
Issue: № 1 (29), 2022
PDF

Abstract

The article discusses strategies of translating wordplay within the framework of political discourse based on the German-language media texts and analyzes various translation solutions. The research material used headlines from news texts on political topics published in online editions of German-language newspapers and magazines and their translations into Russian. Based on the analyzed material, the study determines that the translation of wordplay is not always possible for various reasons. The inability to convey wordplay by means of translation often leads to a decrease in the aesthetic impact of the translated text. Translating wordplay is a difficult task for a translator, the solution of which requires deep linguistic knowledge and unconventional thinking.

References

  • Delabastita D. Introduction. / D. Delabastita // The Transtator. Vol. 2 : Wordplay and Translation: Essays on Punning and Translation. – 1996. – 2. – p. 127-139. DOI: 10.1080/13556509.1996.10798970

  • Xanina E.A. Manipulyativny’j xarakter ispol’zovaniya yazy’kovoj igry’ v nemeczkom politicheskom diskurse [Manipulative nature of the use of the language game in German political discourse]. / E.A. Xanina // Filologiya i chelovek [Philology & Human]. – 2014. – 3. – p. 102-109. [in Russian]

  • Rudenko E.S. Yazy’kovaya igra kak problema perevoda [Wordplay as a translation problem]. / E.S. Rudenko, R.I. Bachieva // Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. Seriya: Lingvistika [Bulletin of Moscow State Regional University. Series: Philological sciences]. – 2020. – 2. – p. 78-85. DOI: 10.18384/2310-712X-2020-2-78-85 [in Russian]

  • «Zeleny’j» politik Xofrajter zayavil o predstoyashhix peregovorax s SvDP v uzkom krugu [The «green» politician Hofreiter announced the upcoming negotiations with the FDP in private] [Electronic source] // Inosmi. – 2021. – URL: https://inosmi.ru/politic/20210927/250586162.html. (accessed: 08.11.21) [in Russian]

  • «Severny’j potok – 2» stanet lakmusovoj bumazhkoj dlya novy’x vlastej Germanii [Nord Stream – 2 will become a litmus test for the new German authorities] [Electronic resource] // N-TV. – 2021. – URL: https://ru.rt.com/Iuz85. (accessed: 10.11.21) [in Russian]

  • ES tak i ne nashyol sredstv dlya pomoshhi Germanii posle letnix navodnenij [The EU has not found the means to help Germany after the summer floods] [Electronic resource] // N-TV. – 2021. – URL: https://russian.rt.com/inotv/2021-11-08/N-TV-ES-tak-i-ne. (accessed: 09.11.21) [in Russian]

  • Kreml’ vzbeshen ispol’zovaniem dronov E’rdogana [The Kremlin has got into a rage by the use of Erdogan’s drones] [Electronic source] // Inosmi. – 2021. – URL: https://inosmi.ru/politic/20211028/250800989.html. (accessed: 07.11.21) [in Russian]

  • Salzen C. Koalitionsverhandlungen von SPD, Grünen und FDP Wie hält es die Ampel mit China und Russland? [Coalition negotiations between the SPD, Greens and FDP How is the traffic light with China and Russia?] [Electronic resource] / Der Tagesspiegel [Der Tagesspiegel]. – 2021. – URL: ttps://m.tagesspiegel.de/politik/koalitionsverhandlungen-von-spd-gruenen-und-fdp-wie-haelt-es-die-ampel-mit-china-und-russland/27777146.html?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Frussian.rt.com%2F (accessed 10.11.2021) [in German]

  • Hofreiter kündigt Gespräch ein kleinem Kreis mit der FDP an [The «green» politician Hofreiter announced the upcoming negotiations with the FDP in private] [Electronic resource] / Der Spiegel. – 2021. – URL: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bundestagswahl-2021-anton-hofreiter-kuendigt-gespraeche-in-kleinem-kreis-mit-fdp-an-a-105d264c-7394-4e8a-8080-d24ec2a104a0 (accessed 08.11.2021). [in German]

  • J. Roepke. Kreml wütet nach Einsatz von Erdogan-Drohnen [The Kremlin has got into a rage by the use of Erdogan’s drones] [Electronic resource] / Bild [Picture]. – 2021. – URL: https://m.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/kiewer-neonazis-kreml-wuetet-nach-einsatz-von-erdogan-drohnen-78075476.bildMobile.html###wt_ref=https%3A%2F%2Finosmi.ru%2F&wt_t=1636432088495 (accessed 07.11.2021) [in German]

  • Rekordregen verursachte Rekordschäden [Record rain caused record damage] [Electronic resource] / NTV. – 2021. – URL: https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Rekordregen-verursachte-Rekordschaeden-article22913748.html (accessed 09.11. 2021) [in German]