An Analysis of the Translation Strategies Used to Translate, from English into Nyanja, Zambia’s “A Simple Guide to the Anti Gender Based Violence (GBV) Act”

Gerald Chishiba

doi:10.11648/j.ijalt.20170301.12

Abstract

The aim of this article is to identify the strategies used to translate an official Zambian document titled “A Simple Guide to the Anti GBV Act”. The skopos theory by the German translator Vermeer (1978) and Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1973) taxonomy were applied in the analysis of the text. The results revealed that literal translation was the most frequently used strategy. The results further revealed that borrowing, addition and generalisation were also used in line with Vinay and Darbelnet’s taxonomy. Other translation strategies found were Schjoldager’s (2008) direct transfer and baker’s (1992) use of less expressive words and omission. Our conclusion is that the translation strategies that were used when translating the document “A Simple Guide to the Anti GBV Act” from English into Nyanja fulfilled the Skopos theory requirement as far as the analysis of a text is concerned. According to the Skopos Theory, a translator is expected to provide a translation that is easier to understand in the target language and culture. Furthermore, the results revealed that most of the text was clearly reversible.

Highlights

Gender based violence (GBV) is an issue that has existed from times immemorial, in Zambia, but all over the world
In 2007, about 5,127 cases were reported to the police, whereas 8,467 cases were reported in 2010.The objectives of the study were:-to determine the characteristics of the clients,to determine the adequacy of the program qualitatively and quantitatively in addressing gender based violence, to investigate the appropriateness of the instructional tools and techniques used in the Young Women Christian Association anti–gender based violence program and -to examine if the Young Women Christian Association education program has been responding to the needs of the clients
Borrowing In the analysis of the translation strategies applied to translate the document“ A Simple Guide to the anti GBV act” from English into Nyanja, we discovered a number of borrowed words such as: failo,komiti,lipoti,lendi, loya,membela,polisi,insipekita,pepala,biziness,apilo,pulogiramu,komyuniti,pulani,ofesi, nurse, sosholoand fadi.Mmabako (2005) states that one may say the above words have been “nativised in a sense that their phonology has been adapted to reflect the phonology of the borrowing language(s).”

Summary

Introduction

Gender based violence (GBV) is an issue that has existed from times immemorial, in Zambia, but all over the world. In response to gender based violence, enacted the Anti-Gender Based Violence Act in 2011. This act aimed at providing protection and support for survivors of GBV as well as establishing shelters for survivors. The act provided for the establishment of the anti-gender based violence committee and the anti-gender based violence fund. Despite the enactment of the anti GBV Act of 2011, Zambia has been found to be among the many countries which are still experiencing high levels of GBV. The Anti-Gender Based Violence Act and its simplified version should be translated into local languages and be disseminated to the general public country wide through intensified awareness and sensitization programmes

Objectives

Results

Conclusion