Exploring Power Differentials in Translation: Assessing the Validity of The Pessoptimist by Jayyusi and Le Gassick

Abstract

This article delves into the intricate realm of literary translation through a thorough qualitative evaluation of Jayyusi and Le Gassick's rendition of Emile Habibi's novel, The Secret Life of Saeed The Pessoptomist. Given the novel’s ‘subaltern’ nature, deeply entrenched in indigenous language and culture, the study aims to scrutinize the translation's validity through the lens of postcolonial translation theory, as represented by Lawrence Venuti’s foreignizing perspective. Central to this scrutiny is the investigation of the translation’s impact on the novel’s linguistic, semantic, and cultural texture. Employing Antoine Berman's ‘système de déformation des textes’, known as negative analytic, the analysis unveils pervasive deforming tendencies, underscoring the extensive domestication and alteration to which the novel was subjected. This exploratory investigation contributes to the ongoing discourse in postcolonial studies, highlighting that translation serves as a fertile ground for both subversion and manipulation, especially when applied to narratives believed as belonging to subordinate cultures.