Literary translation, symbolic development and inclusion in South Africa

Maricel Botha

doi:10.4102/lit.v42i1.1798

Abstract

Post-apartheid South African society remains characterised by significant social asymmetries and the need for development. Yet development should encompass not only meeting people’s material needs to ensure survival, but also the attainment of higher social ideals such as solidarity, citizenship and inclusion. Literary translation involving local languages has been posited as one way of attaining such ideals, yet this postulation requires further investigation. The main objective of this article is to investigate the intersections between literary translation and social transformation in South Africa from the perspective of symbolic development, which is accompanied and complemented by a consideration of symbolic exclusion. The focus is firstly on the theoretical connections between literary translation, development and inclusion and secondly on the practical disjunctions between these. The article finds that in theory, there is ground to promote literary translation as a means towards symbolic development because of its ability to equalise language statuses and promote intercultural appreciation. Yet, the highly commodified nature of literature amidst the continuation of socioeconomic inequalities as well as the position of English in literature detract from translation’s ability to foster symbolic development realistically within society at large, at least for the moment. From a theoretical perspective, the utility of incorporating development into translation studies remains significant, however, and translation studies could benefit from further investigation of translational development locally, mainly for its ability to direct research practically towards socially beneficial goals, specifically when combined with exclusion.

Highlights

Development is the focus of the interdisciplinary field of development studies, which is defined by Mönks et al (2017) as:
This article has pointed out the noteworthy theoretical links between literary translation and what was broadly termed transformative translation from the perspective of symbolic development and inclusion
Static Maintenance Syndrome amongst African language speakers is one major ideological factor that results in preferences for English in higher social spheres

Summary

Introduction

Development is the focus of the interdisciplinary field of development studies, which is defined by Mönks et al (2017) as:[A] multi- and interdisciplinary field of study that seeks to understand social, economic, political, technological, ecological, gender and cultural aspects of societal change at the local, national, regional and global levels, and the interplay between these different levels and the stakeholders involved. (p. 13)This encompassing definition suggests a host of possible interpretations and conceptualisations of development, but all these have in common an interest in human progress and well-being in society. Post-developmentalists, or anti-developmentalists, have criticised development as an ideology expressive of Western hegemony and Western ideals of advancement (see RamírezCendrero 2018) Whilst such criticism is valid as far as development, and sustainable development, is understood in organisational policies and frameworks, the danger of anti-developmentalism is passivity in the face of some very severe social injustices. In response to the critics of development, Clammer (2012) states: For whatever the critics of the concept of development might rightly say, it does name the pressing issues of the day. These are the great ethical and practical questions of our generation. For here are the truly nontrivial issues really worthy of serious commitment. (p. 8)

Objectives

Findings

Conclusion