Translation of connotations in literary texts: strategies in overcoming potential difficulties

Abstract

This research examines the translation of connotative meanings from Turkish to English by employing a semiotic and translation-focused analysis of Sait Faik Abasıyanık’s short story Dört Zait. Utilizing Saussure’s concept of the linguistic sign and subsequent advancements in semiotics by Barthes and Hjelmslev, the research defines connotation as a layer of meaning that is culturally and ideologically ingrained, going beyond mere denotative signification. In this theoretical context, the analysis utilizes Vinay and Darbelnet’s (1995) model of translation techniques to investigate how connotative expressions are translated into English in the text. Fifteen connotative instances are identified and comparatively analyzed in both the source and target texts. The results indicate that modulation is the most commonly used strategy (46.7%), with transposition following at (26.7%), literal translation at (20%), and equivalence at (6.6%). These findings show a distinct inclination towards meaning-focused and interpretative translation approaches instead of rigid formal equivalence. The frequency of modulation shows the translator’s attempt to maintain pragmatic and emotional effects by altering perspective and semantic framing in the target language. The study emphasizes the difficulties in translating culturally specific meanings and validates the utility of Vinay and Darbelnet’s framework for examining literary translation from a semiotic perspective.