Volha Yermalayeva Franco, Priscila Nascimento Marques, Paterson Franco Costa:    

The problems of indirectly translating Belarusian literature: a case study 

(webzine “Kultura. Natsyja”, issue 33, April 2024, 51-69, www.sakavik.net )

Abstract. In the present study, approaching the importance of Yanka Kupala’s work in Belarusian literature and the history of its translations into other languages, we comment on the translation of the poem A khto tam idze?  (And Say, Who Goes There?) to Portuguese, carried out by the authors of the study, discussing strategies and the importance of direct translation of Belarusian literature. The poem, written in 1905 – 1907, is considered a manifesto of the Belarusian people who become aware as such and assume their national identity, declaring their values ​​and their goal: “To be called human”. It has since then become one of the symbols of the massive protests against the dictatorship in Belarus, in 2020. As the poem has been translated into more than one hundred languages, we make a comparative analysis of its passages, reflecting on the problems of its indirect translation from a colonial language. As a result, we highlight the importance of research and deeper understanding of the source text, providing insights that hopefully shall improve standards for future translations and academic works concerning Belarusian literature and Slavic studies. Keywords: Belarus. Yanka Kupala. Poetry. Belarusian literature. Indirect translation.

Categories: Культура, Літаратура, Мова