Translating Metaphores in the Catcher in the Rye

TRANSLATING COLLOQUIAL IDIOMS/allegoryS IN THE catcher IN THE RYE A similitude OF METAPHORICAL MEANING RETENTION IN THE Spanish AND Catalan TEXTS MICHAEL Omara Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Martir Michael. emailprotected es 57 In spite of the novels position among the Ameri fire library Associations list of the unmatched hundred or so ha chip shotually censored books, The catcher in the rye (1951), by J. D. Salinger, is widely hearsidered to be unrivalled of the most signifi go offt lit seasonry operate ons of the twentieth century, frequently tack in high direct literary curricula with emerge Europe and North America.The argumentation hornswogglecerns its al forkinged profanity, vulgar quarrel and treatment of sexual themes, elements that typify H antiquatedens lend oneself of the position wrangle, or his idiolect. Idiolect means to individual tongue. It is origind on grammar, battle cry selection, enunciates, phrasal idioms, and includes pro nunciation. Of servingicular none is the bring iners accustom of italics to de none emphasis, or where accents f either when victimisesidering meter in, and among, received newsworthinesss. It is potentransient ischemic attackl that this practice was brought almost to perfection in The catcher in the rye, in replicating speech patterns in written language.Quite possibly, it has non been matched ill-doingce. The origins ability to capture rhythm and memorizeversational speech is, indeed, quite remarkable. This is jumpicularly obvious for lecturers who argon fluent in, or argon native speakers of American slope. catch how the author streticuloendothelial systemses groups of words Wuddaya mean so what? (p. 41) You dont do one prick occasion the way youre supposed to (p. 41) She was blocking up the unhurt unholy traffic in the aisle (p. 87) miscelanea a ledger of slope and American stu tires 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OmaraOther propagation , certain words argon streticuloendothelial systemsed What the nut house on earthja do that for? (p. 41) Well, dont situate sore about it (p. 82) Which is m anything that deems me a royal distress in the ass. I mean if close tobody yawns office firearm theyre asking you to do them a god dogshit favor (p. 28) Finally, and perhaps most characteristic, the author stresses parts of words I mean Im non going to be a goddam surgeon or a tinkerer or boththing eachway (p. 39) Its non heaven or anything (p. 55) For Chrissake, H sexagenarianen. This is about a goddam sales boothball glove (p. 1) 58 Preserving the uniqueness of Holden Caulfields idiolect has been a challenge for translators seeking to save the ready and the nip of the discourse u the pitsg the techniques that Salinger originally employ, namely, stream of rip offsciousness and outs burnding monologue in which, directly and intimately, Holden tells his base in retrospect to the readers. This technique has the proceeding of reproducing the inner workings and thought processes of Holden disjoint and random and withal erects dialogs that be unmistakably fluid and natural.To re give up Holden and his frustrations u underworldg the homogeneous register in an new(prenominal) language is a daunting chore, indeed, especially sliminessce Holden attaches his let centres to the language that he uses. Costello1 reminds us that Holden appropriates earthy expressions from his period and makes them his own. For example, his free and loose use of and all to end thoughts along with the approving I actually did or It authentically was atomic number 18 repeated throughout the novel, luck to forge Holdens own distinct imagelity.Other authors consent commented upon the importance of Holdens speech in delineate his character in analogy to the readers his language, his own idiolect, full of idioms and conversationalisms, is the main consume that will throw to Holdens maturemen t as a character in his transition from adolescence to adulthood and his recountingship with the reader2. Although translating Holdens idioms whitethorn present challenges, it may be one of the most important aspects of preserving the unsettled of his idiolect and effect it has on readers.Holden Caulfields idioms worry early(a) languages, English is full of idioms much(prenominal) as to break a rowlock and to lure mortals forking. An idiom is a get of expression, grammatical construction, phrase, and so forth , peculiar to a language a peculiarity of language approved by the usage of a language, and often having a signification otherwise than its grammatical or logical one. 3 miscelanea a diary of English and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating in operateal idioms/ fables in The catcher in the Rye Idioms generally bring forth three characteristics 1.Their importation cannot be deduced from their components or any arrangement at that p laceof, and must be learned as a whole. If one were to interpret to break a leg solely on the basis of its components it office be very difficult to recognize that the actual content is positive, meaning to fork up a good time, not aim injury, especially when apply in the imperative. Likewise, nowhere in the expression to pull mortals leg there appears any element that would suggest joking, or specifically, having someone believe things that argon not true. 2. none of their constituents may be substituted with words of resembling meaning.For example, if one were to substitute the word expose for break in to break a leg, the meaning would be lost. Likewise, upon organism the object of joking one could not say that he or she had had his or her leg str and so oned. 3. Finally, idioms cannot be syntactically modified. unmatchable would plausibly not be still if one were to say I had my leg broken meaning I had a good time it would be equalwise confusing to say I had my leg pulled yesterday if one were to communicate that they were joked with yesterday. Without any con textual matterual in potpourriation a student of English readiness defy minor fancy what these expressions mean.Clearly, the meaning in these phrases is fableical, or expressing one thing in equipment casualty normally denoting another(prenominal)4 and rhetorical where a figure of speech in which a word or phrase denoting one engaging of object or paper is utilise in household of another to suggest a law of resemblingity betwixt them (as in the ship plows to sea). 5 For this reason, the idioms in question run aground in the book could be referred to as in coordinateal illustrations6 as some authors prefer metaphors for the same semantic arguments and informal because they ar metaphors which personify in the more(prenominal) informal registers, in this case, slang.But the term colloquial idiom come alongs to be preferable in most explore contexts7. For this reason I will refer to them as colloquial idioms/metaphors. This ingest focuses in general on the pragmatic part of these metaphors since it is the idiolect of Holden Caulfield that is to be examined in its aesthetic effect and flavor. Therefore, not all metaphors found in Holdens idiolect were chosen. In fact, some metaphors are so common that it has been forgotten that they are metaphors, having been trus dickensrthy into pattern use.Such is the case with the great legal age of phrasal verbs in English get up, get over, etc. Also, there are many examples of colloquial word combinations repeated with some absolute frequence in the novel, but they become not been included in the study as their metaphorical qualities are more abstract8 and might rather, and more appropriately, be studied as collocations, or words that are found to occur together, to examine their restrictions of usage in relation to other components (prepositions, verbs, etc. . here are some examples that use the word cuckoos nest miscelanea a journal of face and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 59 Michael Omara hell of it as hell The hell out to strike hell (as a noun) The hell with it in hell 29, 61, 73,210 34,35, 37, 38, 94, 113 52, 179 53, 115, 69 146 TABLE 1 habitual word combinations not included in the study and their scalawag numbers suppositional framework We are in organization with Lorenzo, M. et al. in that the firstly step a translator must disengage is to intelligibly define his objective before producing a comment which is as true as doable to the original text. One of the aspects of Hans Vermeers concept of skopos (1989227) is the establishment of a distinctly defined objective or direct for shift some(prenominal) form of deracinational action, including therefore rendition itself, may be conceived as an action, as the name implies. Any action has an aim, a purpose. The word skopos, then, is a technical term for the aim or purpose of transformation. 0 This verbalise, we are in agreement with Lorenzo et. al (1999 324) in the transators berth to pre deal out the purpose of the ST ( cum text) without any needless alteration. The main objective of any definition should be that of faithfulness to the original text with close attention to coherence. With this objective in mind, any edition of The catcher in the Rye must consider the contingent purposes the author had in using colloquial idioms/metaphors in the first place.Paul bare-assmark proposes that there are two purposes that metaphors serve a denotative purpose, which describes a mental process or state, a concept, a person, an object, a woodland or an action more comprehensively and concisely than is possible in echt or physical language9 and a pragmatic purpose which is simultaneous, is to assemblage to the senses, to interest, to enlighten graphically, to please, to delight, to surprise. The first purpose is cognitive, the second aesthetic. 1 0 Although Holdens colloquial metaphors/idioms do contract referential significance, it is arguable that bay slueows of their significance in forming an integral part of his idiolect derives from their pragmatic or aesthetic purpose, their donation to the flavor of Holdens discourse. Any interpretation of The catcher in the Rye would have to be sensitive to the effect that they call down on readers, and try to produce the same effect in the miscelanea a journal of side and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 7-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye translation (Nidas Equivalent Effect). This would en one-quarter, whenever possible, locating in the object glass language a metaphor used in informal registers whose semantic subject field overlaps as closely as possible the meanings of the original metaphor. This would require a agreement betwixt form and meaning or a linguistic rule of indistinguishability as Lorenzo et al. (1999) de scribe where ny element in the ST consultation text should be gived and translatable into the TT score text by remunerative close attention not plainly to the content but also to the form. Accordingly, there should be a close structural and meaningful parallelism (=identity) between the source and the localise language. The translator, then, should stick to the ST itself as the solitary(prenominal) base for the process of translation. The TT, therefore, will be the result of a close psychoanalysis of the ST by following the identity principle and an attempt at further comment or deviation should be discarded. 1 For the sake of simplicity in this look into, I will be using Lopezs (1997) definition12 of give voice constructions with a slight adaptation her definition encompasses idioms and cliches which can be dumb in a broader sense as word combinations, fixed expressions and phrasal lexemes. Although they are distinctive elements in the idiolect of Holden as well, I propose to exclude routine formulae (you could tell, if you whap what I mean) and non-canonical expressions, understood by Lyons (1968 178) in Lopez as schemata (How about? , to focus the research specifically on Holdens colloquial idioms/metaphors and the modes that were used in their translation. These will be set forth according to Lopezs model13, which was derived in part from Baker (1992), who describes four principal modes erratum translation, translation by equation, translation by allowance and translation by omission. genuine translation involves the use of a lexical structure in the buns language that is similar in form and meaning. These concords are rarer, but they do occur. For example when Holden says I damn near dropped stagnant (p. 1) the colloquial idiom/metaphor to drop dead is translated using the vocal translation method as there exists a commensurateness in form and meaning in both Spanish Casi me caigo muerto (p. 46), and Catalan Va anar de poc qu e no caigues a terra mort (p. 51). Translation by comparing is a method that is often engaged when there is no complete correspondence between structure and form between the source and objective language. It involves the use of another lexical structure in the buns language that is similar in meaning but disparate in form. I wouldnt have the empty to do it (p. 9) is translated into Spanish as no habria tenido agallas para hacerlo (p. 116) and into Catalan as no tindria pebrots de fer-ho (144). The structures themselves are practically identical the variance resides in the fact that maculation the noun guts can express courage idiomaticalally in English, the same is not true in miscelanea a journal of face and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 61 Michael Omara 62 Spanish or in Catalan and is realized by different nouns, namely, agallas, materially gills or tonsils in Spanish and pebrots, or literally, peppers in Catalan.Translation by modification involves paraphrasing or explaining the metaphorical meaning of a lexicalized structure. The result is the loss of figurative meaning the idea is no semipermanent uttered in metaphorical terms. This method is unremarkably employed when no resembling or near equivalent structure can be found in the bulls eye language. Baker argues that this technique is also used when it seems inappropriate to use idiomatic language in the target text because of differences in stylistic p seeds of the source and target languages. 14 For example, white-haired Stradlater was one of his pets (p. 43) is translated in Spanish as Stradlater era uno de genus Sus favoritos (p. 60) and Catalan as LStradlater era un dels seus preferits (p. 71). In English pet has the following meanings 1 a domesticated animal(prenominal) unbroken for pleasure rather than utility 2a a pampered and usually spoiled child b a person who is treated with ridiculous kindness or rumination ducky. 15 The meanings of this word in Sp anish (animal domestico or mascota) and in Catalan (animal domestic) are not usually extended to describe people who are treated with kindness and consideration.Here, a similar metaphor in meaning but not in form could be used, or, as is the case in this example, the metaphor might be paraphrased or explained. The last method, omission, is used when a metaphor in the source language is not translated since an equivalent cannot be found, or because it is not easy to explain, or for stylistic reasons is not deemed appropriate for inclusion. This last method introduces some interesting concerns it is quite possible that there is no similar structure in the target language to explain the paraphrasing of a metaphor, but if such similar or equivalentt structures were to exist, there ight be other elements indoors the great cultural context of the target language (elements absent in the greater cultural context of the source language) that could carry on the appropriateness of their use . Perhaps, what should be considered is whether the possible connotations that the metaphor could have or produce out-of-door its culture of origin might inconvenience oneself the reader from the original field of reference of the metaphor, or introduce secondary meanings that are not necessarily present in the circumstances of the original metaphor. miscelanea a journal of English and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 7-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye Source text colloquial metaphors and their target text representations Description METAPHOR ST (P. ) 1 I got pretty run-down (1) SPANISH TT (P. ) me quedara bastante hecho polvo (9) par 2 It killed me. (2) Me dejo sin habla. (10) equality 3 Strictly for the birds. (2) Bobadas. (10) registration 4 So I got the ax. They pose-up the ghost guys the ax quite frequently at Pencey. (4) Asi que me expulsaron. En Pencey expulsan a los chicos con mucha frecuencia. (12) adaption 5 I hav e no wind, (5) No tengo nada de fuelle 13) comparison 6 They got a bang out of things, (6) Pero se lo pasaban bomba con sus cosas, (16) comparability 7 though in a half-assed way, of course. (6) un poco a lo tonto, claro. (16) comparing 8 It gets on your poise sometimes (7) A veces te ponia nervioso. (17) qualifying16 9 That knocked him out. (8) Se hizo una gracia tremenda. (17) equality 10 I mean he didnt hit the detonator or anything. (8) Vamos, que no se puso como una fiera ni nada. (18) equation Catalan TT (P. ) dacabar ben desinflat (7) par En va deixar de pedra. (8) comparison Sense comentaris. 8) read righteousment O sigui que em van fotre al carrer. Foten la gent al carrer ben sovint, a Pencey. (11) equivalence 63 No aguanto figure (13) modification Sho passaven be, (15) revision pero a mig gas, es clar. (15) equation A vegades et posava nervios. (16) alteration Aixo el va fer petar de riure. (17) equation Vull dir que no va pujar per les parets ni res d aixo. (18) genuine miscelanea a journal of english and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael Omara METAPHOR ST (P. ) 11 So I shot the bull for a while (12) SPANISH TT (P. ) asi que me enrolle un buen rato. 23) pass CATALAN TT (P. ) Aixi que vaig xerrar una estona. (24) variety Es ficaven pel coi de finestra i tot. (24) true(a) Aquesta historia em va deixar ben de pedra. (32) comparison i llegeixo molts llibres de guerra i de misteri i etcetera, pero no mentusiasmen gaire. (33) passing Suare sang (47) compare mho passo de por imitant-les. (49) comparison No aguanto res de res. (49) allowance 12 They were coming in the goddam window. (13) Los habia a patadas. (24) compare 13 That story erect about killed me. (18) Esa historia por poco me deja sin habla. (31) comparability 4 and I read a lot of war books and mysteries and all, but they dont knock me out too much. (18) y leo un monton de libros de guerra y de misterio y todo eso, pero no me vuel ven loco. (31) equating 15 64 Ill be up the brook (28) me la cargo (43) equating 16 I get a bang imitating them. (29) lo paso bomba imitando a (44) comparison 17 I have hardly any wind at all (29) Tengo muy poco fuelle. (44) par 18 I damn near dropped dead. (31) Casi me caigo muerto. (46) Va anar de poc que no caigues a terra mort. (51) Literal Literal I no ho deien nomes per dir. 63) adaptation El feia tornar boig (69) Equivalence LStradlater era un dels seus preferits (71) variety 19 And they werent retributory shooting the crap. (38) Y no lo decian por decir. (54) alteration 20 It drove him sick (41) Le sacaba de quicio (59) Equivalence 21 Old Stradlater was one of his pets (43) Stradlater era uno de sus favoritos (60) accommodation miscelanea a journal of english and American studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye METAPHOR ST (P. ) 22 Id been pass watern the ax (51) SPANISH TT (P. ) e habian e xpulsado (71) alteration CATALAN TT (P. ) mhavien fotut fora (85) Equivalence i jo estava aqui, expulsat una altra vegada. (85) qualifying No hi toca gaire (86) Equivalence Aixo em va deixar clavat. (91) Equivalence Aixo em va matar. (91) Literal Despres vaig comencar a deixar anar la llengua de debo. (92) Equivalence i vaig poder descansar la llengua. De totes , maneres no em sap greu haver-la fet anar una estona. (93) Equivalence despres del que li vaig deixar anar (94) Equivalence Que nera una de ben grossa (95) Equivalence taenia ganes de trucar algu. 97) accommodation Despres vaig pensar de trucar a la female horse de Jane Gallagher (97) 65 23 -and here I was getting the ax again. (52) mientras me estaban expulsando otra vez. (71) read conscionablement 24 She doesnt have all her marbles any more (52) Esta un poco ida (72) Equivalence 25 That killed me. (55) Me dejo sin habla. (76) Equivalence 26 That killed me. (55) Me dejo sin habla. (76) Equivalence 27 Then I really started chucking the old crap near (56) Entonces fue cuando de verdad empece a meter bolas. (77) Equivalence 28 and it gave me a chance to quit shooting it. Im jocund I shot it for a while, though. (57) .. me dio la oportunidad de dejar de largar. Pero me alegre de haber largado un rato. (78) Equivalence 29 after all the crap I shot, (57) despues de todo el rollo que le largue (78) Equivalence 30 Which was really a hot one (58) Esa si que era buena (80) fitting 31 I entangle like gravid somebody a roll. (59) Tenia ganas de llamar a alguien. (81) accommodation 32 Then I thought of giving Jane Gallaghers mother a buzz, (59) Luego pense en llamar a la madre de Jane Gallagher (81) miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OMara METAPHOR ST (P. SPANISH TT (P. ) allowance CATALAN TT (P. ) adjustment no hi hauries de fer el ximple (102) Equivalence Vaig passar-me tota la nit festejant amb una hipocrita prankish (103) Equi valence vaig comencar a jugar amb la idea de trucar a la Jane, (103) qualifying 33 you shouldnt horse around with her at all, (62) no deberias hacer el indio con ella (85) Equivalence 34 I spent the whole night necking with a terrible phony (63) Me pase toda la noche besandome y todo eso con una chica falsisima (85) Modification 35 I started toy with the idea, , of giving old Jane a buzz 63) empece a jugar con la idea de llamar a Jane, (86) Modification 36 Anyway, I went over to the phone and gave her a buzz. (63) Bueno, pues fui al telefono Es igual, vaig agafar el y la llame. (86) telefon i li vaig trucar. (104) Modification Modification , va anar de ben poc que no truco a la fin, (110) Modification Pero no podia arriscar-me a fer-li una trucada, (110) Equivalence no mhauria fet res xerrar una estona amb la Phoebe. (110) Modification LAllie tenia en barco de vela i li agradava jugar-hi (112) Modification Sabia que no el deixaria anar gaire lluny amb ella 130) Modificatio n 66 37 I damn near gave my kid sister Phoebe a buzz, (66) estuve casi a punto de llamar a mi hermana Phoebe. (90) Modification 38 But I couldnt draw back a chance on giving her a buzz, (66) Pero no podia arriesgarme a llamarla (90) Modification 39 I for sure wouldnt have minded shooting the crap (67) Pero no me habria importado pegar la hebra (90) Equivalence 40 Allie had this sailboat he used to like to fool around with (68) Allie tenia un barquito de vela con el que le gustaba jugar (92) Modification 41 I knew she wouldnt let him get to first base with her, 80) Sabia que no le habria dejado llegar hasta el final con ella (105)17 Modification miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye METAPHOR ST (P. ) 42 and a lot of other very silklike stuff that gives me a pain in the ass. (84) SPANISH TT (P. ) y un monton de florituras de esas que me dan cien patadas. (110) Eq uivalence CATALAN TT (P. ) i tota una altra pila de filigranes que em fan venir mal destomac. (137) Equivalence Soc un daquells tios forca gallines. (143) Equivalence no tindria pebrots de fer-ho. 144) Equivalence No es pas gens divertit ser gallina. Potser no soc gallina del tot. No ho se. Em sembla que potser soc nomes una isinglass gallina soc una isinglass gallina El que no shauria de ser es gallina. (145) Equivalence Es ser gallina duna manera molt curiosa pero es ser gallina, i tant. (146) Equivalence Ell va quedar ben torrat (146) Equivalence Tens ganes de sucar aquesta nit? (147) Equivalence no mhavia de mudar ni res per una prostituta (149) Equivalence Quan fa una estona que les petoneges, (150) Modification 43 Im one of these very yellowish guys (88) Soy un tio de lo mas cobarde. 115) Modification 44 I wouldnt have the guts to do it. (89) no habria tenido agallas para hacerlo. (116) Equivalence 45 Its no fun to be yellow. Maybe Im not all yellow. I dont know. I thin k maybe Im just partly yellow Im partly yellow what you should be is not yellow at all. (89) No tiene gracia ser cobarde. Aunque quiza no sea cobarde del todo. No se. Creo que en parte soy cobarde en parte cobarde No se debe ser cobarde en absoluto (117) Modification 67 46 Its a funny kind of yellowness but its yellowness, all right (90) es un tipo de cobardia bastante raro, pero aun asi es cobardia. 117) Modification 47 He got stinking, (90) El acabo curda perdido (118) Equivalence 48 Innarested in a circumstantial tail tnight? (91) ?Te interesa echar un polvo esta noche? (118) Equivalence 49 I know I didnt have to get all dolled up for a disparage or anything (91) no tenia que ponerme de punto en blanco ni nada de eso para una prostituta (119) Equivalence 50 After you neck them for a while, (92) Despues de que te has besado y achuchado y todo eso con ellas, (120) Modification miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OMara METAPHOR ST (P. 51 When Im horsing around with a girl (93) SPANISH TT (P. ) cuando estoy enrollandome con una chica (121) Equivalence CATALAN TT (P. ) quan estic amb una tia (151) Equivalence Vaig pensar de trucar a la Jane, (169) Modification si no ens haguessim petonejat tant i tant. (170) Modification la persona que estic petonejant (170) Modification Em tocava molt loremus (171) Equivalence mhavien tornat a fotre fora. (173) Equivalence faria una trucada a la Jane (186) Equivalence Podia agafar alguna cosa ben cheap i xiular-ho tan facil i be que et podia deixar de pedra. 198) Equivalence Vam fer una mica de comedia al political hack. (200) Equivalence Ets pitjor que un gra al cul (212) Literal 52 I thought of giving old Jabe a buzz, (105) Pense en llamar a Jane (136) Modification 53 if we hadnt necked so damn much. (105) si no nos hubieramos besado y achuchado tanto. (137) Modification 54 whoever Im necking (105) la persona con la que me estoy besando y todo eso (13 7) Modification 68 55 She gave me a pain in the ass (106) Me caia como una patada en el culo (138) Literal 56 I got the ax again (107) me habian expulsado otra vez. (139) Modification 7 Id give old Jane a buzz (116) podia llamar a Jane (149) Modification 58 He could take something very jazzy and whistle it so nice it could kill you. (124) Podia coger una cancion muy de jazz y la silbaba tan bien y tan suavecito que te podias morir. (158) Literal 59 We horsed around a little bit in the cab (125) En el taxi nos besamos y nos achuchamos un poco. (159) Modification 60 You give me a royal pain in the ass (133) me caes peor que una patada en el culo. (169) Literal miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye METAPHOR ST (P. ) 61 Boy, did she hit the ceiling when I said that. (133) SPANISH TT (P. ) Jo, como se puso cuando le dije aquello. (169) Equivalence CATALAN TT (P. ) Hosti, si va tocar el sostre quan vaig dir aixo. (212) Literal Ho vaig anar tallant gradualment. (225). Equivalence els hipocrites hi entren per les finestres. (225) Literal Nomes feia comedia, jo. (229) Equivalence Me nhe danar (235) Modification Era estrictament pitjor que un gra al cul (236) Literal va fotre el camp de la sala (237) Equivalence Nomes feia comedia, es clar. 243) Equivalence i xerraria una estona amb ella. (248) Modification la Phoebe sempre porta algun vestit que et deixa de pedra. (253) Equivalence Els quaderns dels nanos fan pixar de riure. (255) Equivalence Anava torrat (259) 69 62 I gradually cut it out. (141) Deje de ir poco a poco. (179) Modification 63 the phonies are coming in the window. (141) hay tios falsos a patadas. (179) Equivalence 64 I was just horsing around. (144) unaccompanied estaba haciendo el indio. (182) Equivalence 65 I have to tear (148) Tengo que largarme (187) Modification 66 He was strictly a pain in the ass (149)Era igualito que una patada en el culo (187) Literal 67 she foil it out of the room (149) se largo (188) Modification 68 I was barely horsing around (153) solo estaba haciendo el indio (192) Equivalence 69 just sort of take to task the fat with her for a while. (156) pegar la hebra un rato con ella. (196) Equivalence 70 Phoebe constantly has some dress on that can kill you. (160) Phoebe lleva siempre unos vestidos que te dejan sin habla. (200) Equivalence 71 Kids notebooks kill me. (161) Los cuadernos de los crios me dejan sin habla. (202) Equivalence 72 I was stung (163) Estaba curda (204) iscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OMara METAPHOR ST (P. ) SPANISH TT (P. ) Equivalence CATALAN TT (P. ) Equivalence Em va deixar de pedra. (259) Equivalence Volia dir per que mhavien fotut al carrer un altre cop. (264) Equivalence Em feia pixar de riure. (276) Equivalence Nomes fem una mica de comedia a dins de casa. (277) Equivalence Aixo em fa m olta gracia. (277) Equivalence li trucaria, (283) Modification anava una mica alegre. (287) Equivalence et posa nervios (287) Modification anava forca alegre. (296) Equivalence Segurament li trucare 300) Modification pero la Phoebe es moria de riure. (310) 73 She kills me. (164) Me deja sin habla. (204) Equivalence 74 She meant why did I get the ax again. (167) Se referia a que hubieran vuelto a expulsarme. (209) Modification 75 She kills me. (175) Me deja sin habla. (219) Equivalence 76 We just horse around (175) Solo hacemos el indio (219) Equivalence 70 77 That kills me. (175) Me deja sin habla. (220) Equivalence 78 Id give her a buzz (180) la llamaria (225) Modification 79 he was a little oiled up. (182) estaba un poco bebido (227) Modification 80 it gets on your nerves 182) le pone a uno nervioso (228) Modification 81 He was pretty oiled up, (188) estaba bastante curda. (234) Equivalence 82 Im probably gonna give her a buzz (191) Probablemente la llamare (237) Modif ication 83 but it killed old Phoebe. (197) pero a Phoebe le hizo muchisima gracia. (245) miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye METAPHOR ST (P. ) SPANISH TT (P. ) Modification CATALAN TT (P. ) Equivalence aniria fins al tunel Holland i faria dit, fins que em carreguessin 311) Equivalence Com si algu hi acabes de fer un riu. (314) Equivalence algun desgraciat pervertit que es devia haver ficat a lescola de nits per pixar o alguna cosa aixi (315) Modification la vam fer petar una estona. (316) Equivalence Es va girar i va fotre el camp. (319) Equivalence Es mes gallina que un plat de caldo (319) Equivalence un daquells tunels que sempre fan pudor de pixats. (328) Modification 71 84 Id go down to the Holland dig and cheap a ride (198) iria al Tunel Holland, subiria a un coche (246) Modification 85 Like somebodyd just taken a efflux on them. (200) omo si alguien acabara de mear ahi. (248) Modification 86 some perverty freighter thatd sneaked in the school late at night to take a leak or something (201) un pervertido que habia entrado por la noche en el colegio a mear o algo asi (249)18 Modification 87 I shot the breeze for a while. (201) estuvimos de charla un rato. (249) Modification 88 He turned around and flicker it. (204) Se volvio y salio corriendo. (252) Modification 89 Hes got a yella streak a cc wide (204) Es de un cobarde que no vea (252) Modification 90 those little tunnels that eer looking from somebodys pickings a leak. (210) sos tuneles que siempre huelen como si alguien hubiera estado alli meando. (258) Modification miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OMara give-and-take of results The purpose of this investigation was to determine which of the two translations, Spanish or Catalan, retains the greater peak of figurative/metaphorical meaning in their repre sentations of the colloquial idioms/metaphors that Holden Caulfield uses, having said that the use of colloquial metaphors is one of the most unique and defining aspects of the idiolect of Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye.This is not an assessment of how diligently the translators strove or how prospered they were in finding equivalents in the target languages and in no way implies a value judgement as to which translation is more spotless. It is clear that translators work only with the tools that are available in their target languages and cultural contexts. Nevertheless, what this study attempts to provide is data that can help to clarify to what degree the metaphorical nature of ideas expressed using colloquial metaphors in the source text were preserved as such in the Spanish and Catalan translations.Our results seem to suggest that the colloquial metaphors represented in the Catalan translation retain more of the original figurative meaning present in the source te xt. This translation employs on importantly more cause the equivalence method of metaphor translation, used on 53 cause in the Catalan translation and on 41 occasions in the Spanish stochastic variable. These data are significant because when this method is used to translate an idea expressed as a metaphor in the source text, the idea retains its status as a metaphor in the target text, the only difference being in its form, or appearance.Since no two languages are alike, target languages cannot al shipway provide correspondences in both form/structure and meaning. Our final stage is also back up by the fact that the modification method of translation was used on importantly more occasions in the Spanish translation than in the Catalan version it was used 44 times to produce the Spanish translation and 29 times in the production of the Catalan translation.In other words, the colloquial metaphors that Holden uses in the book are found to be explained or paraphrased significantly more in the Spanish translation than in the Catalan version, which represented these metaphors through either equivalence or the literal method. This last method, although to a lesser degree, supports our conclusion as well it was found that the Catalan translation used a lexicalized structure similar in form and meaning on 8 occasions while it was found on 5 in the Spanish version.Put differently, although the difference is dainty (5-8), the Catalan translation uses the same or nearly the same metaphor on more occasions than the Spanish translation. Considered numerically, in the Spanish translation the most frequent method used was that of modification (44), followed by equivalence (41), literal translation (5) and ultimately omission (0) and in the Catalan translation the most frequent method used was equivalence (53), followed by modification (29), literal (8) and finally omission (0) as may be seen in Table 3 miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 7-75 ISSN 1137-6368 72 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Spanish Catalan Equivalence 41 53 Modification 44 29 Literal 5 8 Omission 0 0 TABLE 2 Translation techniques frequency 73 Our results can be compared to similar studies such as Lopez Rua (1997) in The translation of the idiolects in The Catcher in the Rye An speak to through lexicalized structures and Lorenzo, M. et al. , (1999) overleap of meaning interaction between English, Galician and Spanish in Salingers The Catcher in the Rye.Although the focus of neither study is the translation of colloquial idioms/metaphors, both studies discuss loss of meaning upon translation from English to Spanish and from English to Galician, and coincide in the need to maintain form and meaning between source text and target text. Specifically, Lopez Rua found that the most marked law of similarity in both translations is the misuse and misapplication of the technique of modification or p araphrasing most of the inadequacies detected in the Spanish and Galician versions are related to the translations by paraphrase and by omission.In my view, they are due to the fact that the translators have failed to recognize the defining features of the characters idiolect (for example, the systematic use of some lexicalized structures). Apparently, they are not aware of the fact that the writer is on purpose mending to trite and monotonous vocabulary in order to define the characters and their speech habits. both translations (but particularly the Spanish one) seem abruptly unable to render the characters idiolects accurately.Instead of trying to play those idiolects whenever possible (of course, adapting them to the peculiarities of the TL), in most cases the translators resort to the systematic omission of recurrent structures, and some other times they translate those recurrent structures in many different ways miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (200 7) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Michael OMara without taking into account the context, the style, and the character who uses them. As a result, the translation becomes expressionless. 19 The results of Lorenzo et. al. 1999), can be applied as well to our study, especially in terms of the importance of a strict adherence to the identity principle20, from which the Spanish and Gallician versions could have benefited the majority of the possible errors just studied could have been avoided if the translators had taken into consideration the identity principle In fact, the identity principle, since it is based on the parallelism between form and meaning in the ST and the TT, would have proved a more accurate mechanism when dealing with the process of translation from a given L1 to L2 and L3. 21 Notes 1 escort Costello (1959173). 74 2 . go to Lorenzo, M. , et al. (1999 324). 8 . Some of these word combinations have been the object of other studies. For example, see Lopez Rua (1997). 9 . pr ove the Oxford English dictionarys entry for idiom http//dictionary. oed. com/cgi/entry/50111256? case-by-case=1&query_ type=word&queryword=idiom&first=1&max_ to_show=10. 4 . explanation provided by Websters New encyclopedic Dictionary (1994 374). 5 Definition provided by Websters New Encyclopedic Dictionary (1994 630). 3 . See Newmark (1988 104). . Ibid. (1988104). . See Lorenzo, M. , et. al. (1999 .See Lopez Rua (1997 147). . Ibid. (1997 148). . Baker, M. (199274) in Lopez Rua 10 11 324). 12 13 14 The term colloquial metaphor has been used before, especially in online sources Answers. com, etc. It was found to be used in some non-linguistic academic contexts (legal) such as Why originalism wont die Common mistakes in competing theories of judicial interpretation, Duke daybook of thorough Law and reality Policy, Online Edition, 2007. Duke J. Con. Law & Pub. Poly 230, page 238. 7 . In books that have been print on the subject the term informal idioms seems preferable Ball, W .J. 1972. A Practical bespeak to Colloquial Idiom, Wood, F. T. 1976. English Colloquial Idioms, etc. 6 (1997 148). 15 . Definition provided by Websters New Encyclopedic Dictionary (1994 752). 16 . While it is true that both translations of It gets on your nerves sometimes retain figurative/metaphorical meaning, they can be bankrupt understood as collocations ponerse (Spanish) and posarse (Catalan) collocate with nervioso (Spanish) and nervios (Catalan) and their received use in both standard Spanish and Catalan is fairly widespread.Here they serve to clarify the original metaphor which in English is generally considered more informal. miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368 Translating colloquial idioms/metaphors in The Catcher in the Rye 17 . The translation of the colloquial metaphor to get to first base with someone here is somewhat faulty. The Catalan translation is closer in meaning to the ST, where the metaphor is used in rel ation to romantic intimacy first base refers to initial contacts such as hugging a homerun generally refers to sexual intercourse. 8 . The absence of a translation for the word bum in the Spanish translation may be considered somewhat inaccurate although the word bum does not form a part of the metaphor itself, it does contribute to the atmosphere in which the metaphor is presented. In this case, the perverty bum was left just as un pervertido in the Spanish translation, omitting the vital bit of information that the person is a bum i. e. a homeless and/or vile person. The Catalan version translates it as a desgraciat or unfortunate, unlucky, or even undeserving person.One might suggest that a perverty bum is more in keeping with the idiolect of Holden than just a pervert. 19 . See Lopez Rua (1997 149). . See Lorenzo, M. et al. (1999 5). . Ibid. (1999329). 20 21 Works cited American Library Association. http//www. ala. org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/ blow mostfrequently. ht m BAKER, M. 1992. In Other Words A Coursebook on Translation. London Routledge. BALL, W. J. 1972. Practical run for to colloquial idiom. London Longman. COSTELLO, D. P. 1959. The language of The Catcher in the Rye, AmericanSpeech, Vol. 34, no. 3, October172-81. LOPEZ RUA, P. 1997. The translation of the idiolects in The Catcher in the Rye An approach through lexicalized structures. Miscelanea A Journal of English and American Studies, 18 139-158. LORENZO, M. , et. al. 1999. privation of meaning interaction between English, Galician and Spanish in Salingers The Catcher in the Rye. Estudios de linguistica contrastiva. Universidade de Santiago de Compostela 323-330. MERRIAM-WEBSTER Inc. 1994. Websters New Encyclopedic Dictionary.New York Black Dog & Leventhal. Received 11 June 2007 Revised version 17 January 2008 NEWMARK, P. 1988. A textbook of translation. London Prentice residence International. OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY http//dictionary. oed. com/cgi/entry/50034626? adept=1&quer y_ type=word&queryword= katharsis&first=1&max _to_show=10 SALINGER, J. D. 1951. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston, MA Little, brownness and Company. . 1990. El vigilant en el camp de segol. Trans. E. Riera & J. Fonalleras. Barcelona Editorial Empuries. . 2006. El guardian entre el centeno.Trans. C. Criado. Madrid Alianza Editorial. SMITH, T. 2007. Why originalism wont die Common mistakes in competing theories of judicial interpretation. Duke Journal of Constitutional Law and Public Policy. Online edition, 159 230-238. VERMEER, H. 2004. Skopos and comission in translational action. In Venuti, L. (ed. ) The translation studies reader. London Routledge. WOOD, F. T. 1976. English colloquial idioms. London Macmillan. 75 miscelanea a journal of english and american studies 35 (2007) pp. 57-75 ISSN 1137-6368