Translatability of Postmodern Features: A Study of Donald Barthelme’s Short Stories in Persian Translation
حوزههای تخصصی:
Postmodern literature possesses distinct characteristics that are evident in both its content and form. This research first attempts to identify the postmodern features in a corpus of English postmodern literature and examines their possible translatability across linguistic and cultural barriers. To this end, a corpus of ten English postmodern short stories by Donald Barthelme along with their corresponding translations into Persian was developed. Drawing on the integrative model of analysis developed for this study, the postmodern features in English stories were identified and their corresponding translations were analyzed at various levels. The results of the study indicate a high degree of translatability for postmodern features, as they experienced minimal transformation during the translation process. In fact, the translated stories remained remarkably postmodern, with the preservation of these features to a significant extent. However, it is important to exercise caution when interpreting this high degree of translatability. While translators may consciously strive to maintain these features, it is also possible that postmodern elements, which are predominantly manifested beyond sentence-level structures, may go unnoticed or remain untouched by translators. Additionally, the preservation of postmodern features in translation could be a result of translators' reluctance to intrude upon the creative process.
