Ein Text für jedes Feld? – Die manipulierte Übersetzung von Mizumura Minaes Shishōsetsu from left to right ins Englische

Abstract

In her novel Shishōsetsu from left to right, Mizumura Minae writes about the experiences of growing up as a Japanese immigrant in the United States. The form of the bilingual narrative is innovative, but as far as the content is concerned, a simple scheme can be recog­nized, according to which the United States is largely represented negatively. Japan on the other hand appears in a positive light. In the English translation, however, pas­sages that can be interpreted as chauvinistic have been diminished or deleted. From the standpoint of translation ethics, the present translation is controversial not only because the agenda of the book has been changed, but also because the translation adapts the original to the expectations of the American public. By juxtaposing the English translation with the original and my own German translation, the lack of equivalence between the Japanese original and the English translation will become apparent. Finally, the modus operandi of translation shall be critically discussed.