This contribution comments on the translation of Uljana Wolf's essay "Sichtbarmachen ist eine Form des Übersetzens. Zu M. NourbeSe Philips 'Zong!'" (2017), featured in this volume of Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics, and New Media Theories. Here, the German poet reflects on her own translation effort of Marlene NourbeSe Philips' poem "Zong!" (2008), a seminal literary work in English recounting the harrowing tale of the Zong massacre in 1781. Wolf reflects on the challenges it poses to translation, given its peculiar typographical form and its sedimentation of memory, languages, and intertextual references. After providing an overview of the context and form of "Zong!", the commentary presents a traductological perspective on the first Italian translation of Wolf's essay, which is also included in the Odradek volumecan be defined as "untranslatable". Additionally, the commentary delves into the case of the Italian translation of "Zong!" (2021), mentioning the dispute between Philip and the Italian publishing house Benway Series. The commentary outlines the key points of contention, as gleaned from available online sources and interviews with the involved parties. Through this contextualization, the commentary seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the broader implications surrounding Wolf's essay and its resonance within the realm of translation studies.
Di dis-traduzioni e spazi bianchi. Commento a Sichtbarmachen ist eine Form des Übersetzens
Beatrice Occhini
2023-01-01
Abstract
This contribution comments on the translation of Uljana Wolf's essay "Sichtbarmachen ist eine Form des Übersetzens. Zu M. NourbeSe Philips 'Zong!'" (2017), featured in this volume of Odradek. Studies in Philosophy of Literature, Aesthetics, and New Media Theories. Here, the German poet reflects on her own translation effort of Marlene NourbeSe Philips' poem "Zong!" (2008), a seminal literary work in English recounting the harrowing tale of the Zong massacre in 1781. Wolf reflects on the challenges it poses to translation, given its peculiar typographical form and its sedimentation of memory, languages, and intertextual references. After providing an overview of the context and form of "Zong!", the commentary presents a traductological perspective on the first Italian translation of Wolf's essay, which is also included in the Odradek volumecan be defined as "untranslatable". Additionally, the commentary delves into the case of the Italian translation of "Zong!" (2021), mentioning the dispute between Philip and the Italian publishing house Benway Series. The commentary outlines the key points of contention, as gleaned from available online sources and interviews with the involved parties. Through this contextualization, the commentary seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the broader implications surrounding Wolf's essay and its resonance within the realm of translation studies.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
