Lessons in Translation: the English to Tiv Example

Vol. 6(5), pp. 71-75, June, 2014 DOI: 10.5897/AJHC12.027 Article Number: 3C0BA0644925 African Journal of History and Culture ISSN 2141-6672 Copyright © 2014 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article articlehttp://www.academicjournals.org/AJHC

Review

Lessons in translation: The English to Tiv example

Ikyer, Godwin Aondofa

Department of English, Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, Nigeria.

Received 9 November, 2013; Accepted 14 May, 2013

This paper examines the art of translation, the necessity of translation, the odd ends of translation, and how mistranslation can cause drastic changes in perceptions and policies and also alter a course of life and culture of a people. The paper supports its presentation with a historical analytical survey of misguided translation of English to Tiv lexicon and sentences, and how it affected an appreciation of the Tiv people and their psychology. It records how Christian religion of the colonial days in Tiv land was literally routed due to the “Traduttoru Traditore” misinformation given to its converts by her own translators. Finally, the paper provides a guide towards effective translation.

Key words: Translation, culture, Traduttoru Traditore, Tiv.

INTRODUCTION

The Latin expression “Traduttoru Traditore” as quoted in of varying linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It is in Adeiyongu (2001) means “translators are traitors”. This knowledge of this that the British colonial overlords expression provides the usually striking signpost for the trained (basically a half-baked training for targeted goals) discussion of infective translation and the effect it and employed the services of interpreters and informants generates on a people and policies and implementation to guide them in the administration of the colonized generally. states. In fact, interpreters or translators were core to the Translation means to transform or change a speech or transformation of speeches or written materials, and the written material to another language. Adeiyongo (2001) dissemination of decisions and policies of the defines translation as the “art of re-writing or representing administration to the colonized people of Africa. material rendered in one language or dialect into another The translators themselves saw their rise to importance with the aim of retaining its original meaning as much as and felt risen from their underprivileged position. In possible”. The translated material can either be spoken or compulsion, or admittance of this, the colonized people written. saw translators as advantaged people of a higher class Ajulo (1995), on the other hand, defines translation in structure, walking shoulder to shoulder with the colonial relation to what he called “source language (SL)” and leaders. “target language (TL)”. Translation according to him is;

“The transfer of material from a source language (SL) THE TIV PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE together with its subsuming culture into another target language (TL) and its culture (p.7)” The word Tiv refers to a triad reference point. First, it refers to an ethnic group occupying the savannah belt of Translators are necessary for effective interpersonal River Benue in North central Nigeria; secondly, the word inter-language, or mass communication between people connotes a language and culture of this ethnic group, and

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thirdly, it refers to the geographical area occupied by the harmony). And the reason was that translators had not ethnic group. found or cared to use or locate “the same semantic The Tiv people have as main home, the present Benue frame” or the same social and psychological connotations State of North-Central Nigeria, where they predominantly necessary to get their recipients understand these move- exist in fourteen of the twenty-three local government ments’ efforts in the development process of society. areas. There is however, a large population of Tiv people One could not wholly blame the British colonial inhabiting as their ancestral home states like Taraba, administrators but the translators in the abolition of Nasarawa, and Plateau, some northern parts of Cross- “Yamshe” (exchange marriage). It was as much one River and in the North-Western province of Cameroon. trammel of traitorous act by the translators that limited the The Tiv of Benue State is surrounded by several ethnic conception of their masters in taking the decision. It was groups like the Arago of Nasarawa State to the North, the widely believed that the translators told their overlords Jukun, Kuteb and Chamba of Taraba State to the North- that “Yamshe” means “purchase marriage”, and not East, the Igede (of Southern Benue), Iyala Gakem and barter type of exchange of female wards or relations in Obudu of Cross-River state to the South-East and the marriage that it actually was, and traces could still be Idoma to the South. There exists a short length boundary found in Tivland and even in some parts of Nigeria. Thus, between the Tiv people and the Republic of Cameroon in the furious administrators wondered how on earth a the South-East, particularly in Kwande Local Government people could undermine human rights by subjecting their Area. females to a “purchase” marriage, immediately abolished The Tiv language is spoken by millions of members of the marriage system. Meanwhile, the people had no the ethnic group and by a few thousands of non-native serious squabbles with the marriage system. speakers. Early attempts to develop the Tiv language And this boils down to the issue of translating materials were made by European scholars like Rev. W.A purely on an intuitive perspective or denotative level. Malherbe, R.C Abraham and Rupert East but Such a rendering of transferred meaning is both inade- superficiality and inconsistency marred such attempts at quate and telling on the incompetence of the translator. developing the language linguistically. The scholars The consequences are both limitless and timeless. For employed translators who were not well trained for the art instance, “Ibiamegh” was proscribed and it also went (Adeiyongo: 1991; East, 1969). away with drumming and music making, ensuring the Among the Tiv, one such translator’s name became an loss of some musical instruments and songs associated epitome of excellence, a metaphor for western education with it. The proscription of “Yamshe” equally dealt a and even synocdochical to standardized English. One dangerous blow on the Tiv nation in varying ways and often hears Tiv speakers say: “or ne fa yoo agera ka degrees. The accompanying music and dance which kwagh u nuben ga” (This man knows Standard English to ensured excitement, peaceful harmony and unity was a serious level). Or of a student telling his mate “or ne, punctured, and the atmosphere subdued. me za hen yoo agera man me hide” (My man, I will go for Scholars, including European anthropologist have studies before returning). Yoo Agera was a scribe and emphasized the integral nature and importance of music translator to a district officer under Tiv Native Authority. to Tiv life and culture. The Ibiamegh rites, according to Igoil (1987), were accompanied with dramatic performances and music making. So was Yamshe. While TRANSLATORS AND THE PROBLEMS OF abolishing the Ibiamegh, the colonial overlords also dealt TRANSLATION a “blow” on drumming and music making. This is because a special “music and dance style” was exclusively meant The art of translation poses problems to many tran- for the “initiates of Akombo a biam.” Also, special or re- slators. In films, books, radio, speeches and other media twisted songs were lost. of communication, evidences abound of translators being The problems of translators are varied. An under- traitors to their people, misinforming their people standing of these problems would place us in a position ignorantly or even consciously, or trying to appease their of appreciation and objective assessment of their employers by not rendering the exact words or meanings. renderings. And at the same time it helps us to avoid The sasswood ordeal or last measure tests-an those pitfalls which make translators liars. equivalent of an Appeal Court session- which serious The piece or linguistic property to be translated may offenders were to undergo so as to dictate guilt, contain certain linguistic, aesthetic, technical, cultural, administer justice and punish offenders in Tiv was political, ethnic or such other complex elements which abolished because of Traduttoru Traditore. But had the may render effective translation almost impossible. policy maker been better informed, and had cared to Robert (1971) Quoted in Adeiyongo (2001) believes in examine Tiv literature, and psychology they would have the near-impossibility of effective translation: found a proverb “Kor ngu ken ato” (guilt is in the hearing). Similar proscription was slammed on “Hoyo” (an anti- …There is no exact equivalent in one language for even witchcraft movement), “Ibem” (organized group hunting) the most concrete words of another. The word “bread”, “Yamshe” (exchange marriage) and “Ibiamegh” (rites of for instance, cannot be translated into another language. Ikyer 73

It has not the same weight, the same age, the same The missionaries however soon found their fault as they semantic frame, the same degree of expressiveness; it sooner integrated Tiv music into church activities. indicates the same object but without the same social Rubingh (1969) attests to the missionaries’ withdrawal of and psychological connotations (p.250). decision and subsequent achievement:

An anthropologist and British colonial administrator By her greater willingness today to use indigenous forms working on Tiv people and culture, Rupert East, admits of Music and liturgy, the Tiv church better interprets her the difficulty in the art of translation. He narrates his purpose to the Tiv yet outside… (P.9). experience in translating a Tiv text Akiga’s Story (1939): This later incorporation of Tiv music into the church did Linguistically, we lack points of contact for expressing not however help to regurgitate some of the lost musical even the most familiar objects let alone more intimate or instruments like “ibua” flute or the songs. abstract ideas. Words…not only represent different The Christian churches also have had a more than fair concepts in themselves but the associations which form share of denotative, intuitive or literal interpretation and their setting, especially these mystical associations are translation of materials in Tiv. Andrejezwski and Ernest many poles apart (P.10). (1975) have warned against literal translation:

…Instead of giving an insight into the original, distorts it ABOLITION AND DISTORTION OF LIFE AND by violating the rules of the target language to give a CULTURE bizarre and aesthetically offensive impression that some readers may be misled into attributing to some defect in Probably confronted with these problems and or perhaps the source language (P.55). serving as an excuse source to determined repressive decision making, the British overlord abolished certain established social and religious institutions in Tivland. PARADIGMS OF THE DESTRUCTIVE NATURE OF Thus the socio-cultural, economic and religious life of the TRANSLATION Tiv people was distorted and disrupted due to ineffective translation. The Christian translators wore their traitorous garments in Celebrating marriage, extolling the marriage institution, spite of the above warning, during translations of English and advising the bridegroom in a dance and song to Tiv preaching. Their “art” is regularly related and session were much elaborate social performances of mocked at during verbal discussions across the length “Yamshe” marriage. Also, the revolutionary songs of and breath of Tivland and the researcher found out in the “Hoyo” movement which spurred the youths to be empirical data sourced using the instrument of interview fearless in their pursuit, and the ibem and its fanfare all with Elder Kasha Doki, Tica Apir, Danboki Nongur, Pila went with their abolition thus wiping away vital dramatic Baki, Tarkighir Atulo, Naazenga Abochi and Uzan Agera aspects of the social and cultural life of the people. The Yough, respected community leaders and elders. The Tiv were far from being impressed, and this, according to basic objective is to show errors and chart a way forward. Ahire (1993) “triggered violence in 1929, 1939, 1945 and When the preacher said in English “we mean business” 1948.” the translator’s transmission was “se soo kpenga” The abolition of these cultural and dramatic aspects (meaning we want to engage in business activities). “se” was subtly traced to the unrelenting pressure mounted by literally means “we”, “soo” means “like” and “kpenga” the Christian missionaries on the colonial administration. means “business”. The translation here is direct and They misinterpreted Tiv cultural and religious nuances literal rather than being connotative. and attempted to garner an already prostrate support for Another such literal translation occurred when the the final onslaught. preacher said “Jesus is coming around”. But the Igoil’s (1987) anger lies on the crippling of Tiv vibrant translator in his intuitive perception (provided he was music and dance. He insists: sincere) rendered it differently: “Yeesu ngu van gbilititi”. The Christian missionaries have been in the forefront in Speakers of Tiv will laugh at this misinterpretation of the causing change on the Tiv music and dance. Initially, the adverb “round” (uzenden van hen ijiir) for the preposition missionaries aimed their attacks on the belief system of “around” (gbilititi). the people and it was by extension that the music and Another obstacle which translators face is the mis- dance was affected. placement of phonic sounds as can be observed in the following examples: “I am a Revered Father…” and the In their attempts to keep hold of converts, the mis- translator interpreted “mngu Fada u sha pue-kar-mom” sionaries insisted that Tiv music and dance was capable meaning (I am the eleventh father). In this case, of “conjuring up witch elements”, as one elder put it, and “Reverend” is confused for “eleventh” because of their the dance often “accompanied with drinking” (Igoil, 1987). similar sound in Tiv. In another example, an instruction 74 Afr. J. Hist. Cult.

was given by the preacher to converts in efforts to “call them back” was “ikor mba ken ajime mbela” ensuring punctuality: “Every individual should be punc- meaning in English “those behind should be caught”. tual” said the preacher, and the translator traitorously “ikor.” “Caught” is close in sound to “call”. conveyed, “Hanma or yo nan a ndivir ijua shi nan a pan Now nobody needed to be told that the preacher tswar” meaning rather differently in English (Every temporarily lost his hard-earned converts except the individual should twist his penis and expose his anus). translator. As the last batch of converts was trooping out The dicey pun is on the close sound systems in the word in the last row, it belatedly dawned on the preacher that “individual” which is close in sound to “bending” or his trusted translator had betrayed him, and he managed “twisting” (ndivir) in Tiv and “punctual” which sound the few words he knew in Tiv “mkaa nahala ga” meaning similar to “pan tswar” (expose the anus). Unskilled in English “I haven’t said it like that”. But he was speaking translators! not to his congregation except his translator. What bad Three other instances of phonic misapplication occurred translation can do! in the following lines: “I have been to Lagos”. The translator’s intuitive rendering was “mngu a alev shin Lagos” (meaning in English “I have beans in Lagos”). The AVOIDING THE PITFALLS OF MISTRANSLATION confusion here lies in the lack of clear demarcation of the sound system or the unclear comprehension of the The roadmap to effective translation is proffered by speaker by the translator. And when the speaker scholars like Andrezjewski (1975), Clara (1971) and continues “I have been to many places”, the confusion is Adeiyongo (2001). continued as the translator relates: “mngu a alev ajiir wue The misapplication of sound similar to the one given wue” (meaning in English “I have beans in many places”). should be avoided. If translators know that assonance In yet another confused translation, the preacher began (similarity in vowel sound) does not imply similarity in feeling rather universal in concept “Every human meaning, the misapplication of sound to the one given being…”, the bizarre translation is “hanma or nan huma could be avoided. Should the translator study the sounds ambi” (meaning in English “Every body should fart”) of the target language, misplacement of phonic sounds “huma ambi” (fart) is close in sound to the English words will not arise. “human beings”. Wonderful things translators can do! The translator should attempt to avoid literal translation since literal translation is a basically intuitive perception which leads to misinterpretations; the translator should THE CRESCENDO OF MISTRANSLATION AND THE attempt to avoid that and strive for (in fair terms) EFFECTS connotative interpretation and the associations attached to objects, concepts and ideas. On that dramatic day when the preacher cautioned new The translator should learn the rules and sounds of the converts that “Every individual should be punctual” and target language and be conversant with the technical, the translator offensively replied in Tiv “Every body should aesthetic, ethnic, religious, political and socio-cultural twist his penis and expose his anus”, the congregation aspects of the target language. Should the translator lack was baffled and daunted even the women who possess adequate knowledge and psychology of the target no phallic organ. Many began to disperse. Feeling he language, he should use idiomatic translation where only needed to calm down members of his congregation, according to Adeiyongo (2001)”the primary objective is which is expected during emotionally soaked preaching, for the message to remain the same instead of the preacher said “Lend me your ears”. The translator’s preserving the form.” This kind of translation reverses the intuitive sense directed him thus: “gbam nen injo i ato inter- linear or word for word translation where words in ene” (meaning in English “give me credit of your ears”). the two languages are written on alternating lines; Not taking things for granted (a white man was never meaning is at the core of this kind of translation. known to ask for credit! Certainly not of one’s ears, they Basically, Nida (1969) and Ajulo (1995) postulate that may be cut off) the congregation continued their translation should undergo triad stages: the proper uproarious dispersal. No “native” could take the whiteman analysis of a source text, the transfer of the analysed for granted. text, and restructuring of transferred text material for Surprised, the preacher demanded “why are they effective translation. running?” And the translator translated to the few around; The long stretches of examples aim to show such “or u nan yevese gay o…! (Meaning in English “the areas of pitfall in the art of translation and how we could person who does not run…!)”. More moved the converts overcome them. As such, this paper is not to discourage increased their pace, and the perplexed preacher the art of translation or denounce translation in so far as thundered: “call them back”. He too was certainly they are competent and sincere, but also very much to surprised at the translation this belated time around, or show the varying degrees of conflicting diversities, obsta- perhaps was dazed to see his sweat-earned converts cles and the countering strategies for prevention. This is trooping out of the church in numbers. The translation of because, problems of translation according to Ajulo Ikyer 75

(1995) range from “degrees of difficulty to total Andrejezwski BW, Enerst J (1975). “Reflections on African Oral impossibility”. Literature” African Languages 1(2). Chute, B.J (1971) “The Necessity of Translation” in World of Translation. p.73. East R (1969). Cited in Adeiyongo p.257. CONCLUSION Igoil I (1987) “Continuity and Change in Tiv Music and Drama” Nigeria Magazine. Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. pp.54-55. Malraue C (1971). “Translation and Complicity” in PEN American Translators should not however be daunted. They should Centre. The World of Translation. New York: Congrat-Butler p.197. strive for the connotative meaning, the semantic frame, Nida AE (1969). Language structure and Translation (ed.) Anwar S. Dil. the rules of both the source language and the target Stanford: Stanford University Press pp.71-78. language, the proper association of words, concepts, Rubingh E (1969). Sons of Tiv : a study of the rise of the church among the Tiv of central Nigeria. Grand Rapids. Michigan: Baker Book intimate or abstract objects and images, psychology and House Company p.258. http://www.worldcat.org/title/sons-of-tiv-a- socio-cultural frame of both languages. study-of-the-rise-of-the-church-among-the-tiv-of-central- Striving at success should be the watch word for nigeria/oclc/1631185 translation is necessary in linguistic, political, economic,

religious, administrative, judicial, social and cross-cultural INTERVIEWS communication. Chute (1971) believes that “Without Interview with Kasha Doki in his compound at Anihundu, Mbatiav, translation, our world would narrow mercilessly.” But one th needs to face the critical challenges in the art of Gboko L.G.A, Benue State on Friday 20 May, 1994. Tica Apir at Orbunde Gemadzwa’s house, mbaakesekaa, Gboko L.G.A translation, have an adequate knowledge of the two Benue State. Saturday 17th, January, 2009. languages and employ intelligent skills to achieve an Danboki Nongur in Danboki Nongul Compound Gboko L.G.A, Benue effective translation and then help disprove the Latin State on Sunday 16th January, 2007. aphorism “Traduttoru Traditore”. Pila Baki in his compound at Iwarev, konshisha L.G.A, Benue State. Wednesday may 12, 2009. Chief Tarkighir Atulo in his compound on Sunday April 5, 2009. Naazenga Abochi in his compound at Mbayem on February 1st, 2008. REFERENCES Uzan Agera Yough in his compound at Tyowanye, Buruku L.G.A of Benue State on Saturday 12th December, 2009. Adeiyongo A (1991). Aspects of Tiv oral poetry. J. Black Stud. Adeiyongo J (2001). “Towards and Effective Translation” Studies is 22(1):123-134. Language and Literature: Jos, Mazlink Nigeria Ltd. 249. http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2784500?uid=2&uid=4&sid=21 103757672671 Ahire PT (1993). “Socio-Political challenges facing the Tiv in Nigeria” The Tiv in Contemporary Nigeria. p.2. Ajulo EB (1995) “Meaning (Dis) Equivalence in Translation: Exemplifying with Two Literary texts-Soyinka’s A forest of a thousand Demons and Fagunwa’s Ogboju Ode Ninu Ibgo Irunmole”. A paper presented at a workshop in Jos. p.7.