Università degli Studi di Padova Dipartimento di Studi Linguistici e Letterari Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Lingue Moderne per la Comunicazione e la Cooperazione Internazionale Classe LM-38 Tesi di Laurea Translating non-standard language: Andrea Camilleri in English Relatrice Laureanda Prof.ssa Fiona Clare Dalziel Martina Villa Correlatore n° matr.1210836 / LMLCC Prof. Davide Bertocci Anno Accademico 2020 / 2021 2 Abstract With the flowering of literary works written in a non-standard variety, especially in dialect, translation studies have tried to partially delineate theories, methods, and models to apply when translating this kind of works. Despite this, translating a literary work written in dialect always represents a challenge for a translator. This difficulty is due to the main characteristics of dialect: it is spoken in a very restricted area and it depicts a specific cultural world. This causes certain words, expressions, and complex play of words to be untranslatable in other languages. An example is represented by the language of Andrea Camilleri’s novels. In fact, by examining some linguistic features and expressions taken from the English translation of three of Camilleri’s detective novels, this thesis offers an analysis of the linguistic choices made by the American translator Stephen Sartarelli, with a particular attention on Sicilian culture. The thesis also investigates the concept of non-standard language, especially regarding the Italian scenario, and tries to define its main characteristics and its use in literature. Accordingly, after a brief outline of dialect translation studies theory, a few models concerning non- standard translation of literary works are analysed. 3 4 Table of contents INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 1: LINGUISTIC VARIATION ................................................................................ 11 1.1. STANDARD AND NON-STANDARD VARIETIES OF LANGUAGE .................. 11 1.2. NON-STANDARD VARIETIES AND DIMENSIONS OF VARIATION ............... 15 1.2.1. DEFINITION OF A VARIETY CALLED “DIALECT” ......................................... 16 1.2.2. GEOGRAPHICAL DIALECT .................................................................................. 17 1.2.3. SOCIOLECT ............................................................................................................. 19 1.2.4. IDIOLECTS .............................................................................................................. 21 1.2.5. ETHNOLECTS ......................................................................................................... 22 1.2.6. ACCENT ................................................................................................................... 23 1.2.7. REGISTER AND STYLE ......................................................................................... 23 1.2.8 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 26 1.3. ITALIAN STANDARD LANGUAGE AND DIALECTS ............................................. 27 1.3.1 CLASSIFICATION OF DIALECTS OF ITALY ...................................................... 35 1.3.2. DIALECTS OF ITALY IN LITERATURE .............................................................. 37 CHAPTER 2: TRANSLATING NON-STANDARD LANGUAGE .......................................... 45 2.1. THE PLACE OF DIALECT STUDY IN TRANSLATION ............................................ 45 2.2. FUNCTIONS OF DIALECT IN A LITERARY WORK ................................................ 52 2.3. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF DIALECT ................................................................. 57 2.4 STRATEGIES ADOPTED IN DIALECT TRANSLATION ........................................... 58 CHAPTER 3: CAMILLERI’S LANGUAGE IN THE MONTALBANO NOVELS ................. 67 3.1. ANDREA CAMILLERI: INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR.................................. 67 3.2. A LINGUISTIC MISHMASH ......................................................................................... 68 3.3. SICILIAN DIALECT IN CAMILLERI ........................................................................... 75 CHAPTER 4: CAMILLERI IN TRANSLATION ...................................................................... 83 4.1. CAMILLERI’S DETECTIVE NOVELS IN ENGLISH .................................................. 83 4.1.1. SARTARELLI’S APPROACH ................................................................................. 84 4.1.2. THE NARRATIVE VOICE AND FREE INDIRECT SPEECH .............................. 85 4.1.3. INSPECTOR MONTALBANO AND OTHER MAIN CHARACTERS ................. 88 4.1.4. CATARELLA’S IDIOLECT .................................................................................... 92 4.1.5. EYE-DIALECT IN TRANSLATION: ADELINA ................................................... 97 4.1.6. BORROWINGS FROM THE SOURCE TEXT ....................................................... 99 4.1.7. CULTURE-SPECIFIC ITEMS: FOOD .................................................................. 102 4.1.8. ITALIAN AND SICILIAN CULTURE SPECIFIC ITEMS ................................... 105 4.1.9. IDIOMS AND VULGAR EXPRESSIONS ............................................................ 108 5 4.1.10. METALANGUAGE ............................................................................................. 112 4.1.11. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................... 113 4.2. CAMILLERI’S TRANSLATIONS IN OTHER LANGUAGES ................................... 114 4.2.1. CAMILLERI IN FRENCH ..................................................................................... 115 4.2.2. CAMILLERI IN GERMAN .................................................................................... 116 4.2.3. CAMILLERI IN SPAIN: THE SPANISH AND CATALAN TRANSLATIONS . 117 4.2.4. A SCANDINAVIAN MONTALBANO: DANISH AND NORWEGIAN TRANSLATIONS ............................................................................................................. 120 4.2.5. AN EXOTIC CAMILLERI ..................................................................................... 121 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................... 123 References ................................................................................................................................ 127 Summary in Italian ................................................................................................................. 137 6 INTRODUCTION Translating non-standard language in literature represents one of the most demanding tasks for a translator, who must find a compromise between the source text and the target text. The translator must take into account not only the unique linguistic characteristics of a non-standard variety, but also the extralinguistic and sociocultural aspects that that variety encompasses. This is why finding the right strategies and solutions requires much ability and a great effort on the translator’s part. Hence, the aim of the present study, which intertwines aspects of sociolinguistics, theory of translation and translation, is to establish whether and to what extent features of a non-standard variety, such as dialect, can be rendered in translation and which strategies can be applied when translating. In this regard, the English translation of three of Andrea Camilleri’s detective novels by Stephen Sartarelli will be illustrated. Extracts from the novels La forma dell’acqua, L’odore della notte and La luna di carta will be presented in order to reveal the linguistic choices made by the translator and the translation strategies he adopts in the target text, with a particular focus on Sicilian culture. The thesis is made up of five chapters, whose main focus will be outlined in the following paragraphs. In Chapter 1, the nature of standard and non-standard language is investigated, and their main characteristics illustrated. Several definitions and studies of linguists and sociolinguists on the topic have been proposed and the various levels of variations introduced and analysed. Accordingly, concepts such as dialect, which includes geographical varieties, sociolects, idiolects, ethnolects and so on, are described in depth. Likewise, the concepts of accent, style and register are illustrated, and related examples are provided. The second part of the chapter narrows the broad topic of non-standard varieties focusing on the Italian scenario and on the particular nature of dialects in Italy. At the same time, a historical outline of Italian standard language and Italian dialects is provided. Moreover, the classification of Italian dialects by Giovan Battista Pellegrini has been reported. The remaining part of Chapter 1 proceeds with a digression on vernacular literature in Italy and with the concept of letteratura dialettale riflessa. Chapter 2 investigates the place of dialect study in the translation theory. A number of translation theorists, such as Catford, Newmark, House have considered the topic of dialect translation and have tried to propose solutions and strategies that can be adopted by translators. Some of them consider the possibility of translating a dialect of the SL with a dialect of the TL; others oppose the use of dialect in the target text. Several 7 of them have suggested that the