Decisions Made in Translating Chinese Author Mo Yan's 'Hori da umorea, maisu!'
Maialen Marin-Lacarta, Aiora Jaka

Abstract

In this article, the two Basque translators of Hori da umorea, maisu! by Mo Yan offer their reflections on their translation. First, they discuss the external characteristics of the translations, given that it raises various new issues with respect to the literary works translated to date from Chinese into Basque. Next, the way in which the work of Mo Yan has been translated in other literary systems (Spanish, English, French) is analyzed, and we explore the adaptations and modifications made in some cases (particularly in English). Finally, selected passages of Hori da umorea, maisu! are compared, using the Chinese original and their English and French versions, in order to show how the translators of the Basque version tried to avoid adaptations and modifications and stick to the original Chinese text as much as possible.