Examining the barriers hindering the effective translation of folktales

Abstract

The role of translation studies as a discipline in global interaction and mutual co-operation cannot be over emphasized. Translation is vital because it cuts across every facet of human lives. Translation brings home to the people, in the language they understand, the meaning or the content of another language, which is foreign to them. Folktale is rich in cultural values and tradition of a particular group of people. Because of these features of folktale, they make its translation so demanding and challenging. The thrust of this paper is therefore to look at certain factors that could contribute to the difficulties in the translation of folktales. This aim is hoped to be achieved through the translation of selected folktales from The Calabash of Wisdom and other Igbo Stories by R. Egudu and Oka Mgba by J.O. Iroaganachi.