Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 1996. Vol. 1. Eger Journal of English Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 24)

Albert Vermes: On the translation of proper names

VERMES ALBERT ON THE TRANSLATION OF PROPER NAMES Abstract: The translation of proper names has often been considered a simple automatic process of transference from one language into another, due to the view that proper names are nothing but mere labels used to identify a person or a thing. It has been shown, however, by authors like Searle or Strawson that this view is faulty: proper names, beyond their identifying function, may carry 'senses'. This will entail, then, that the translation of proper names may be a rather delicate decision-making process, requiring on the part of the translator a careful consideration of the functions the proper name fulfils (is to fulfil) in the context of the source (target) language text and culture. It is suggested that in translating a proper name the translator has three major strategies at his disposal: transference

, translation proper and modification. 1 Introduction In this paper

1 we are going to look at some problems that the translator is likely to face when encountering proper names in the text he is to translate. At first glance it may seem that nothing is easier than finding a satisfactory solution to these problems; or that, in fact, there is no real problem here to resolve at all. This is exactly what Zeno Vendler purports when he writes that "proper names have no meaning (in the sense of 'sense' and not of 'reference'), which is borne out by the fact that they do not require translation into another language" (Vendler: 117). To reinforce this statement he argues that 1 I wish to express my gratitude to dr. Péter Pelyvás of Kossuth University, Debrecen for his helpful remarks and suggestions. 1 am also grateful to Beth Wangen for reading the manuscript and correcting my blunders of grammar and style. The responsibility, however, for everything contained in this paper is solely mine. 179