Scholars Michel Espagne and Michael Werner introduced the term “cultural transfer” to humanities. The transfer is a two-sided and creative process. In the case of cultural transfer, each object (concept, law systems, ideas, commodities, literary or theatrical conventions, etc.) not only are transferred to a new context, but also acquire a new meaning. Cultural exchange is not simply the circulation of knowledge and ideas as they are in their source environment but their reinterpretation in a new context. The article aims at analysing cultural transfer basing on Jatinder Verma’s tradaptations in intercultural theatre. It tackles such issues as the processes of cultural relocation, linguistic negotiations, heteroglossia, and new minority theatres. The author also portrays the evolution of defining and understanding of performativity, speakability, and actability in contemporary reflections on the translation of drama, and their impact on the cultural transfer of theatrical ideas and conventions.
PL
Literaturoznawcy, Michel Espagne i Michael Werner wprowadzili pojęcie „transferu kuturowego” do nauk humanistycznych. Proces transferu zachodzi zawsze w obie strony i jest kreatywny. W przypadku transferu kulturowego każda rzecz (koncepcje, systemy prawnych, idei, przedmioty materialne, terminy, konwencje literackie, teatralne itp.) nie tylko zostaje przeniesiona do nowego kontekstu, ale przede wszystkim nabiera nowego znaczenia. Kulturowa wymiana to nie cyrkulacja wiedzy i idei takimi jakie są w środowisku oryginalnym, ale ich ponowna reinterpretacja w odmiennym kontekście kulturowym. Artykuł ma na celu analizę transferu kulturowego na przykładzie tradaptacji Jatindera Vermy w teatrze interkulturowym. Naświetlone zostały procesy relokacji kulturowej klasyków, negocjacje językowe, heteroglosji i inicjacji ruchu nowych teatrów mniejszościowych. Autorka pokazuje także proces ewolucji definiowania i rozumienia takich zagadnień jak performatywność, wypowiadalność czy odgrywalność w najnowszych rozważaniach nad przekładem dramatu i ich wpływ na transfer kulturowy idei i konwencji teatralnych.
Wit Tarnawski (1894-1988) was an eminent Conrad critic and translator. His research developed within three areas: the translation, interpretation and popularisation of Conrad’s works and biography. In the present essay we shall focus on the least researched part of Tarnawski’s work – his literary translations. In particular, we shall analyse his translation of The Sisters, which has been widely discussed in Polish literary and critical circles.
The translation of dialect and jargon undoubtedly presents translators with a challenge. Approaches to translating dialect have evolved from the simplistic assertion that dialect in the source language ought to be replaced with dialect in the target language to the more nuanced strategies of neutralization, lexicalization, Pidginization or even the ad hoc creation of an artificial dialect. Peter Newmark claims that the crucial factor in translating non-standard speech is the identifi cation of its functions in the original. Once the functions have been recognized, they can be “recreated in target language texts by drawing on appropriate varieties”. However, in Translation Studies there is also a completely different view. Jeremy Munday notes that “The norm for translating dialect, slang and social variation tends to be that of the ‘homogenizing convention’. This involves replacing non-standard forms in the source language with standard forms typical of the written language in the target version”. Translators can therefore apply several different techniques to match the non-standard heterogeneity of the original in the target text. In Joseph Conrad’s short story entitled Typhoon we come across two different varieties of non-standard English. The first is Pidgin, which is a reduced language that results from extended contact between groups which have no language in common; it evolves when these groups need some means of verbal communication. The other kind of nonstandard English is sailors’ jargon.
During the years immediately after Poland regained its independence in 1918 the country could boast few literary periodicals. One of them was Wiadomości Literackie (Literary News), which appeared for the first time on 6th January 1924 in Warsaw. Wiadomości Literackie serialized several translations of Conrad’s work, including: “Dusza przeciwnika” (“The Character of the Foe” [collected in The Mirror of the Sea]), “Conrad w Krakowie w r. 1914” (“First News”) and “Książę Roman” (“Prince Roman”). The present article focuses on one translation of “The Character of the Foe” by Józef Brodzki. It explores the strategies used by the translator to domesticate Conrad’s text. These comprised explication, addition, substitution and omission – none of which, however, should be perceived as a limitation. On the contrary, these modifications served the purpose of introducing Conrad’s maritime fiction to the Polish reading public and were a necessary procedure during the early stages of his reception in Poland. They are in line with the Retranslation Hypothesis formulated by Antoine Berman. On the whole, Brodzki’s translation is very effective and conveys the major features of Conrad’s prose by using simpler sentences, paraphrases and neutral language.
We współczesnej kulturze wizualnej możemy zaobserwować różne transformacje noweli Jądro ciemności Josepha Conrada. Artyści adaptują tę klasyczną opowieść dla odmiennych mediów: nowela w formie teatralnej pojawia się na scenach bułgarskich i brytyjskich teatrów, w formie animacji piaskiem na szkle w reżyserii Geralda Conna lub brazylijsko-francuskiego filmu animowanego Heart of Darkness autorstwa Rogério Nunesa. Oprócz tego istnieją gry wideo (Spec Ops, Far Cry 2) oparte na jej fabule, a także liczne komiksy i powieści graficzne przedstawiające tę historię, począwszy od słynnej wersji C. Anyango i D. Mairowitza, poprzez T. Tirabosco i Ch. Perrissina i P. Kupera, a kończąc na najnowszych klipach na Instagramie autorstwa Saschy Ciezaty. W niniejszym artykule moim celem jest udowodnienie, że współczesne realizacje Jądra ciemności, które dążą do przekazania tekstu współczesnej publiczności, modernizują go formalnie i/lub ideologicznie. Tę tezę poprę analizą dwóch najnowszych przypadków adaptacji noweli w różnych mediach, a mianowicie na Instagramie i w teatrze.
EN
In contemporary visual culture, we may observe various transformations of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Artists adapt the classic tale to various media. The novella appears in a theatrical form on the Bulgarian and British stages (a performance by Museum Theatre directed by Valeriya Valcheva in Sofia and the production by the imitating the dog theatre company in London). In film, there is a sand-on-glass animation directed by Gerald Conn and the animeinfluenced Brazilian/French animated feature Heart of Darkness by Rogério Nunes. Additionally, there are video games (Spec Ops, Far Cry 2) based on its plot as well as numerous comics and graphic novels depicting the story, starting with the famous version by C. Anyango and D. Mairowitz through T. Tirabosco and Ch. Perrissin’s (Adamowicz-Pośpiech, 2024) and P. Kuper’s adaptations. On top of that, we have latest Instagram videos by Sascha Ciezata. In this paper, I argue that contemporary interpretations of Heart of Darkness to resonate with present-day audiences must inevitably modernize the novella formally and/or ideologically. I will substantiate this claim through an examination of two instances of the novella’s adaptation in distinct media: specifically, on Instagram and within the theatrical realm.
Modern literature, according to theorists of culture, became a material object of culture. On the backdrop of such a conclusion on the direction of cultural changes, together with personal observations of phenomena occurring in the contemporary Polish culture, this article explores a question: is there a Conrad brand? Further, the paper analyses cultural processes involved with a brand creation, illustrating this with chosen examples of the use of the name Conrad in Polish institutions, both financial and cultural.