Enid Blyton’s St. Clare’s and Sudath Rohan’s Apūru Iskōlē - When Languages Meet: A Study on the English to Sinhala Translation.

Abstract

Accurate translation between languages in transmitting knowledge and information is the key to effective communication. Analysing the quality of translations is important as it directly influences the readers. Especially when translating terms related to sarcasm, idioms, and cultural terms, the translation has to appropriately capture the situation linguistically. Concerning the cultural context, the representation of Sinhala and English in terms of language use does not essentially tally. This study has identified and analysed the differences in the translation of Enid Blyton’s St. Clare’s series from the original English language of its composition to the Sinhala language by Sudath Rohan. The textual analysis method has been used in a qualitative data analysis framework. The qualitative data were collected through a comparative close reading of Enid Blyton’s St. Clare’s series and its translation, Apūru Iskōlē by Sudath Rohan. The analysis was done under five categories namely; ‘inter-cultural differences,’ ‘untranslated words,’ ‘borrowed words,’ ‘contextual errors,’ and the ‘complete distortion of the original text.’ Through the analysis, it was identified that although a considerable number of differences have been made by the translator in translating the original text, the translator’s attempt to facilitate the reader with a better understanding of the original text in a reader-oriented context has taken place. It was observed that, through the usage of loanwords, the translation has become more understandable. It was also evident that the change of meaning in certain places has not negatively impacted the translation. At times, the original text's distortion has weakened the original author's credibility as well. Study findings highlight the significance of cultural sensitivity and contextual accuracy in achieving meaningful cross-cultural communication. Although Sudath Rohan's translation of Enid Blyton's St. Clare's series into Sinhala includes some alterations and errors, it effectively bridges cultural gaps by adapting content for the Sri Lankan audience.