Balancing Fidelity and Adaptation in Translation: Analysing Turkish Translations of ‘White Fang’ by Jack London Through Eugene Nida’s Equivalence Theories

Öz

This study investigates the complexities of literary translation through a comparative analysis of five Turkish translations of Jack London’s White Fang, with a focus on Chapter 8: “The Law of Meat.” Drawing on Eugene Nida’s theories of formal and dynamic equivalence, the research evaluates how different translators approached fidelity, cultural adaptation, and stylistic rendering. Methodologically, the study employs thematic sampling to select representative excerpts from each target text and applies a qualitative comparative framework that integrates biographical method to examine how translators' educational and professional backgrounds may have influenced their translation strategies. The analysis reveals considerable variation in the handling of figurative language, lexical choices, and narrative tone, indicating distinct tendencies toward either formal or dynamic equivalence. Some translations adopt idiomatic, reader-friendly renderings, while others maintain closer adherence to the syntactic and rhetorical structure of the source text. Paratextual elements, such as front covers and back covers that shed light on editorial and publishing influences, are also evaluated in terms of translator’s visibility. The results suggest that retranslation serves not only to correct earlier inaccuracies but also to adapt literary works to evolving cultural and linguistic expectations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Literary Translation
• Eugene Nida
• Formal Equivalence
• Dynamic Equivalence
• Jack London

Kaynakça

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