Representation in translation and author’s preferred text

Abstract

The purpose of this paper will be to question the concept of representation through a recent phenomenon, which came to be in fiction and fantasy genre as author’s preferred text. Historically, representation has long been discussed in and around academic circles and those discussions found their way into translation studies as well. In this paper, I aim to track down three phases in which representation is a line of discussion and comment upon the effects of these discussions in general and on translation studies. The object of study will be Neil Gaiman’s novels; Neverwhere, and American Gods. The different editions of these novels will be discussed within the context of representation in general, but more specifically within rewriting, the socio-cultural and economic position of the author, power relations between the author and the rewriters, and self-translation. Traditionally, the original texts precede the rewritten ones. However, in Gaiman’s case, the so-called original versions of his Neverwhere and American Gods were published almost ten years after their first appearance. Moreover, the originals came under a new label: Author’s Preferred Text. I aim to trace how this strange transition happened in the source context and discuss the possible reasons why it happened by applying three different approaches to the case at hand. Finally, I will conclude by presenting my own perspective on the subject. 

Keywords

• Representation,rewriting,editorship,author’s preferred text

Çeviride temsiliyet ve yazarın tercih ettiği metin

Öz

Bu makalenin amacı temsiliyet kavramını yakın zamanda kurgu ve fantazi türünde ortaya çıkan yazarın tercih ettiği metin olgusu üzerinden sorgulamaktır. Tarihsel olarak bakıldığında temsiliyet kavramı uzun yıllardır akademik çevrelerce tartışılmakta ve bu tartışmalar çeviribilim alanını da etkilemekte. Bu makalede temsiliyet üzerine yapılan tartışmalar üç farklı dönemde incelenecek ve bu tartışmaların çeviribilim üzerindeki etkileri tartışılacaktır. Makalenin araştırma nesnesi Neil Gaiman’ın Yokyer (Neverwhere) ve Amerikan Tanrıları (American Gods) romanlarıdır. Romanların farklı baskıları genel olarak temsiliyet, ancak özelde yeniden yazım, yazarın sosyo-kültürel ekonomik konumu, yazar ve yeniden yazarlar arasındaki güç ilişkileri ve özçeviri bağlamlarında incelenecektir. Geleneksel olarak, yeniden yazımlar orijinal eserden sonra ortaya çıkarlar. Ancak, Gaiman’ın Yokyer (Neverwhere) ve Amerikan Tanrıları (American Gods) romanlarında bu durumun tam tersi yaşanmıştır. Orijinal olduğu söylenen romanlar ilk baskıdan yaklaşık on yıl sonra ve yeni bir etiket altında – Yazarın Tercih Ettiği Metin - yayımlanmıştır. Makalede, yaşanan bu ilginç geçişin izleri takip edilecek ve tartışılan üç yaklaşım yoluyla bu durum üzerine çıkarımlar yapılacaktır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Temsiliyet,yeniden yazım,editörlük,yazarın tercih ettiği metin

Kaynakça

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