Strategies Used by Non-Kabras Presenters to Attain Lukabras Equivalence in the Translation of Mulembe Fm Luhya Newscasts

Abstract

This is a translation study involving dialects with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. The study used sample data from Mulembe FM Luhya newscasts translation to establish why and how improper use of translation strategies by non-native speakers of Lukabras dialect leads to mistranslation. To do so, first, 150 words from newscasts by the non-Kabras presenters of Mulembe FM were selected, and then, they were compared with their corresponding parts in the English versions. The comparisons were classified and analyzed to find out how the translation strategies were used by the non-Kabras presenters to attain Lukabras equivalence in the translation of Mulembe FM newscasts. The three non-Kabras presenters who broadcast Mulembe FM daily newscasts and 47 Lukabras listeners of Mulembe FM newscast were used as respondents. The three non-Kabras presenters spoke the following Luhya dialects: Lwisukha, Luwanga and Lukhayo. The study established that the three presenters used the following seven translation strategies: word for word translation, naturalization, domestication, elaboration and explication, deletion, conservation and use of functional equivalent. However, the utilization of these strategies to attain Lukabras equivalence was not appropriate. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the significance of understanding the nature of target language audience in translation so as to aid accuracy and appropriateness in translation. The study posits the significance of the word level to translation.