TRANSLATION OF SELECTED ZAKES MDA’S PLAYS INTO THE ISINDEBELE LANGUAGE: PERSPECTIVES ON ACCURACY AND NATURALNESS

Although the isiNdebele language has been listed as one of the official languages in the Republic of South Africa, it is still amongst the youngest of the twelve official languages. IsiNdebele language lags notably in aspects such as terminology, literature, translation projects, and general language use. The translation of selected Zakes Mda’s plays into the isiNdebele language, is a milestone in the history of this language, as it removes some barriers that prevent interaction and expression of ideas between the English and isiNdebele-speaking communities. In the process of translation, which involves de-coding, re-coding, and en-coding the texts, translators often find themselves having to tread carefully between accuracy and naturalness, especially between the Western and African cultures. A domestication (localisation) approach has been adopted in the translation of the five plays, viz. Dead End, We Shall Sing for the Fatherland, Dark Voices Ring, The Hill, and The Road, which are authored by Zakes Mda, and were later translated into the isiNdebele language. The paper aims at understanding translation choices that the translator had to contend with, regarding accuracy and naturalness between the two languages, viz. English and the isiNdebele languages. Lessons gleaned from this study also assist in developing strategies for future similar or related projects.