Onomastics and translation
The case of Bette-English translation of death-related names
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/sols.37821Keywords:
anthroponyms, functions, semiotics, sense, psycho-spirituality, Bette (Obudu)-English translationAbstract
‘Líwhù’ (meaning ‘death’) as a morpheme in some Bette (Obudu) names has cultural, religious and social relevance. Generally used as variations of allusions to death, it encapsulates the Bette person’s very essence as a being deeply rooted in the existence of spirits and other supernatural forces. This belief is part of a Bette person’s daily life. This article seeks to translate Bette (Obudu) death-related or ‘Líwhù’ names into English with a view to providing acceptable alternative labels in English. Data were collected at random from a sampled population of 40 Obudu indigenes whose names bear a ‘Líwhù’ affix. Of these, nine recurrent ‘Líwhù’ names were retained and organized in five categories, depending on the cultural, religious or social roles they play in the life or lives of the bearer(s). In this study, we translated, analysed and explained the data from three main perspectives, that is, the linguistic, interpretative and semiotic approaches. The paper intends to add to the earlier voices of Asadu and Nzuanke (2014), which stated that most African proper names are translatable because, as symbols or signs, they have meanings that are founded on their particular psycho-spiritual functions in such societies.
References
Adie, M. U. (2015) Groundwork of Obudu History (1600–1959). Calabar: University of Calabar Press.
Anderson, S. (2018) What your name says about you. Retrieved on 30 July 2018 from: http://magazine.utoronto.ca/blogs/where-they-are-now/mavis-himes-analysis-what-does-your-name-say-about-you/.
Asadu, O. F. and Nzuanke, S. F. (2014) Onomastics and translation: The case of Igbo→English translation of Chi names. LWATI: A Journal of Contemporary Research 11: 122–140.
Ashipu, K. B. C. (2015) An analysis of phonostylistic devices in some selected Itiang (Proverbs) Bette. Journal of Literature, Language and Linguistics 11: 1–6.
Blanár, V. (2009) Proper names in the light of theoretical onomastics. Retrieved on 23 June 2017 from: http://www.namenkundliche-information.de/pdf/95_96/articles/NI%2095_96_2009_Blanár.
Bright, W. (2003) What is a name? Reflections on onomastics. Language and Linguistics 4: 669–681.
Chandler, D. (2002) Semiotics: The basics. New York: Routledge. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203166277.
Coates, R. (2005) What is Onomastics? International Council of Onomastics Sciences. Retrieved on 21 July 2017 from: http://www.icosweb.net/index.php/whatis-onomastics.html.
Colman, F. (2014) The Grammar of Names in Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198701675.001.0001.
Croft, J. B. (2009) Naming the evil one: Onomastic strategies in Tolkien and Rowling. Mythlore 28: 149–164.
de Campos, E. (2010) Translation and interpreting theories: Evaluating strategies of mechanisms for rendering names. Eureka, a Journal of Humanistic Studies 3: 101–135.
Dolník, J. (1995) Forma a význam vlastného mena. Slavica Slovaca 30: 105–111.
Dolník, J. (1998) K pragmatike vlastných mien. In Z. Materiálov, M. Zost, M. Majtán, and P. Žigo (eds) XIII slovenská onomastická Konferencia 21–25. Bratislava: Filozofická fakulta Univerzita Komenského.
Emenanjo, E. N. (1985) Language engineering in present-day Igbo. In K. Williamson (ed.) West African Language in Education 27: 80–95. Vienna: Afro-Pub Bond.
Emenanjo, E. N. (1990) In the tradition of the majors: Lessons in language engineering for minority languages. In E. Nolue Emenanjo (ed.) Multilingualism, Minority Languages and Language Policy in Nigeria 88–98. Agbor: Central Books.
Emenanjo, E. N. (1999) Language endangerment, native speakers and language empowerment. In E. Nolue Emenanjo and P. K. Bleambo (eds) Language Endangerment and Language Empowerment: Theory and Reality 1: 78–90. Aba: National Institute of Languages.
Ethnologue. (2018) Languages of the World: Nigeria. (21st ed.). Retrieved on 31 July 2018 from: https://www.ethnologue.com/country/NG/languages.
Gaher, F. (2006) Stoická sémantika a logika z pohľadu intenzionálnej logiky. Bratislava: Univerzita Komenského.
Hall, S. (1990) Cultural identity and diaspora. In J. Rutherford (ed.) Community, Culture, Difference 222–237. London: Lawrence & Wishart.
Hewson, L. and Martin, J. (1991) Redefining Translation: The Variational Approach. London: Routledge.
Himes, M. (2016) The Power of Names: Uncovering the Mystery of What we are Called. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Ibli, E. U. and Amechi, O. B. (2015) Perspectives on language planning in Bette: Some language engineering options. Journal of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria 18: 65–78.
Mensah, E. and Offong, I. (2013) The structure of Ibibio death prevention names. Anthropological Notebooks 19: 41–59.
Mensah, E. O. (2015) Frog, where are you? The ethnopragmatics of Ibibio death prevention names. Journal of African Cultural Studies 27: 115–132. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13696815.2014.976545.
NBS [National Bureau of Statistics] (2006) Nigeria in Figures. Abuja: The Bureau.
Obeng, S. G. (1998) Akan death-prevention names: A pragmatic and structural analysis. Names 46: 163–187. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1179/nam.1998.46.3.163.
Odebode, I. and Onadipe, A. (2011) Politeness phenomenon in Abiku names among the Yoruba: A pragmatic study. Cross-cultural Communication 7: 127–132.
Ogar, S. (2003) The Origin of the Obudu People. Calabar: Ushie Printers.
Pavlonic, D. (1987) Du cryptogramme au nom réfléchi: L’onomastique ducharmienne. Études françaises 23: 89–98. Doi: https://doi.org/10.7202/035729ar.
Peirce, C. S. (1931–1958) Collected Writings (8 vols). Edited by C. Hartshorne, P. Weiss and A. W. Burks. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Sagna, S. and Bassène, E. (2016) Why are they named after death? Name giving, name changing and death prevention names in Gújjolaay Eegimaa (Banjal). In M. Seyfeddinipur (ed.) African Language Documentation: New Data, Methods and Approaches 10: 40–70. Honolulu, Hawai’i: University of Hawai’i Press.
Saussure, F. de. (1983 [1916]) Course in General Linguistics. Translated by Roy Harris. London: Duckworth.
Seleskovitch, D. (ed.) (1976) Traduire les idées et les mots: études de linguistique appliquée. Revue internationale d’applications linguistiques. Nouvelle série, 24. Paris: Didier.
Short, T. L. (2007) Peirce’s Theory of Signs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511498350.
Ukpong, E. A. (2007) An Inquiry into Culture: Ibibio Names. Uyo: Dorand Publishers.
Vinay, J.-P. and Darbelnet, J. (1977) Stylistique comparée du français et de l’anglais. Paris: Didier.
Wamitila, K. W. (1999) What’s in a name: Towards literary onomastics in Kiswahili literature. Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere 60: 35–44.
Zouhar, M. (2004) Podoby referencie. Bratislava: IRIS.
