UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY YORUBA STU DIES REVIEW Volume 4, Number 1, Fall 2019 ISSN 2473-4713 Contents Essays Yoruba Chinese Ethical Intersectionality: Towards a Community of Shared Future in Afro-Asian Diasporic Spaces Philip Ademola Olayoku 1 The "Africanization" of an African Diaspora Household: Toyin Falola and the Idea of Diasporic Home-Making Babatunde Jaiyeoba and Adeshina Afolayan 23 Diaspora and Syncretism: Marriage Rites in Yoruba Homeland and Abroad Olanike Lawore 37 "East-West, West-East": Cultural Transmission and Exchange of Yoruba Religius Wood-Carvings between 6yo, Sabe and Ife-Ana Abiodun Olasupo Akande 55 The Development of Wheeled Transportation in Osun Division of Southwestern Nigeria, 1900-1960 Abiodun Ajayi 77 Water Symbolism in Yoruba Folklore and Culture George Olusola Ajibade 99 Yoruba Indigenous Medicine in Search of Justification Richard Taye Oyelakin 125 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY IV Contents A Survey of Audience Reception of Atoka, A Yoruba Photoplay Magazine Clement Adeniyi Akangbe 139 Wifehood (Im)politeness in Negotiating Responsibility, Position, and Solidarity in Ola Rotimi's Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again Ezekiel Opeyemi Olajimbiti 161 A Stylistic Analysis of Seun Ogunfiditimi's Songs Temidayo Akinrinlola 183 Olodumare and Esu in Yoruba Religious Thought Benson Ohihon Igboin 209 Translators' Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa's Igbo Olodumare Clement Odoje 233 Review Essay On Wale Ogunyemi's Translation of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart into Yoruba, Igbesi Aye Okonkwo: A'within-to-within' Approach of its Challenges Gabriel Ayoola 249 Profile Tunde Kelani: The Man Exceeds the Frame Toyin Falola 259 Akin Ogundiran:The Historian and Archaeologist of Yoruba-Atlantic Becomes Chancellor Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Toyin Falola 267 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Translators' Personality in the Transla- * tions of D.O. Fagunwa's Igbo Olodumare Clement Odoje Department of Linguistics and African Languages University of Ibadan Nigeria Iekedement2@gmail.com Abstract The concept “Translation” has been examined by many scholars from dif­ ferent perspectives, but little attention has been devoted to the personalities of the translators in their translation works. The concern of this essay is to consider the personalities of the translators of D.O. Fagunwa’s novel, Igbo Olodumare in line with the theories of Natural and Directional equivalence to foreground the idea that translation is heavily dependent on the translators’ personality. It was found that translators’ motive, purpose, language choice, and religious background have an immense influence on their approach to translation. Introduction There is no clear cut definition of personality (Karimnia and Mahjubi 2013). However, Lawrie (1974:307) explains three senses of using the term. The first sense is to qualify the characteristics, on account of which an entity is a person at all. When the word is used in this way, personality is being dis­ tinguished from animality, vegetability, or materiality. Therefore to this end, all persons have personality. The term is used as a mask or appearance which a man presents to others as the second sense. Personality in this sense is liable to change. This implies that a man is liable to have a series of personalities or masks, and not just one. The third use of the term is applied in the significa­ tion of the element of uniqueness in a person. In other words, personality is a special case of particularity or individuality, and that individuality is “roughly 233 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY mailto:Iekedement2@gmail.com 234 Clement Odoje synonymous” with uniqueness. Personality in this third sense is what makes a particular person whom he is and thereby differentiates him from all other persons. It is therefore unrepeatable. This paper is concerned with the third sense of the term ‘personality’. In line with the Lawrie’s third sense of personality, Karimnia and Mahjubi (2013) explains that personality manifests itself in almost every area of life. This foregrounds that someone’s personality is what makes the person differ­ ent from other people. They refer to it as the complex of all the behavioural, temperamental, emotional and mental activities that characterise a certain individual. How does personality affect translation? Hutchins (2001:5) reiter­ ates Holmstrom’s definition of translation, which takes into consideration the educational qualification and personality of the translator thus: Translation is an art; something which at every step involves a personal choice between uncodifiable alternatives; not merely direct substitutions of equated sets of symbols but choices of values dependent for their sound­ ness on the whole antecedent education and personality of the translator. Hence, no two translators will translate precisely the same way because of the differences in their personalities and choices. Karimnia and Mahjubi (2013:41) also relate personality with translation activities by saying that each translator has his or her traits that uqiquely affect his or her behaviour in the act of translation. Therefore, when translators translate the same source text from the source language to the target language, their produced translations differ from one another. This is because translators’ personalities play salient roles in translation. Thus, the thrust of this paper is to examine the person­ ality traits of Wole Soyinka and Gabriel Ajadi and how it played out in their translation of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbo Olodxxmare with the view of explicating the interference of the personalities in their choices of words and style using Natural and Directional Theories of Equivalence. The Personality of a Translator A common defector is that a translator is expected to be bilingual. Oyel- eye (1995: 364) broadly grouped translators based on their skills into upper and lower zone bilinguals. He believes that a translator’s placement in the bi­ lingual scale influences his/her translation. He explains that Upper zone bi­ linguals are sophisticated bilingual writers while lower zone bilinguals are non-sophisticated bilingual writers or apparent translators. Such classification is significant only when qualification is to be verified. It will not assist when UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY the personality of a translator is to be examined. There is a kind of unique­ ness associated with a translator even if two of them are of the same bilingual zone and are asked to translate the same expression. The translators’ traits like cognition, emotion, attitude, behaviour, psychological disposition and indi­ vidual characteristics are responsible for their success or failure in the trans­ lation process (Karimnia and Mahjubi, 2013). It also influences their choices of words, approaches to translation and style. Gbadegesin (2017:42) claims that he could not comment on the personality of Ajadi since he said: “he deliberately sacrificed his stylistic idiosyncrasy in order for the reader to fully enjoy Fagunwa’s seasoned and peculiar literary prowess and power in the translated edition.” Claims like this, does not give room not to comment on the author’s style or person. To this paper, Gbade­ gesin (2017) toddle the easiest path of sacrificing Ajadi for Soyinka whose lit­ erary work had received many comments. Professor Gabriel Ajadi is a retired lecturer of oral literature in the Depart­ ment of English, University of Ilorin. He is a gospel preacher and an inven­ tor of Ajadilopea (a medicine for malaria treatment). He has a gentle sport for language (whether English and Yoruba). He appears to be formal in his ap­ proach to things. The previous submission influences his style of writing and by extension his translation. It must also be noted that Ajadi’s translation is his Ph.D. thesis published in a book form. This suggests why his translation is formal since Ph.D. writings require formality. Ajadi (2005:30) explains the philosophy behind his translation as the semantic-communication transla­ tion. “... Such a method imposes a literal translation which retains the sense of words and expressions within the cultural perspective of the original lan­ guage without blurring the intelligibility of the content in English so that the content is communicative as well... (Ajadi 2005:30) Wole Soyinka is a Professor, social activist, a playwright, a poet, and a translator. One can even call him a literary icon. He is one of those Isola (2010:94) called African school-educated elite writers who prefer talking to themselves not only by using a foreign language but by choosing the written medium. Gbadegesin (2017:42) confirms Isola’s assertion by saying that Soy­ inka’s conscious target audience is the elitist class of his generation. The view is then put to question, who he is writing for? The masses he intends to de­ fend as a social activist could not access his work because of his style of writ­ ing which has been adjudged to be obscured, challenging and complex in the deployment of excessive imagery and signs. Gordimer (2001) cited by Gbade­ gesin (2017:42) says Soyinka is a sophisticate who is making free usage of the tricks and techniques of European literature. Isola further comments that: Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbd 235 UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 236 Clement Odoje Soyinka’s translation into English of Fagunwa’s first novel Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmole as Forest of a Thousand Daemons confirmed what was by now ostensibly in his creative works - a solid base in Yoruba culture and an abiding commitment to sharing his rich cultural heritage with the outside world... Soyinka thought the whole world would hear about it in keeping with his practice of generating entrancing drama through the rich resources of the Yoruba culture and the global potentials of English lan­ guage” (Isola 2010:95) Therefore, it could be concluded that Ajadi chooses to use simple and di­ rect language in his translation. He is simple and straightforward as a person. Soyinka, on the other hand, chooses to use complex, poetic and imagery in his approach to translation. The personalities of these translators would be con­ sidered in their approach to the translation of Igbo Olodumare. Yoruba Translators and Literary Translations The purpose of translation differs from region to region. To some, it is an avenue to make financial gain; to some, it is a mere aesthetics, but to Afri­ cans, it is a serious matter. Isola (2010) sees the literary translation in Africa as a means of achieving the primary purposes of literature. He enumerates the alienation of African literary works in European languages which to Oyel- eye (1995) like Osundare (1995) considers such as a form of translation. Isola (2010:95) however, emphasizes the usefulness of African literary works in Eu­ ropean languages thus: ...This is not to suggest that literature in a foreign language by an African writer does not fulfill other useful purposes. It does! First, it exposes as­ pects of the culture of the writer’s social group to the entire world, leading to a global appreciation and understanding. It also attracts recognition and reward to the author in such a proportion which writers in African lan­ guages can never duplicate. Second, the cultures of other languages into which the work has also been translated benefit from the cross-fertiliza­ tion of cultural ideas... Isola opines that there are two reasons for African writers who write in European languages: rewards and globalization while the other is cultural fertilization of the benefiting languages. With the global effects of literary translation, Isola (2010:95) also opines that there is a kind of difference be­ tween translation for translation purposes and translation as a form of lan­ guage retrieval. IsqH (2001 :v) explains language retrieval thus: UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Sugbon isori awon dnkowe kan tun wa, ti wonje omo Yoruba, ti awon naa mu eroja ise-ona won lati inu asa Yoruba, sugbon ti won fi ede Geesi ko iwe tiwon nitori pe won n fe ki gbogbo aye gbadiin ise won, won s in ti ipa bee tan ogo Yoruba kale, kari aye. Ohun ti 6 wa seni laanu nipa won ni pe oju awon ti oje omo Yoruba gan-an ko to iru awon ise bawonyi nitori ede ajeji ti won Id. Isori awon dnkowe wonyi ti $e ise ribiribi, ppolppo iwe won si ti gba ebiin ati iyi kari aye. Awa kan ro pe 6 ve ki a mu ini ise wonvi wa si arowoto awon Yoruba nipa titumo won si ede Yoruba ki a si ti ipa bee mu ohun ti 6 sonii pada wa sile. Ohun ti a h$e nibigan-an kojd titumo lasan, 6 ti di gbigba pada, nitori pe awa ni a ni awon item ndd tele ki awon omo wa to maa so o ni Geesi. Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbd 237 However, there is another category of writers of Yoruba origin, who make use of materials from Yoruba culture for their literary arts but equally made use of English language for their books because they want the whole world to enjoy their works and by so doing exhort Yoruba glory every­ where. It is a pity that the Yoriibas do not have access to works of this na­ ture because they are presented in foreign languages. These writers have done great works; many of their books have won several awards all over the world. We thought it wise to bring these works to the reach of the Yoriibas by translating them into the Yoruba language. By so doing, we can retrieve the lost items. Our effort here goes beyond mere translation; it is retrieval since the source of the stories is ours before they were narrated in English. This explanation of Isola demarcates translation and language retrieval. Although, both of them may go through the same process. The explanation also brings to bear, the reasons why some writers write in the foreign language (which is a form of translation (Osundare 1995 and Oyeleye 1995)); why some translate (Ajadi 2005; Soyinka 2010, and Obafemi 2012) and why some em­ bark on language retrieval (Isola 2001). Some translators corroborate Isola’s assertion that the purpose of translation has globalization coloration. For ex­ ample, Ajadi (2005:30) stipulates that the objective of his translation of Igbo Olodumare is to make the novel accessible to literary scholars and students of letters as well as general English readers. Soyinka (2010) says he resolves to translate all Fagunwa’s novels and other writings in order to make them accessible to non-Yoruba readers both within and outside the African con­ tinent. Obafemi (2012:7) joins others in their globalization process through translation by saying that: “...I had secretly wished, even in those tender years UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 238 Clement Odoje of innocence, to let other people who do not belong to Fagunwa’s world, in reality, and in fantasy, into the recesses of his imagination. I of course, never thought that it would end up in translation for a target audience of English speakers...” The previous perspective implies that there are three different kinds of African literary translation. African writers who write in the European lan­ guages (working with experiential text), African literary translators (they work with readily available texts) and language retrieval (though they too work with readily available texts, however, their texts have the same source). All these kinds of literary translation have more or less the same purpose: to retrieve a denied access as well as globalization effects. Theoretical Framework There are many translation theories: this study adopts natural and direc­ tional equivalence because the combination of both, will assist to show the personalities of the translators in view. It will also assist to disprove some of the positions of Gbadegesin (2017) on the authors. Natural Equivalence The idea that what we say in one language have the same value (the same worth or function) when it is translated into another language is known as natural equivalence (Pym 2010:9). Pym (2010) explains that a translation should have the same value as its corresponding source text. Sometimes the value is at the level of form and some other times at the level of reference. However, equivalence need not say precisely which kind of value is supposed to be the same in each case; it just means that equal value can be attained on one level or another. He also points out some complications of the theory, in that, not everything found in the source texts is always “natural” or “com­ mon.” If it were, the texts would be so boring that there would be little rea­ son to translate them. The list of translation procedure is given referencing Vinay and Darbeinet (1958:55) as loan, caique, literal translation, transposi­ tion, modulation, correspondence, and adaptation. He explains that loans and caiques are only legitimate when there is no more natural equivalence avail­ able while literal translation is entirely possible between cognate language but can as well be deceptive since languages abound with what he termed as “false friends.” The import that words may look similar but have varied functions in different languages. He mentions that the procedure of real interest is trans­ position (where there is a switching of grammatical categories) and Modula­ tion (where modifications are made for different discursive conventions). The UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbo 239 remaining two procedures concern cultural adjustment. The correspondence would use all the corresponding proverbs and referents. Adaptation refers to various things with loosely equivalent cultural functions, for example, cycling is to the French what cricket is to the British. There is no specific way a translator can do his work. Pym (2010) explains that a simple model is nevertheless possible: the translator might first try the “literal” procedure to see what that gives; if that does not work, the transla­ tor can either go closer to the source or closer to the target culture. The other interpretation means that not all the procedures necessarily count as good. Directional Equivalence Directional equivalence is an asymmetric relation where the creation of an equivalent by translating one way does not imply that the same equivalence will also be created when translating the other way (Pym 2010:26). In other words, if a source text is translated into a target text and a back-translation is done on the translated copy (target text), the result may not necessarily be the same as the source text. The other idea is necessitated based on the direc­ tionality of the polarity of many theorists of equivalence. Pym (2010:25-26) provides such theorist and the polar suggestions as: N a m e o f t h e th e o r i s t T h e su g g e s te d th e o ry C ic e ro U r I n te r p r e s U t o r a to r S c h le ie r m a r c h e r F o r e ig n iz in g D o m e s t ic a t in g N id a F o r m a l e q u iv a le n c e D y n a m ic e q u iv a le n c e N e w m a r k S e m a n t ic t r a n s l a t i o n C o m m u n ic a t iv e t r a n s l a t i o n L e v y I l lu s o r y t r a n s l a t i o n A n t i - i l l u s o r y t r a n s l a t i o n H o u s e O v e r t t r a n s l a t i o n C o v e r t t r a n s l a t i o n N o r d D o c u m e n t a r y t r a n s l a t i o n I n s t r u m e n t a l t r a n s l a t i o n T o u y A d e q u a te t r a n s l a t i o n A c c e p ta b le t r a n s l a t i o n V e n u ti F lu e n t t r a n s l a t i o n R e s is ta n t t r a n s l a t i o n Table 1: Polarity of Theorists of Equivalence (Anthony Pym. Exploring Translation Theories. New York: Routledge, 2010, 25-26.) The above implies that similarity depends on directionality, giving trans­ lators general ways of deciding how to translate since they constantly have to select between alternatives. For example, a translator decides on a kind of translation that would look back to the formal values of the source text and embrace them as much as possible; this is what Newmark called semantic UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 240 Clement Odoje translation. A translator may as well adopt communicative translation which would look forward to the needs of the new addressee, adjusting to those needs as much as necessary (see Pym 2010:32). This kind of polarity goes for the rest of the theories which shall be used in some of our analysis. The Personality of the Translators Religious Affiliation in the Translation As mentioned above, the personality of the translators is the focus of this paper. The personality influences their style and approach to their work(s). From the title of the novel, Ajadi adopts a formal and simple system of com­ munication. Technically, he adopts direct literal translation while Soyinka; who is a complex and complicated person in his style of writing adopts dy­ namic translation. Igbo Olodumare is translated by Ajadi as “The Forest of God” while Soyinka translates it as “In the Forest of Olodumare.” Gbadegesin (2017:44) views Ajadi’s choice of God as the translation for Olodumare was born out of the general interpretation of Yoruba name for God in the Chris­ tian circle. Fie, therefore, opines that such translation gives an interpretation of God dwelling in a forest. He concludes that “The “stories” in the text do not refer to the forest as the dwelling place of God or those of his Angels. It is a woodland full of many unimaginable vicissitudes and weird spirits” (Gbade­ gesin (2017:45). It seems Gbadegesin prefers Soyinka translation. He explains that “Soyinka s version In the forest of Olodumare leaves the English reader to either take “Olodumare” as the personification of all the elements in the no­ vella or a special creature who acts as a shadow in the forest. The fact is “Igbo Olodumare” is one of the existing forests in Oke-Igbo in the On do State of Nigeria today. It remains a dreadful forest! It is evident that the spatial set­ ting of Fagunwa’s story is the Earth. The didactic stories address all human persons of all races. It is doubtful if the inference Gbadegesin deduced from the use of Olodu­ mare in the translation of Soyinka is true. No doubt that igbo (the forest) as employed by Fagunwa is conceived both as metaphor and reality. In actual sense, Igbo Olodumare exists in Oke-Igbo, Fagunwa’s hometown. Our take, therefore, it that Fagunwa in his ingenuity and creativity recounts the dif­ ficulties of a hunter in the dreaded forest relating the experience with the real-life situation. At the same time, Igbo Olodumare is employed metaphor­ ically as the whole human experience on earth which warrant perseverance, patience, hardwork, teamwork, obedience and several human virtues. Hence, Igbo Olodumare may not necessarily represent the bush in Fagunwa’s home­ town but the metaphorical representation of human experience in the Yoruba context. However, Olodumare will never have the connotation Gbadegesin UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbo 241 is trying to force on it. To a Yoruba person, Olorun and Olodumare are of the same value. In fact, Fagunwa used them interchangeably in all his works. Adekoya (2010:16) cited Idowu (1996:37) to have said that Fagunwa’s specific understanding of God in the Yoruba society belongs to the historical back­ ground of the question about the true form of God as a creator of the universe, “Olodumare.” The name, indeed, strongly implies “almightiness” and “om­ nipotence.” It is not just a descriptive title of God; it is the real Yoruba name for God in the Yoruba belief...’ Therefore, unlike Gbadegesin (2017) strange interpretation of Olodumare, Yoruba generally whether Christian or Muslim equate Olodumare to God. It is worthy to note that among the African traditional religious worship­ ers, there is a difference between Olorun and Olodumare. While Olorun is the Supreme being, Olodumare is the work of His hands, the head of all dei­ ties. Lijadu (1895) explains that: Olorun ninu Oro fi ara Re han ninu Oro, lati se akoso awon Adre (iyanu) ti O da nipa Oro. 0 sifi Olodumare se alakooso gbogbo won. Olodumare ja si Oro kikun ti 6 tinu Oro Olorun jade fun awon Aare (Olodu-dare) eni ti n dari gbogbo ise iyanu Olorun fun itoju aye ati awon orun marun-un ti 6 kit. Olodumare ngbe orun kefa... (Lijadu 1895:1) God in the Word reveals Himself in the Word, to control/govern the Aares (Wondrous/Miraculous things) He created through the Word. He puts Olodumare in control of all of them. Olodumare is the complete word that came out of God’s word to the Aares (the head of the odus of Aares) who controls all the miracles of God to take care of the earth and the rest of the five heavens. Olodumare lives in the sixth heaven... Lijadu’s explanation is like John chapter 1 verse 1-4 of the Bible. Even though, John claims that the Word was God; Lijadu differentiates between Olodumare and Olorun. With this kind of difference, it would be difficult for somebody who has the knowledge to equate Olodumare with God. The above idea must have informed Soyinka retention of Olodumare in his translation. Hence, none of them is right, and at the same time, no one is wrong, their re­ ligious affiliation influences their translation. It is also noteworthy that while Ajadi adopts transposition of Natural lan­ guage equivalence, Soyinka adopts modulation. Transposition allows switch­ ing of grammatical categories which brings about the mandatory insertion of the article the and the preposition o f to ensure the structure of English lan­ guage and the genitive structure of the Noun Phrase as should be understood UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 242 Clement Odoje from the source text. The submission makes Ajadi’s translation different from mere transliteration (word-for-word translation). Soyinka’s modulations allow for discursive conventions thereby equating a Noun Phrase with a Preposi­ tional Phrase for discourse reasons. The idea behind Igbo Olodumare is never to describe the forest but to give an account of what transpired in the forest. Personalities in Translation Strategy Our personalities have much to do with our thinking and the way we ex­ press our thought (Russell 1953:167). It also shows up in the way we translate. That is why no two people translate the same expression the same way. For ex­ ample, Ajadi and Soyinka translate the Fagunwa expression below differently. two ore mi.oro po, kb ye ki n tile maa so iyokii iponju won-onni fun o ntsinsinyt. Mo rd pe, 6 ye ki n fi iyokii di ola, kb ye ki eniyan se ju ibi ti Olorunfun un ni ipa mo. Ise ti oni to, maa reti mi ni kiitii hai owuro ola. 0 digba o, ki iyawo re fun mi. (Fagunwa 2005:31) You, my friend, there is a lot (more) to say. I will not tell you the rest of those adversities now. I think I will have the rest until tomorrow; it does not behoove a man to do more that God has given him the strength to do. Today’s work is enough; expect me very early tomorrow morning. Good­ bye. Great your wife for me (Ajadi 2005:68) My friend, there is yet an abundance of words. It is not fitting that I nar­ rate the trials that followed at this point. I think I should postpone the rest till tomorrow one should not exceed one’s god-given capabilities. Sufficient unto the day. (Soyinka 2010:43) The two translations seem to reflect the idea of the source text just that the approach differs. Ajadi, being a formal person struggles to present the nat­ ural values of the source text in the target text adopting transposition of the natural equivalence procedure. Iwo ore mi is not rendered as “*You friend my” which will be a complete word-for-word translation rather transposi­ tion which always switching grammatical categories to reflect the structure of the target language as You, my friend. This is regarded as formal equiva­ lence while Soyinka adopts dynamic equivalence. Gutt (1991) calls the kind of Soyinka’s translation “interpretative resemblance” (see Pym 2010:35). He . regards language as a very weak representation of meaning, no more than a set of “communicative clues” that receivers have to interpret. This is in UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY line with Grice (1975) concept of implicature (see Pym 2010:35). The basic idea of implicature is that we do not communicate by language alone, but by the relation between language and context. Pym (2010) explains that implicature is operating through various maxims and the maxim adopted by Soyinka, in this case, is “Maxim of quantity”. Maxim of quantity gives no more and no less information to the audience than needed for full un­ derstanding of the intended message. For example, maa reti mi ni kiitu hai dwuro ola. O digba o, ki iyawo re fun mi is missing in the Soyinka’s trans­ lation because Soyinka is only providing the needed information making the translation to be what Schleiermacher called foreignizing translation. Foreignizing translation is moving the reader to the author as against do­ mesticating translation which is moving the author to the reader. Hence, the unrepentant cultural salutation of Yoruba is removed emphasizing per­ haps the culture of the reader as against the culture of the author. Their translation styles influence the sense in their translation, and there is no ambiguity whatsoever in both the source and the translations as Gba- degesin (2017) insinuate. Losan-an gangan ijosi, nigbd ti mo jeun eekeji tan, mo kurd ni ile mi, mo bo si eh'in odi, mo gun ori apata nld kan lo, nigbd ti mo si de oke lohiin-un tan, mo bo si abe igi kan ti 6 hu si ori apata, mo jokoo, mo le gongo, beeni ddriin naa mu gidigidi, ara omo araye gbona bi ikoki elubo, oogiin bo ara gbogbo eniyan, afi bi eni pe won bu omi si ara ni, emi naa bo a$o ara mi sile, dfi sdkdtd 16 ku si idi mi, emi ti mo ti de fila mi siwaju kongo, mo si fila kurd ni atari, ategiin aladfid si rtfesi mi ni ipako... Fagunwa (2005:1) Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbo 243 It was on a sweltering afternoon after I had eaten the second meal of the day that I left my house and strolled to the outside of the city wall. I climbed to the top of a huge rock: when I reached the top (of the rock), I sat down under a tree that grew there, hugging my legs to my chest. The sun was scourging hot indeed; human bodies were as hot as heated yam flour, sweat soaked all the children of the world as if they had poured water on themselves. I, who had titled my cap pointedly towards my forehead, took my cap off the crown of my head, and the peaceful air was blowing across my head. I also took off my clothes, except my pants which remained on my buttocks... (Ajadi 2005:41) One bright afternoon a long while past, after I had launched, I left my home, strolled outside the fence of my compound and climbed on a huge UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 244 Clement Odoje rock. Arrived at the top, I sat in the shade of a tree that covered the rock, perched like the lord of all he surveyed, even as the sun beat down relent­ lessly and humanity heated up like the pot of yam flour, sweat oozing from every human pore, so that the only relief could come from dousing one­ self in cold water. Even I tossed off my clothing, leaving only my shorts to cover my buttocks. I who had earlier donned a cloth cap cocked its pouch stylishly over the forehead, was forced to toss the covering from my skull. Now the breeze of well-being caressed my occiput (Soyinka 2010: 3) The bolded parts (emphasis is ours) are queried by Gbadegesin (2010) in his analysis. He opines that lunch is preferred to the second meal which is disambiguated by Fagunwa’s opening remark Losan-an gangan. He remarks that Ajadi’s translation would be problematic for a culture of four meals per day. Gbadegesin failed to realise that Ajadi adopts an overt form of translation which allows the reader to have a feeling that what they are reading is a trans­ lation of a text as against Soyinka’s style (Covert style of translation). If one has to read Soyinka’s translation without pre-knowledge that it is a transla­ tion, one will not have an inclination that it is a translation. It is also notewor­ thy to state that difference in culture becomes a problem for the translators in translating ehin odi, mo legohgo and ategim aladfid. Naturally, odi has the value of city wall hence ehin odi will connote after the city wall. Fagunwa in his narration did not specify how close is the narrator’s house to the city wall. This may influence Soyinka’s translation as “Outside the fence of my com­ pound” since he has adopted dynamic equivalence all along as against Ajadi who stay glued to the source text hence his translation as “the outside of the city wall. The breeze of well-being and peaceful air” is another struggle of the translators to translate ategim aladfia. It is judgmental to say one translation is better to others without looking at the personality and style of translation adopted. In fact, Ajadi’s translation would be preferred by some than the al­ ternative Gbadegesin provided as gentle breeze. Personality in the Preservation of Aesthetics of the Source Language One of the responsibilities of a translator is to present a translation of a source language with its aesthetics. Both translators tried their best in the preservation linguistic aesthetics in Fagunwa’s writing however, some of them get lost during the translation process (Odoje 2017:4). For example, Akara-oogun narrates an incidence during his father’s fight with the Igbo Olodumare’s gatekeeper thus: ...«/' won ti te gohgo mo oju ilii ... (Fagunwa 2005b:38). UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY In the translations, it was observed that the poetic beauty in the source language is quite lacking in the translated equivalence where Ajadi and Soy­ inka try to ensure they employ appropriate language to represent the aesthetic features in the Yoruba text: “They began to intensify their praise drum ­ ming” (Ajadi 2005:75) / “Drumsticks dug into drumskin, intoning” (Soyinka 2010:53). Gongp/drumstick is missing in Ajadi’s translation while oju i/w/face of the drum is missing in the Soyinka’s translation. Making their translation not to be faithful to the source language if we have to consider natural equivalence theory of translation. Hence, we provide a translation like the below that is faithful to the source text: “They began to intensify drumstick into the face of the drum.” Irrespective of their personalities which inform their approach to translation, it should be stated that both Ajadi and Soyinka can be catego­ rized as an upper zone of Oyeleye (1995:365)’s scale of Bilingualism. Upper zone bilinguals are sophisticated writers who exhibit variation depending on their control of the registers of the language. The previous situation is revealed in their translation of the sentence below: Gba eleyiujeun daadaa, ma §eje ki inu run o, oko kii ju oko lo. (Fagunwa 2005b:27) Translators’ Personality in the Translations of D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbd 145 Take this, eat very well, and try to avoid stomach ache; one husband does not surpass the other (Ajadi 2005:73-74) Take this, eat soundly, don’t let anything upset your stomach, no husband is more treasured than another.” (Soyinka 2010:51) It is observed that their expressions may be different yet both expressed same register in the language. None of them translated jeun, inu, and oko dif­ ferently. Even, in a situation where they express different words, such words are synonymous, e.g., daadaa is translated as very well and soundly, and stomach ache and stomach upset connote the same sense. Different expres­ sions, however, is traceable to their personality which largely inform their ap­ proaches to translation. Conclusion There are so many ideas that run through the mind of a translator. Appar­ ently, such translator cannot run away from the purpose and audience of his translation. However, in his translation, his personality highly influence his approach. Ajadi’s translation happened to be his Ph.D. thesis. A Ph.D. work UNIV ERSIT Y O F IB ADAN L IB RARY 246 Clement Odoje is a formal document which must be writing formally. Besides that, Ajadi is a gospel minister who might want to employ simple language for the simplic­ ity of his message. Above all, he aimed to translate Fagunwa’s work the way Fagunwa presented it which informs is natural equivalence approach. He uti­ lized an open form of translation, domesticating the translation; allowing the reader enjoy the peculiar literary prowess of Fagunwa in the translation edition. Soyinka, on the other hand, is known for pictorial imagery through com­ plex verbal expressions in his style of writings. Soyinka is motivated to share with the rest of the world verbal pyrotechnics his generation had been weaned and unforgettable characters and musicality in Fagunwa’s books. Soyinka admits that Fagunwa is not an easy writer to translate. The idea may have informed the translator’s approach to translation by adopting dynamic equiv­ alence, covert and foreignizing translation. His religious background also in­ forms his approach finding it difficult to translate Olodumare as God. It is therefore, unfair and judgmental looking at the style and sense of translation without a fair knowledge of the personality of the translator in his translation. More so, translation, itself is an illusion since no two culture and language are the same. Bibliograpghy Adesewo, Adekoya Fagunwa: God and Philosophy. Ilorin: Haytee Press and Publushing Co, Nig. Ltd, 2010. Ajadi, Gabriel The Forest o f God: Annotated Translation of D.O Fagunwa’s Igbo Olodumare. Ilorin: Agbo Areo Publisher, 2005. Gbadegesin, Oluwasegun. “Between Style and Sense: A Critical Appraisal of Soyinka’s and Ajadi’s English Translation of D.O Fagunwa’s Igbo Olodu­ mare.” International Journal of Language and Linguistics. 4.2 (2017): 42-47. 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