JoLIE 18:1/2025

 

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Literary Translation and Deviation from Naturalness

 

 

Andra-Iulia UrsaA green circle with white letters AI-generated content may be incorrect.

1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba-Iulia

 

 

 

Abstract

 

This paper explores translation issues in the Romanian version of the novel As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow (2022) by Zoulfa Katouh, translated as Atunci când înfloresc lămâii and published by Bookzone in 2023. Literary translation functions not only as a linguistic and cultural exchange but also as a market-oriented product shaped by a collaborative effort involving not just the translator, but also editors, reviewers, and other publishing professionals who refine the text to ensure it resonates with the target audience and meets commercial expectations. Within this context, naturalness in translation means that the target text reads smoothly, follows the typical grammar, vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions of the language, and does not appear constrained by the structure of the source text. Using the American Translators Association’s 2017 error categorisation framework, the study identifies specific types of errors that hinder readability in the Romanian version. For a broader perspective, it also looks at the French translation released by Éditions Nathan (SEJER) in 2023, examining whether similar issues occur or whether the French version demonstrates a higher level of natural flow. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions about how we evaluate translation quality and underscore the challenges involved in preserving fluency when conveying meaning between languages.

 

Keywords: Literary translation; Translation errors; Readability; Naturalness; Translation quality assessment.

 

 

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How to cite this article: Ursa, A. (2025). Literary translation and deviation from naturalness. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 18(1), 169–190. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2025.18.1.9

 

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