THE PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATION AND LOCALISATION OF GENDER MARKERS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE ON THE EXAMPLE OF “THE JUNGLE BOOK” BY R. KIPLING

Abstract. The current discourse surrounding translation is often complicated by a phenomenon known as gender marking. Before the 21st century, this concept had never come under so much scrutiny. An accurate treatment of gender in translation assures that the reader will interpret it as the author meant for it to be interpreted. It is practically impossible to avoid gender-marked words, which makes this subject highly relevant today.

Very often in their careers, translators must face the problem of rendering the gender identity of fictional characters. Many resort to literal translation, which could have a serious bearing on readers’ perception and thus be at odds with the author’s original intent. In a significant portion of these cases, proper localisation of gender labelling is required.

To date, the subject of translation as a whole has been extensively researched and formalized. Nevertheless, not enough focus has been placed on the phenomenon of gender marking, — especially in the area of localisation. This notion is vital, considering that the concept of gender in translation is gaining momentum with researchers in the field. The need to properly address the translation and localisation of gender-marked words in English constitutes the relevance and practical application of this study.

For the purposes of this study, a survey was conducted in which participants were asked to answer questions regarding their understanding of gender as well as choose from among several translations and provide an explanation for their choice.

The objective of this research is to analyze methods used in translating English literature. “The Jungle Book” by J.R. Kipling was used to highlight the importance of continuity in translation by demonstrating that the choice of strategy is not always determined by the established norms.

As a result of this investigation, the following has been concluded:

1. The phenomenon of gender marking has not yet been fully explored in the discourse of translation;

2. The mistranslation of gender-marked words must be avoided as it may alter readers’ perception of the narrative;

3. The preferred method for translating and localising a given work of fiction may be dictated by the translation tradition, rather than present-day circumstances.

Keywords: gender marking, gender marked words, gender, English language, English literature, translation, localisation