Abstract
ANALYSIS OF THE EQUIVALENCE LEVELS OF NATURE METAPHORS IN THE TURKISH TRANSLATION OF DANIEL KEHLMANN'S NOVEL THE MEASUREMENT OF THE WORLD
Abstract: The dynamic equivalence of nature metaphors in the source language often results in an incomplete preservation of the work’s originality and aesthetic value during their transfer into the target language. This inadequacy leads to the insufficient representation of cultural and aesthetic elements in the translation process, thereby hindering readers from perceiving the metaphors that reflect the characters' scientific and intellectual pursuits with the same depth. This study aims to determine the semantic and structural equivalence of the Turkish translation of nature metaphors in Die Vermessung der Welt (Measuring the World), a German author Daniel Kehlmann novel. Using a non-probability sampling method, over 100 nature metaphors identified in the original German text were reduced to a sample of 20 for detailed analysis. These selected metaphors were systematically tabulated in both languages to assess their structural and semantic properties. The data obtained were analyzed within the frameworks of Nida’s Equivalence Theory and Vermeer’s Skopos Theory of Translation. The findings indicate that the dynamic equivalence approach used in translating nature metaphors hindered the adequate transfer of certain unique elements inherent to the German language and culture into the target text. Consequently, this resulted in some inevitable aesthetic losses. Furthermore, observed that the nature metaphors in Kehlmann's work are not merely linguistic tools but critical elements symbolizing the characters’ scientific and intellectual endeavors. The study emphasizes the necessity of transcending linguistic equivalence to preserve aesthetic and cultural aspects in translating such metaphors.
Keywords
Keywords: German, Turkish, nature metaphors, equivalence in translation