Έλληνες ποιητές ως μεταφραστές: η περίπτωση του Αριστοτέλη Νικολαΐδη και η μετάφραση της Έρημης Χώρας του Τ. Σ. Έλιοτ

Abstract

Poetry translation, possibly the most debated form of translation, has been an important subject of discourse in Greece, especially since the 19th century, when significant Greek poets started translating poetical works into Modern Greek. The aim of this paper is to briefly present the work of Aristotelis Nikolaidis as poet-translator. Taking into consideration the fact that his translation of Eliot’s Collected Poems, 1909-1962 has been largely ignored, remaining thus unknown to the wider public, an attempt is made to explore aspects of his translation practice and, more importantly, his viewpoints on translation that reveal his true interest in its theoretical and practical problems. To this end, the paper examines Nikolaidis’ translation of The Waste Land within DTS, focusing on some of his microlevel choices and, especially, on syntax and grammar. The evaluation of the target-text based on the shifts witnessed is not part of the study carried out; instead, the ultimate goal is to examine the effect of the poet’s beliefs on his translation choices and, by extent, the relationship between translation theory and practice. Finally, the paper aspires at stressing the important role of poetry translation in Modern Greek literature, pinpointing the need for a systematic study of the translations produced by Greek poets over the last two centuries.