Język niebinarny jako wyzwanie translatorskie na przykładzie polskiego tłumaczenia powieści Bernardine Evaristo pt. Girl, Woman, Other

Abstract

NON-BINARY LANGUAGE AS A TRANSLATION CHALLENGE. THE CASE OF THE POLISH TRANSLATION OF BERNARDINE EVARISTO’S NOVEL GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER Translating non-binary language has been one of the major challenges for Polish translators in recent years. At present, various strategies are employed to neutralise the binary gender opposition in Polish. Some of them fit into the existing linguistic system, while others are completely innovative. The solutions range from using gender-neutral expressions (e.g. constructions involving the noun osoba ‘a person’ modified by an adjective or participle or the use of impersonal forms) to coining special forms for non-binary persons (e.g. nouns of neuter gender). The aim of this article is to analyse the non-binary language solutions adopted by Aga Zano in her translation of Bernardine Evaristo’s novel Girl, Woman, Other. The study shows that the translator employs a number of linguistic markers of non-binariness, which, in line with her aim, reflects the linguistic reality of our time. In the case of pronouns and verbs referring to the non-binary character of Morgan, the translator uses the neuter gender. She also creates innovative neutral forms of nouns that describe this person.

Keywords

• literary translation
• non-binary language
• language and gender
• inclusive language
• Bernardine Evaristo