Week 9 Translation

This antiracism poster is approximately 20-30 years old and there are problems I have
identified with its English translation:

1. Who is the Target Audience? As the poster is contextual to an Italian audience, is the
target audience English speakers living in or visiting Italy or an Australian target
audience? The TT will be quite different depending on the specific English-speaking
TA. Canada and Australia may be somewhat equivalent given the embrace of
multiculturalism in both countries.
I will however assume that the TA is an Australian audience and having researched a
range of antiracism campaigns rolled out over the years, there is no reference to
multiracialism. Australia has had an official stance of embracing multiculturalism since
the 1970s, when the White Australia policy, which informed our immigration policies,
was abolished. Cultural diversity was supposed to be the centrepiece of immigration and
all ideas of assimilation and integration replaced with multiculturalism.

2. Race is a contested concept and in the Australian context we do not tend to speak of
races of people, rather we refer to culture. There is however serious and systemic
racism experienced by First Nations people and also non-white migrants, which is
easily whipped up by unscrupulous media and some right-wing politicians.
3. The Italian context is quite different with recent waves of migrants and refugees
from Africa seeking safety and economic security. Unlike Australia, Italy has not been
a state that sought migrants, but has been instead a source of migrants for countries
like Australia, Canada and the US. This relatively recent situation( ie receiving
culturally diverse migrants) has been challenging for Italy, which has lead to a rise in
racist rhetoric and policies towards asylum seekers. Therefore, Prepariamoci a vivere
in una societa’ multiraziale, isn’t as applicable to the TL cultural context, as we’ve
been living (officially) in a multicultural society for 40 years. The ST looks towards an
ideal future in which race is not a determinant of inclusion and while in the
Australian context, there is still discrimination against particular groups, there is an
overarching accepted policy of multiculturalism, as a pillar of national identity.

4. The ST poster photo is beautiful but would better reflect an Australian context by
displaying a range of young people from diverse cultures, including indigenous young
people. I have selected an alternative that reflects Australian cultural diversity.

5. The language of the ST is idealistic and aspirational. Children however can be racist
when they learn racism at home or through the media. The target audience of the ST
is Italian adults, with the message that they must learn from children who naturally
show the way to live without prejudice. The language in the TT should be more
restrained to reflect the cultural context of the TL audience, which is less
demonstrative. The final slogan. No al razzimo. Si alla tolleranza, is also insufficient
as it suggests tolerating diversity rather than including or embracing it.
6. The title, Saranno amici per la pelle in the TL context is not fitting as the TL audience
operates already within a multicultural environment. My replacement such They
are Best friends, better reflects the cultural context in that it is now rather than in an
 imagined future, as in the ST, thus I have replaced the future tense saranno with the
present tense are.What is lost in translation is the play on the words. Per la pelle, is
unsuitable in an Australian context, as it sounds dated,discordant, and inappropriate,
as to be friends with a person because of his or her skin colour would be considered
racist or at least patronising.
I will aim for some degree of Communicative translation as the cultural/political and
historical contexts differ. The main message of children making friends across
cultures, naturally, as a template for an inclusive society is a key idea that must
remain in the TT.

Translation

They are Best Friends

We live in a multicultural society, but have a great deal more to achieve

Before racism and prejudice are consigned to the past.
Our common future demands this of us; it’s not an option.
Children are naturally inclusive,
And they can teach us!
In schools, playgrounds and in sporting clubs they play and make friends,
Across cultures, spontaneously.
They are the future, so let’s look to them and learn.

No to racism, Yes to inclusion.

Details:
 We live in a multicultural society, but we have a great deal more to achieve, reflects
the Australian context of multiculturalism but also that the project has quite a way
to go rather than the literal translation, Let’s get ready to live in a multi racial
society.
 Also, Senza prejiudizi, con naturalezza becomes, before racism and prejudice are
consigned to the past. I have retained the idea of without prejudice but translated ,
Ai bambini di certo L’idea non disturba, as, Children are naturally inclusive,
(hyponymy)and placed it later in the TT
 I have translated Ce lo chiede la storia as Our common future demands this of us,
with particularisation with an emphasis on consigning racism to the past, referring to
the systemic discrimination of people of colour in the not too recent past, and
ongoing. This is reinforced with, Our common future demands this of us, which is
stronger than the idea of history asking it of us.( hyperonymy)
 On the other hand, Che ci piaccia o no ( if we like it or not) is softened, with, it isn’t
an option, which sounds less didactic in the TL. (In the TL the statement , you’ll do it
if you like it or not, is usually expressed in a punitive or threatening manner and thus
not particularly persuasive in an anti -racism campaign.
 I have generalised, Di fronte ad ogni diversità sanno essere spontanei. E
spontaneamente non fanno dell’amicizia una questione di razza, religione o colore
as,Children are naturally inclusive , And they can teach us! As it is clearly not the case
that children spontaneously make friends with other children from all diverse
 groups. For example, it is evident that children with intellectual disabilities are often
excluded. In the current TL context, “race, religion and colour “is dated as it would
be considered inappropriate to explicitly name them as markers of identity. Instead,
we adopt the general word, diversity to describe different cultures and attributes.
 I have maintained the idea of children from diverse cultures making friends but
localised, nei cortili , per le strade, ( Australian children don’t generally play on the
street or in courtyards) but rather in playgrounds and sporting clubs.

They Are Best Friends

Kids in school uniform ( Australian )