Realistic dystopia: translating fictional realia

Abstract

The article discusses the translation of fictional realia motivated by non-fictional lexical units (as opposed to neologisms coined by writers of fiction). Fictional realia are understood as a special kind of lexical units that denote objects, concepts, and phenomena specific to a fictional world. The article attempts to draw connections between the degree of realism of a fictional world and the number of fictional realia motivated by non-fictional lexical units that are present in the text. Motivation by non-fictional lexical units is seen as a condition which makes it possible to translate fictional realia using ready-made equivalents. However, it is argued that the possibility to translate realia using the aforementioned equivalents does not make the translator’s task any easier. Conversely, this condition can present an obstacle, since the most obvious translation is not necessarily the most precise one. Translation of this kind of fictional realia involves a deep understanding of the role that a particular unit plays in the context of its fictional world. “Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro, which can be considered an example of a realistic dystopian novel, is used as the material for the study.

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