Dr. Angelika Palmegiani
Department of Italian Studies, Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences, Mohammed V University, Morocco
Translation serves as a bridge for cross-cultural communication, enabling dialogue between diverse cultures and fostering mutual understanding when it captures the essence of the original text. Literary translation presents unique opportunities for both the source and target cultures involved: the source text gains new life in a different context, while the target culture engages with new styles, expressions, and perspectives. This dynamic is particularly evident in the translation of Moroccan Zajal poetry into Italian. Zajal, a poetic form rooted in Moroccan oral traditions, features themes like love, nature, and social commentary expressed through dialectal and rhythmic nuances specific to its cultural milieu. Translating Zajal into Italian involves addressing differences in linguistic, cultural, and poetic contexts. This study examines key challenges, including the necessity to maintain linguistic richness and cultural subtleties while ensuring readability and poetic integrity. Through a comparative analysis of selected poems by Abdelkrim Mahi and their Italian translations, this paper highlights strategies for effective cross-cultural translation, emphasizing cultural sensitivity and linguistic fidelity.
Keywords: Abdelkarim Mahi, Moroccan Zajal Poetry, Literary Translation, Cross-Cultural Communication, Translation Challenges, Cultural Sensitivity
The above abstract is a part of the article which was accepted at The 10th International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, Translation and Literature (WWW.TLLL.IR), 1-2 February 2025, Ahwaz.
