LANGUAGE VARIATION AND CULTURAL NUANCES IN THE TRANSLATION OF ACHEBE’S ARROW OF GOD

Abstract

This study examines the language variation and cultural nuances in the translation of Achebe’s Arrow of God to explore the intricate ways sociolinguistic factors shape the translation of Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God. It is anchored on the objective of evaluating the lexical analysis of Igbo expressions, proverbs, and culturally embedded words in Arrow of God, the discourse analysis of sociolinguistic factors in Arrow of God, and the comparative analysis of translation strategies. Firstly, a lexical analysis identifies and categorizes key Igbo lexemes, proverbs, and idiomatic expressions used throughout the novel. These culturally rich elements are examined for their semantic weight, contextual relevance, and the challenges they pose in translation, especially when rendered into English. Secondly, the study conducts a discourse analysis of sociolinguistic factors embedded in the narrative, such as power dynamics, communal values, and religious tensions, highlighting how these influence language use and translation choices. This part of the analysis draws attention to the interplay between language and identity, particularly in the characterisation of Ezeụlụ and other key figures. Thirdly, a comparative analysis evaluates various translation strategies applied to culturally specific content, including domestication, foreignization, and explicitation. This comparison assesses the effectiveness of each strategy in preserving cultural meaning and achieving communicative equivalence. The findings reveal that successful translation of Arrow of God requires not only linguistic proficiency but deep cultural competence. The study underscores the importance of context-sensitive approaches in literary translation and contributes to the growing discourse on African literature in translation. It concludes by proposing contextually informed translation techniques for Igbo-to-English literary works.