The challenges of translating fantasy for young adults: a translation proposal of Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

This dissertation aims to explore the translation process and its issues when dealing with literary texts. In particular, it lingers on the challenges of fantasy books in translation addressed to the specific audience targeted as young adults. In order to achieve this purpose, a translation from English into Italian of some chapters of the book Born at Midnight written by C.C. Hunter is proposed. The first chapter of this thesis reports the translation theory regarding literary works, prose works, the audience of young adults and the fantasy genre. It faces the difficulties that can be found during the translation of this type of text; for example, the translation of proper names, idioms and word plays, swear words or register. Lastly, it stresses the importance of cohesion as it influences how the text flows and readers’ perception. The second chapter contains a translation proposal of the selected chapters of the novel previously mentioned. In the last chapter, the translation presented in Chapter Two is analyzed and related to the theory shown in the first chapter. It points out the strategies used to solve the different challenges encountered throughout the translation process.