Translating Black English: the case of the Italian translations of "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston.

The following dissertation is focused on the translation of Black English analysing the case of the Italian translations of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Naele Hurston. The work is divided in three chapters: the first one regards translation and its problems; the second one is about Black English; and the last one is about the specific case of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Naele Hurston. The first chapter focuses on translation, analysing various aspects such as the different strategies a translator can use, how the translator works, the importance of the Other and how the translator conveys it into the target language. Moreover, the chapter takes into account the works of Eco, and Cavagnoli aiming at underling the importance and the difficulties of the translator’s work which has to think about multiple factors and not just about language itself. The second chapter is focused on Black English starting from its history, how and when it developed, considering also the different ideologies about this language, Moreover, there will be a more concrete analysis that regards grammar, syntax and phonology of this language underling the differences between Black English and Standard American English taking into consideration the works of Green and Rickford. Furthermore, the third chapter analyses the specific case of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Naele Hurston. The chapter firstly discusses how different translators had dealt with the Black English language in literary works and then there will be the analysis of Their Eyes Were Watching God considering how different translators decided to translate both cultural concepts and Black language. The translations taken into account are from Bottini and Prosperi who had dealt with the translation of this book. Finally, the main aim of the dissertation is to underline and understand the importance of the translator’s work who has to consider not just language, but also the culture embraced in the source text. Then the analysis aims at analysing Black English considering both the language and the history behind this specific language; and finally, to understand how the translator moves when he/she deals with a language such Black English which holds culture and history.