Francophone Dynamics in a Translated Canada From the Margins to the Centre and Back

Abstract

This paper examines French Acadian literature's at times conflicted relationship with the target language, English, the other official language of New Brunswick. A broad survey of Acadian literature since 1960 is punctuated with brief discussions of selected works in their sociopolitical context of production. Translations of these works can be placed variously on a continuum that ranges from extremes of vertical to horizontal translation. At one extreme, vertical translation homogenises a fractured identity into the dominant language through annexation. Alternatively, at the foreignising extreme, a translator may opt for a horizontal, minoritising, translation strategy in an effort to decentre the traditional power relationship between the two cultures. This paper gives an overview introduction to these strategies used to translate Acadian literature.