The role of literary translators in the West Indian literary field and the importance of Creole

Abstract

Stemming from the belief in both the potential transformative power of art and the intellectual’s role in social struggles, this article foregrounds the figure of the literary translator as an intellectual that holds the potential to contribute to the advancement of Caribbean narratives through his or her ethically and politically motivated translations. The article uses Pierre Bourdieu’s theorizing to emphasize on the necessarily collaborative nature of the role of literary translators of West Indian literature. Furthermore, since most frequently than not Creole languages are an integral part of West Indian texts, this article pinpoints the translator’s ability to both discern and understand Creole as a crucial aspect for translations to be engaged and participate in regional ideological struggles.