Examples of Absolute Universalization…

Western languages, it can be argued that the translator applies limited universalization in this example.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 3:

 Nature and expectations of potential readers: It is possible that in this example the translator deems that a CSI which denotes a specific criminal action in the U.S. laws would be unfamiliar to Turkish players and replaces it with a less specific term which conveys the nature of the action and still belongs to the source culture, applying limited universalization.

It can be seen that “bedlamites” is translated into Turkish as “deliler”.

“Bedlamite” is a British English word meaning “an insane person” or “a lunatic”.

The word is used in reference to the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem, colloquially referred to as Bedlam, an old mental asylum in London (Bedlamite, n.d., p. 1). It is a CSI that belongs to the British culture.

Deliler, on the other hand, is a Turkish word simply meaning “mad men” or

“lunatics” with no colloquialism or connotations. It can be observed that the translator has applied absolute universalization in this translation.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 1:

 Nature and expectations of potential readers: As explained above,

“bedlamite” is a CSI that belongs to the British culture and it would not be recognizable for the Turkish audience. Thus, the translator applies absolute universalization and uses the literal translation of the term that the source language CSI refers to.

Example 2

Game: Infamous: Second Son – Chapter 1: Powers

Context: Delsin notices that his brother is approaching while he is drawing graffiti and plans his escape.

Source Text Target Text

Delsin: Ah, party at the longhouse. Just gotta get there, mingle, establish an alibi.

I'm a goddamn criminal mastermind.

Delsin: Kulübede parti varmış. Oraya gidip aralarına karışırım, bir mazeret uydururum. Tam suç dehasıyım anasını satayım.

It can be observed that “longhouse” is translated into Turkish as “kulübe”. A longhouse is a type of central building in a town or settlement, which is

observed in several cultures since ancient times (Longhouse, n.d., p. 1). In this context, it refers to a Native American longhouse, more specifically, a longhouse of the Akomish, which is Delsin’s fictional tribe in the game. This CSI belongs to the source (American) culture. “Kulübe” is a Turkish word meaning

“cabin” or “hut”. It has no connotations or a specific meaning as a term. The translator applies absolute universalization in this translation.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 2:

 Nature and expectations of potential readers: The Native American culture is a foreign one to Turkish people and the Turkish language does not have words for specific Native American dwellings; thus, the translator chooses to apply absolute universalization to convey the function of the term that the source language CSI refers to.

Example 3

Game: The Last of Us – Washington D.C.

Context: Joel finds out that he needs to take Ellie to a group of people he does not know as a “cargo”.

Source Text Target Text

Tess: Look, just take her to the north tunnel and wait for me there.

Joel: Jesus Christ.

Tess: She’s just cargo, Joel.

Tess: Bak, onu kuzeydeki tünele götür ve beni bekle yeter.

Joel: Yüce tanrım.

Tess: O sadece bir kargo, Joel.

It can be observed that “Jesus Christ” is translated into Turkish as “yüce tanrım”. “Jesus Christ” is a widely used English exclamation that can denote a range of expressions such as surprise, anger or displeasure. It refers to Jesus of Nazareth, the central figure in Christianity who is believed to be “God in the

Flesh” by some believers (Butler, n.d., p. 1). This CSI belongs to the source (Anglo-American) culture. It is translated into Turkish as “yüce tanrım”, which can mean “good god” or “oh my god”. However, it does not refer to a specific god and it can be used to refer to any deity in any religion. The translator removes the Christian reference in this example and applies absolute universalization.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 3:

 Nature and expectations of potential readers: Since the majority of the Turkish population believes in Islam, the translator may have chosen to remove the Christian reference for the expression to sound more familiar to the Turkish audience.

Example 4

Game: The Last of Us – Washington D.C.

Context: Joel finds out that he needs to take Ellie to a group of people he does not know as a “cargo”.

Source Text Target Text

Joel: Hey, we’re smuggling her?

Marlene: There’s a crew of Fireflies that’ll meet you at the Capitol Building.

Joel: Hey, kızı mı kaçırıyoruz?

Marlene: Sizinle Hükümet Binası’nda buluşlacak bir Ateş Böcekleri tayfası olacak.

It can be seen that “Capitol Building” is translated into Turkish as “Hükümet Binası”. The Capitol Building is the building that the “United States Senate and the House of Representatives come together to discuss, debate and deliberate national policy; develop consensus; and craft the country's laws” (U.S. Capitol Building, 2015, p. 1). It is the home of American legislation. This term is an

American CSI. It is translated into Turkish as “Hükümet Binası”, which means

“government building” in Turkish. There is not a “Hükümet Binası” in the Turkish legislative system and it can be considered to be a general term. Thus, the translator applies absolute universalization in this example.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 4:

 Relevance: In this example, the term “Capitol Building” is not crucial to convey the context and it is only used as a location in the game.

Therefore, the translator may have deemed that the absolute universalization strategy would be suitable in the translation of this CSI.

Example 5

Game: Killzone: Shadowfall – Chapter 5

Context: Kellan’s commander Sinclair congragulates him for achieving the goal of the operation.

Source Text Target Text

Kellan: Pulsar 1-8, Tyran’s dead. Repeat, Tyran is dead.

Sinclair: Copy that 1-8, I knew I could count on you. Get yourself to the extraction site, now.

Kellan: Pulsar 1-8, Tyran öldü. Tekrar ediyorum, Tyran öldü.

Sinclair: Anlaşıldı 1-8, başaracağını biliyordum. Tahliye bölgesine ilerle.

It can be observed that the sentence “I knew I could count on you” is translated into Turkish as “Başaracağını biliyordum”. To “count on someone”, in informal speech, means to “have faith or trust in someone to do something”. It is a CSI that belongs to the American culture.

The translation of the sentence, “Başaracağını biliyordum”, simply means “I knew that you would succeed” in the Turkish language, without any informality.

The translator applies absolute universalization in this translation.

Possible explanatory variables of the translator’s choice in Example 5:

 Nature and expectations of potential readers: The translator removes the colloquialism from this example by employing the absolute universalization strategy; thus, he/she translates the sentence in a way that would feel more familiar for the Turkish audience.