This article explores the concepts of voice and ventriloquism in translation through examining Finnish translations of Anglophone Caribbean novels. Four novels and their Finnish translations are discussed with focus on the translation of proverbs and references to Caribbean oral tradition. The translator’s own voice and the voices of other agents participating in the translation process become manifest both in the translation itself and in contextual materials related to the translation. The literary translator can be seen to act as the mouthpiece for a multitude of agents in addition to the author of the original work. The concept of ventriloquism can help shed light on the complex ways in which different voices can interact within the translation process and the ways in which translators must make choices on which voices to give precedence in the translated text. © 2021 Intellect Ltd.
Author keywords
Caribbean literature; Oral tradition; Representation; Translation; Ventriloquism; Voice