What Makes Tushman Funny? The Polish Version of the Young Adult Novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio as an Example of Fair Translation

Abstract

Fair translation is one that results in producing a target text that is likely to evoke a reaction similar to that elicited by the source text among its readers. The translator’s goal is to provide the readers of the translated version with the stimuli as close to that of the original as possible. To ensure that, the translator must be free to use every solution they find appropriate on micro- and macrolevel. Olejniczak-Skarsgård’s Polish translation of the young adult novel Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a good example of such rendition. A number of translation challenges was dealt with by very diverse translation strategies. Combining approaches resulted in a readable target text that has the potential to provoke the same reaction as the original. This analysis can be followed by empirical studies regarding young readers’ reception of paratextual additions.