Translating African Names in Fiction

Isaiah Bariki

Department Of French

University Of Ilorin

The paper addresses the translation of African personal names in fiction with specific reference to names or naming among the Yorubas and Izons of Nigeria and Akans of Ghana. Drawing inspiration from linguistic anthropology, it emphasizes the non arbitrary nature of African names and highlights a variety of sociocultural and ethno-pragmatic functions and meanings which necessitate that personal names should, depending on the text (e.g allegorical texts) and context, be translated in the interest of the target text reader. Examples are drawn from real life and fictional but plausible situations and Yoruba texts to buttress the points.

Key words: Personal names; African; sociocultural functions; translation