Abstract:
Poetry texts are amongst many texts that are said to be challenging to translate. This research analysed the challenges in translating poetry in the book: Wimbo wa Lawino, by Paul Sozigwa (1975). The purpose of this research was first, to investigate the reasons behind the linguistic challenges when translating poetry in the above mentioned book. Secondly, the research also investigated how these linguistic challenges affect language use. Finally it investigated how the language use affect aesthetics in poetry, in the above mentioned book.
The theories used were: The Linguistic theory and the Communication theory. The research design was descriptive analysis. The researcher analysed thirteen poems focusing on the linguistic challenges, language use and aesthetics. The source text was the English text: Song of Lawino by Okot P’ Bitek who wrote Wer Pa Lawino in Acholi, laterhe translated it into English. The target text was the Kiswahili text: Wimbo wa Lawino written by Paul Sozigwa.
The findings revealed that the translator succeeded in maintaining the form of the poem
which was free verse. However, he failed to maintain the structure of verses, stanzas due to the variation of the three languages: Acholi, English and Kiswahili, mistranslation,
overtranslation and undertranslation
