Transposition of Registers from Sinhalese into English: With Reference to ‘Madol Doova’ by Martin Wickramasinghe and Its English Translation by Ashely Halpe

The process of translation has integrated with many linguistic features immensely in literary translation. According to Catford (1965), translation is the replacement of textual material in one language (SL) by equivalent textual material in another language (TL). When translating literary texts, translators have to deal with different language registers which function as special usages of language in different circumstances. Registers can occur within both written and spoken varieties. While nourishing the language with various types of patterns, registers make the translator’s task more difficult. The selected Martin Wickramasinghe’s novel Madol Doova, has been consummated by using different types of registers as an ancient indigenous novel. The main aim of this case study was to discuss the methods employed by the translator to overcome the untranslatability in register translation. In this regard, Madol Doova and its English translation, were comparatively studied with special reference to the registers in the spoken context. Theoretical reading materials related to the concept of registers and translation methods were also referred. In conclusion of this case study, it was found that the registers under the categories of Frozen, Formal, Consultative, Casual, and Intimate which refers to the Source Text (ST) have been translated by using the methods of Borrowing, Calque, Literal Translation, Equivalence, Adaptation, Modulation, and Transposition to overcome the issue of untranslatability and to be applicable to the Target Text (TT). Further, in addition to the above-mentioned translation methods the translator has used the method of omission where the issue of untranslatability occurred. However, it was observed that in some points there were some inappropriate translations which could not give the SL author’s expected meaning.