Translating Le coup de la girafe: A Register Analysis of Fictional Orality

Abstract

This thesis examines fictional orality through the lens of register theory, and the application of these concepts in translation. Fictional orality is created by the intersection of two registers that are quite distinct in some languages and cultures: the more formal, written literary register, and the informal, spoken register. This results in an entirely new hybrid register, which seeks to balance the spontaneous, informal language of natural speech with the conventions of formal, written language. I aim to explore this hybrid register in my translation of Le coup de la girafe by Camille Bouchard. The story is told in a first-person, present-tense narration, so fictional orality is ubiquitous in the novella, and it is an excellent text to use for this purpose. In this thesis, I first lay out the theoretical framework for my translation by delving into register theory and fictional orality, and how these notions have been adapted to translation studies. Then, drawing on this framework, I discuss how I applied these concepts in my approach to the translation of Le coup de la girafe, using specific examples from the text. After this, I conclude by presenting the translation itself.