The American philosopher Saul Kripke, in the 1980s, during his lectures at Princeton University (what would later become a book entitled Naming and Necessity), mentioned that naming things is a requirement of language itself.
But the situation becomes more complex when a name acquires an individual, arbitrary, and apparently meaningless value, when we assign a proper name to something, somewhere, or someone.
So, do we need to translate proper names from one language to another? In theory, no, because it is a very individual quality of each language. However, we observe that this is not the practice case, which is what we will discuss in this article.
Common dilemmas: names that carry meaning vs. names that only designate
Strictly speaking, translations are not always needed for names. But sometimes they do need it (or they receive a translation for several reasons). They are a unique identity mark strongly linked to a language, a culture, a geographical region, or a historical moment. However, sometimes such names get translated:
● Names that carry meaning. Some names are recognizable nouns, such as “Hope” (for people) or “Evergreen” (for cities). Beyond the name, they lend themselves to traditions because they also carry a semantic charge.
● Names that only designate. Some names, although they may also fit the above pattern, are more intransigent and simply serve as a phonetic or written reference, hardly modifiable. Such as “Tanaka” (for people in Japanese) or “X-1247” (an arbitrary numerical code).
Examples from literature: biblical names, historical figures, fictional characters
You will see that the politicization of certain historical leaks, the cultural appropriation of particular axes of power, or market decisions sometimes lead to translations.
Let’s take religion as an example. The name of Jesus of Nazareth was Yeshua in Hebrew, whereas in other languages, it differs. The reason? You’ll find it in its religious significance.
Guidelines: when to translate a name, when to keep it, when to adapt it
Not all texts translate names. But sometimes you will have to translate. And what determines this apparent arbitrariness?
● When to translate a name. When the name is descriptive or functional. For example, “The White House” (English) to “La Casa Blanca” (Spanish).
● When to keep it. When it carries a popular identity or values. For example, “Rio de Janeiro” (Portuguese) instead of “River of January” (non-existent English version).
● When to adapt it. For marketing reasons, phonetic differences or alliterations. For example, from “Scrooge McDuck” (comic book character) to “Tio Rico” (Latin America).
Classic examples of names and translations
As we have mentioned, in some cases, the decision on whether to translate names (or not) seems arbitrary.
For example, “Karl Marx” (the German philosopher) in many texts of literary analysis and criticism in Spanish has been translated as “Carlos Marx”.
“Margaret Thatcher” (British stateswoman), on the other hand, is popularly known by her name, with no translations.
“Joan of Arc” (a historical figure) is commonly known in Spanish as “Juana de Arco”, and originally referred to by her French nickname, “Jeanne d’Arc”.
“Harry Potter” (a book character), typically, you will never find his name translated. It is as it is. Why? Probably for marketing and advertising reasons.
How these choices impact the reader’s experience and cultural understanding
However, behind this arbitrariness, we sometimes find various reasons that explain the translation of such names. This is because translation sometimes gives a certain sense of proximity or familiarity with the speaker of a language.
Communication is the ultimate goal behind translation, and that is why the understanding and practical use of the language prevails over the originality of the names. Translation, in many cases, prioritizes the local and cultural significance of words over the symbolic value of foreign words.
Human judgment, cultural awareness
There is no good translation without cultural awareness. At Cgc Translation, we are entirely focused on proper localization and understanding the use of language in different countries around the world.
Proper names are often susceptible to translation. While a name is pronounced in its original form in some countries, in others, the reality is different. That is why we have language specialists who review these details to offer the best version of our texts, ensuring quality and excellence.
