Recreating Orality: Cultural and Performative Aspects in Lebbady’s Translation of Moroccan Folktales into English

Abstract

This article investigates the translation of the cultural and performative aspects in one Moroccan folktale, “Aisha the Carpenter’s Daughter”, translated into English by Hasna Lebbady. Using a descriptive analytical framework, this article sheds light on the translation strategies employed to render the cultural and performative aspects of Moroccan folktales. The findings of this article show that Lebbady, as a Moroccan translator, highlights eight Moroccan cultural aspects in the folktale, where transliteration is extensively used. Additionally, orality is intensified by transcreating the opening and closing formulae, rhythmic verbal exchanges between characters, and instances of dialogue. The article demonstrates that preserving both the cultural and performative aspects not only captures the source culture and transmits a story but also recreates the orality and performability of the translated folktale.