Cultural Colouration and Implication of Translating Onomastic construction of Nigerian Proper Names

Abstract

Translating Nigerian proper names from Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages into English is a daunting task to literary translators. This is due to linguistic and cultural complexities of the meaning of such names. The present study uses the three main ethnic groups in Nigeria: Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa as a case study. The objectives of the study are to: assess whether the naming practices are similar across Nigeria’s ethnicities, highlight factors that affect the interpretation of the names identified, and analyze what such names imply in the cultural beliefs of the people that use them both within Nigeria and beyond. The study adopts the operational framework of
translation procedures developed by Vinay and Darbelnet (1995) as its methodology. The data of the study consists of assorted Nigerian proper names from the three ethnic groups in the country. The data are analyzed from the perspective of historical and cultural approach. The paper reveals how Nigerians value their world of culture and language by illustrating their onomastic essence
and cultural liberty of the people. The paper concludes that translation of Nigerian proper names should be carried out with adequate knowledge of Nigerian languages and culture.