Syntactic Norms in Finnish Children's Literature

Tiina Puurtinen
University of Joensuu Savonlinna School of Translation Studies
Abstract

Owing to children's developing reading skills and world knowledge, readability (comprehensibility as well as speakability) can be regarded as an important requirement of children's literature. This article focusses on one determinant of readability, the frequency of nonflnite constructions in children's books both originally written in Finnish and translated from English into Finnish. A high frequency of complex nonfinite constructions is likely to have a negative effect on readability, and consequently they might be expected to occur relatively infrequently both in original and in translated children's literature. A quantitative study of a large number of children's books shows that Finnish originals have indeed tended to favour finiteness, whereas translations show a higher degree of non-finiteness. The translations thus fail to conform to one of the syntactic norms of the receiving literature. The article discusses potential reasons for this syntactic difference, considers the possibility of the existence of different sets of norms for translated and originally Finnish children's books, and speculates upon the innovatory influence of translations.

Table of contents

The content and language of children's books reflect the culture-specific notions of what is "good" and suitable for children in general, and what is an appropriate level of difficulty for a particular age group. Both in the writing and in the translation of children's literature readability is a major consideration, as the text's level of difficulty is likely to be adjusted to the comprehension and reading abilities, and world knowledge of the potential readers with a view to providing children with pleasant and interesting texts, which encourage them to continue reading. Readability is normally defined as comprehensibility or ease of reading determined by the degree of linguistic difficulty of the text; in the present article the concept is also understood to cover speakability (the term from Snell-Hornby 1988: 35), i.e. the suitability of a text to be read aloud. The readability of children's literature varies in accordance with, among other things, society's predominant view on the primary function of children's literature—as entertainment and recreation or as a tool for education—the age and reading skills of the intended audience of a particular book, and the linguistic norms and conventions of literature in general and children's literature in particular—such as the requirement of "literary style" (as in Hebrew children's literature; see B. Even-Zohar 1992, Shavit 1981: 177) or common everyday language.

Full-text access is restricted to subscribers. Log in to obtain additional credentials. For subscription information see Subscription & Price. Direct PDF access to this article can be purchased through our e-platform.

[ p. 333 ]References

Baum, L. Frank
1977 Ozin velho, tr.Kersti Juva. Helsinki: Otava.Google Scholar
1977 Oz-maan taikuri, tr.Marja Helanen-Ahtola. Hämeenlinna: Karisto.Google Scholar
1982 (1900). The Wizard of Oz. New York: Galahad Books.Google Scholar
Ben-Ari, Nitsa
1992 "Didactic and Pedagogic Tendencies in the Norms Dictating the Translation of Children's Literature: The Case of Postwar German-Hebrew Translations". Poetics Today 13: 1. 221–230.   DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Chesterman, Andrew
1993 "From Ts' to 'Ought': Laws, Norms and Strategies in Translation Studies". Target 5: 1. 1–20.   DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1994 "Quantitative Aspects of Translation Quality". Lebende Sprachen 4. 153–156.Google Scholar
Even-Zohar, Basmat
1992 "Translation Policy in Hebrew Children's Literature: The Case of Astrid Lindgren". Poetics Today 13: 1. 231–245.   DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Even-Zohar, Itamar
1990 Poly system Studies [=Poetics Today 11:1]. Tel Aviv: The Porter Institute for Poetics and Semiotics, Tel Aviv University.Google Scholar
Halliday, M.A.K
1986(1985) An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Edward Arnold.Google Scholar
1989 (1985) Spoken and Written Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Heinonen, Päivi
1985 Lauseenvastikkeiden sekä modaali- ja agenttirakenteiden käytöstä lastenkirjallisuudessa. Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä. [Unpublished pro gradu thesis.]Google Scholar
[ p. 334 ]
Hermans, Theo
1991 "Translational Norms and Correct Translations". Kitty van Leuven-Zwart and Ton Naaijkens, eds. Translation Studies: The State of the Art. Amsterdam: Rodopi 1991 155–169.Google Scholar
Lappalainen, Marita
1982 Syntaksin piirteitä 1900-luvun alun ja 1970-luvun lastenkirjallisuudessa. Kvantitatiivinen ja vertaileva analyysi. Tampere: University of Tampere. [Unpublished pro gradu thesis.]Google Scholar
Manner, Teija and Seija Mertaniemi-Ruopsa
1986 1980-luvun alun lasten kertomakir-jallisuuden kerronnan kieli. Oulu: University of Oulu. [Unpublished pro gradu thesis.]Google Scholar
Puurtinen, Tiina
1989 "Acceptability in Translated Children's Books". Target 1:2. 201–213.   DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1992 Towards a Definition of Acceptability in Translation: A Comparison of Two Finnish Translations of "The Wizard of Oz". Savonlinna: LJniversity of Joensuu, Savonlinna School of Translation Studies. [Unpublished licentiate thesis.]Google Scholar
1993 "Kieliopilliset metaforat lastenkirjojen suomennoksissa". Virittäjä 4. 546–563.Google Scholar
1994 "Dynamic Style as a Parameter of Acceptability in Translated Children's Books". Mary Snell-Hornby, Franz Pöchhacker and Klaus Kaindl, eds. Translation Studies: An Interdiscipline. Amsterdam-Philadelphia: John Benjamins 1994 83–90.   DOI logoGoogle Scholar
1995 Linguistic Acceptability in Translated Children's Literature. Joensuu: University of Joensuu.Google Scholar