Cultural and Literary Metamorphoses in Nonsense Literature – Journey from Jumblies to Papangul, Gramboolia to Grambhulia

Abstract

The degree of untranslatability depends on the lack of equivalence present in the target language. Translation of nonsense literature poses a huge challenge because of its inherent linguistic and cultural specificity. The following paper looks at Satyajit Ray’s translation of Edward Lear’s nonsense rhymes, in Toray Bandha Ghorar Dim (1986) with particular reference to the ‘Jumblies’ and ‘Dong with a Luminous N ose’. This paper traces the journey of cultural metamorphoses t hat Lear’s poems go through to become presentable to a Bengali reading publi c for whom Ray writes and discusses the strategies unde rtaken by Ray for the purpose.