Possiblities and Limitations of Translation of Slovak Drama Into Polish Culture

Abstract

Abstract The Polish and Slovak languages, as well as Polish and Slovak cultures, are considered very similar, so it would initially appear that there would be no obstacles limiting the possibilities of translating Slovak drama into Polish. It turns out however, that Slovak drama is not often translated into Polish. Older translations that were presented in Polish theatres were rarely followed in the press, and today they have been forgotten. On the contrary, current translations are published far more often than staged. The presented study evaluates this situation as a result of several limiting factors. In addition to the political conditions of cultural exchange and the manner in which publishers and theatres operate in Poland, there is also a linguistic closeness that negatively impacts on the quality of translations, as well as the stereotype of Polish and Slovak cultural proximity, which limits the interest of Polish audiences in Slovak drama.