Translation and categorial status of proper names in the novel The Carpathian Castle by Jules Verne

This paper aims at being a linguistic and discursive approach to the translation of proper names, having as support the novel The Carpathian Castle by Jules Verne. The analysis will look at the techniques used in the translation of the proper names in the aforementioned novel, focusing on the bilingual and multicultural assimilation between Romanian and Hungarian. On the one hand, this assimilation determines the phonetic changes which occur as a result of the translation of proper names and draws attention to the uncertain categorial status of proper names, given the fact that they may be considered to function as appellatives. On the other hand, based on the assimilation between Romanian and Hungarian, the paper will examine the choices made by the author upon translating proper names, especially toponyms, from Romanian into Hungarian and German (see, for instance, Klausenburg and Kolosvar for Cluj(-Napoca), Hermanstadt for Sibiu etc.). Last but not least, the study analyses the references established by proper names, as well as the idea of class/nickname and the metonymic use of proper names by means of translation.