한국 문학의 영문 오역

This study attempts to investigate some representative English mistranslations of classical, modern, or contemporary Korean literary work by the translators whose primary language is English. Based on the assumption that there is for a variety of reasons no such thing as a perfect translation, it argues that most of the translators of Korean literature have made what Aveling calls `dumb mistakes`―so dumb, in fact, that these mistranslations have been real a stumbling block to the introduction of Korean literature to the global community. This article further shows some specific reasons why the translators have made such mistakes in the translations of Korean literature. A careful reading of some translations of Korean literature reveals that mistranslations range very widely from mere oversight to some culture-specific problems. This article classifies those typical mistakes and errors roughly into eight categories: mistranslations dues to 1) a careless reading of the source texts, 2) a disregard of typographical errors, 3) inattention to special uses of language, 4) a lack of understanding proverbial expressions, 5) an insensible reading of culture-laden expressions, 6) ignorance of archaic and obsolete words, 7) an improper comprehension of rhetorical uses of language, and 8) a superficial understanding of Chinese idiomatic expressions. In sum, this article concludes that an ideal translator should pay special attention not only to the language, but also the culture, of the target text.