Peculiarities of Rendering Proper Names in the Video Game «Dota 2»

Abstract.

THE TRANSLATION PECULIARITIES OF PROPER NAMES IN A VIDEOGAME «DOTA 2»

Tetiana Kushnirova

Germanic Philology and Translation Department, National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, Poltava, Ukraine.

Maksym Domarenko

Germanic Philology and Translation Department, National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”, Poltava, Ukraine.

Abstract

Background: In our rapidly globalizing world video games require high-quality localization for variety of recipient cultures. Such task may cause different problems. One of them is a translation of proper names into various languages. This article gives an insight into this problem through an analysis of Ukrainian localization of Dota 2, specifically the translation of proper names of its playable characters.

Purpose: is to review and demonstrate methods, which may be used to translate proper names in video games, as well as to show mistakes made by translators performing such task and give an evaluation to the quality of an existing localization.

Results: The analysis presented in this article shows how transcription, transliteration, calquing, transposition and contextual substitution were used to translate proper names of playable characters in Dota 2. Alongside with examples of successful translation, it also demonstrates numerous mistakes such as: loss of important information meant to be conveyed, examples of proper names that violate the principles of euphony, etc.

Discussion: Given analysis sheds some light on methods used to translate proper names and accompanying problems. Nevertheless, more researches should be performed in order to review numerous existing Ukrainian localizations of other games with an end goal to provide the know­ledge required to improve future ones.

Keywords: Dota 2, localization, videogame, proper names, transcription, transliteration.

Vitae. Tetiana Kushnirova is a Doctor of Philology, Professor of Germanic Philology and Translation Department at National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”. Her areas of research interests include literary theory, literary history, literary translation.

Correspondence: kuta2608@gmail.com

Vitae. Maksym Domarenko is a Master’s student of Germanic Philology and Translation Department at National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”. His areas of research interests include linguocultural studies, translation and interpretation studies.

Correspondence: wigglyfern@gmail.com

Article.

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List of Sources

Dota 2, ver. 7.27. URL: store.steampowered.com/app/570/Dota_2/