Where parody meets translation

Translation has been both a theme and a device in many parodic texts. Given the importance of both allusion and translation in Japan, it is hardly surprising to see parodies consciously exploiting translation. Contemporary parody in the guise of translation tends to focus on the comic possibilities of linguistic and cultural misunderstanding. The object of such parody is not confined to the translation of canonical literary texts but also extends to the diachronic and pedagogic translation of literary and non-literary texts. Parody can also assume the guise of back-translation, where a well-known Japanese text is distorted on the pretext of incompetence by a non-existent first translator. Some parodies subvert popular cultural myths and stereotypes, while others merely reinforce them. The strong presence of translation within parody forms a striking contrast with the small space parody occupies in translation. Stylistic deviations and allusions that play crucial roles in parody present obvious obstacles for translation. Despite this, translations of some contemporary parodies have been produced. The irony is that the intended readership is not always those who have no access to the source language text, but Japanese learners of English. Translations and the process of translation now seem to have lost their former immunity to disrespectful parody. A study of such parodies might contribute further to our understanding of translation in terms of the relationship between the source and target texts