In search of cultural words throughout cheese-hikes : A translation analysis of cultural words in a French tourist guide

Each language has a variety of cultural words that in one way or another are deeply rooted in the culture and society of a country or a region. This includes words and / or expressions that have to do with ecology, material culture, social culture, organisations, customs, ideas, gestures and habits. Cultural words often involve translation difficulties and a translator can find help in different strategies when dealing with such challenges during the translation work. This essay, in the form of a translation analysis, deals with cultural words and how these have been translated into Swedish. The translated texts regard six different French hikes during which it is possible to visit one or more cheese factories to discover certain quality cheeses and their manufacturing process. The aim of this essay is therefore to analyse six informative texts from a tourist guide titled Rando-fromage en France - Jolies balades et fromageries de qualité (2019) in order to distinguish the different strategies of translations for cultural words, especially those that are complex or whose connotations are lacking in the target language. Based on Svane's (2002) translation strategies for cultural words, this translation analysis describes how proper names, cultural terms and technical terms in the domain of cheese have been translated. The most used strategies are undoubtedly transfers of different kinds and additions, either in the form of a single word or in the form of longer explanations. The translation analysis shows that there is a strong connection between the choice of translation strategy and the type of text that the source text represents. The analysis also highlights the important role of target language readers as the translation of cultural words is adapted to them