Bridging Languages: Exploring Selected English-based African Novel Titles in Kiswahili Abstract

Abstract

African literature is a compelling medium through which the intricate tapestry of the region's cultures, traditions, and historical narratives is conveyed. The narratives often reflect the socio-political landscapes and cultural identities inherent in African societies, which makes these works important resources for understanding the region's historical trajectory and contemporary issues. African English-based novels serve as an important conduit for conveying the region’s cultural and socio-political narratives. Translating their titles into Kiswahili facilitates cross-cultural engagement by bridging the linguistic and cultural gaps. This study conducts a linguistic analysis of 19 selected African English-based novel titles and their Kiswahili translations. It focuses on how language, culture, and literature intersect in the translation process. The analysis applies the Structural Functional Translation Analysis (SFTA) framework to examine how Kiswahili morphological and syntactic structures accommodate and preserve the literary function and cultural resemblance of the original English titles. The study argues that the translated titles maintain both linguistic integrity and cultural relevance within the target language. The study contributes to the discourse on how Kiswahili functions as a cultural and linguistic bridge in African literary translation.