When Allan Jackson Came to Town

When Allan Jackson Came to Town: A study on the Cultural Elements and Language Features Present in the Kankana-ey Translation of Three Selected American Country Songs

Anna Cris L. Gabol Ph.D. LE Student Graduate School Benguet State University La Trinidad, Benguet

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

ABSTRACT Baguio was made by the Americans quoted Professor Jimmy Fong of the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Baguio. One palpable influence of these people to the Igorots was the interest on the American Country Music which originated in some southern states in the US in the 1920s. This perceptible interest of the Cordillerans to Western or Country songs has led various local singers to translate the English lyrics of not a few songs to the languages of the Cordillerans like Kankana-ey,Ibaloi, Bontoc, etc. Howie Severino called this genre Igorot Country Music. This research then daunted to find out the cultural elements that have affected the translation of the three selected American Country Songs to Kankanaey and to discover whether there are words in the source language (English) that do not have equivalent words in the target language (Kankana-ey) as reflected in the translation of the original work. The study of translation could be of a great value to the further development of linguistics, as it could bring out certain features and possibilities in a language which could not be discovered in any other way. The findings of this study showed three cultural elements manifested in the translated work such as : a) in the use of the sex in conversations, b) the superstitious belief of wishing upon a star, and c) universally eminent cultural orientation on valuing the family, patriotism and social conformity. There are also five words from the source language that do not have equivalent words in the target language (Kankana-ey). The translators have to show creativity in finding substitute words that may still capture and project the idea embodied in the source-language. Thus, language and culture are two important factors in translation.

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

When Allan Jackson Came to Town: A study on the cultural elements and features present in the Kankana-ey translation of three selected American Country Songs

INTRODUCTION Way before Benguet music turned country, there were swinging (ritual chanting) and adultery songs.Coben, who teaches Philippine Folklore and Society at University of California in Los Angeles, said two such songs in the Kankanaey culture are the daday and the daing. Sadly, the daday and and the daing were all but forgotten in the Kankanaey culture. Instead they were replaced by John Denver, Travis Tritt, Garth Brooks and Crystal Gale.(Cimatu,2012) This perceptible interest of the Cordillerans to Western or Country songs has led various local singers to translate the English lyrics of not a few songs to the languages of the Cordillerans like Kankana-ey,Ibaloi, Bontoc, etc. The sprout of numerous Recording Companies that support the local singers became noticeable in the Cordilleras. In a documentary done by Howie Severino, he called this genre the Igorot Country Music, from the American Country Music which originated in some southern states in the US in the 1920s. Professor Jimmy Fong of the College of Arts and Sciences, UP Baguio was quoted saying that, Baguio was made by the Americans. Thus, one palpable influence these people left to the Igorots was on music. Fong also cited that when movie theatres were opened in Baguio in the 1950, most of the films shown were western or cowboy movies. People of Baguio were perceived to have a high regard to the Americans that they tend to appreciate the ways of the latter. Igorots, undoubtedly, adore country music that went to the extent of translating the songs to the Kankana-ey language while maintaining the same tune. Translation of the American Country Songs leads to better appreciation when the listeners understand the meaning of the songs and not

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

merely entertained by their melody. Since the most essential purpose of translation of one language into another is to make interlingual communication possible. Three American country songs that were translated to the Kankana-ey language were considered in this study. These include : a) Someone Elses Star by Bryan White, b) You Dont Count the Cost by Billy Dean and, c) Remember When by Allan Jackson. The researcher is daunting to dig deeper into the following issues: a. What are the cultural elements that have affected the translation of the three selected American Country Songs to Kankanaey? b. What are the English words in the source language (English) that do not have equivalent words in the target language (Kankana-ey) as reflected in the translation of the original work? Language and culture are obviously the two dominant factors which make translation an indispensable and most complicated kind of intellectual activity. (Komissarov,1991). This study then hypothesized that there are obvious cultural elements manifested in the translation of the songs. In other words, the translated message is transferred not only in another language but also in another culture. Recognizing the importance of linguistic factor in translation, we concede to the fact that different languages may use different forms. The translated texts in this study may reflect the structural differences between the English language and the Kankana-ey language. Translation is an important vehicle for intercultural contacts. Translating from culture to culture means, first and foremost, to bring the receptors new facts and ideas inherent in the source language culture, to broaden their cultural horizons, to make them aware that other people may have different customs, symbols and beliefs, that other cultures should be known and respected (Komissarov,1991)

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

The study of translation could be of a great value to the further development of linguistics, as it could bring out certain features and possibilities in a language which could not be discovered in any other way. Natalya Reinhold, in Translation and Mediation in Postmodern Mass Media Space :Problem Aspects,deals with translation as a form of intercultural communication, involving the ways of (non)bringing the other across in translation and thereby (non)diversifying the target culture. She wonders whether the current visual media-oriented order helps the mediation between the Other in (ST) and the I in (TC). On writing about the significance of the languages of mediation in comparison with writing per se on social and ideological codes, she focuses on the implications of semiotic differences between verbal and visual systems . Reinhold supports her opinion by making reference to some 20th century English writers who hinted at the possibility of developing world cultures, as opposed to the relationship between the rapid evolvement of visual and verbal signs , while stressing the different ways global media can have an impact on intercultural communication and literary translation as part of it. To shape her highly intellectual study she resorts to two postmodernist case studies: the Russian translationsof Night Train (1997,1999) by Martin Amis, and the English translation of Victor Erofeyevs story Zhenkin Tezaurus (1993,1995) Tomaz Onic, in his Translation of Untranslatable Jokes: Linguistic and Cultural Barriers in Joke Translation, writes about laughter as a general human characteristic and ability to identify the cause of laughter in a text as essential for translators. He stresses these professionals must be able to spot the elements which cause or contribute to humorous effects in the text, and can also realize under what other necessary conditions that happens. Besides the identification of such elements, translators need to have the ability to reproduce an equivalent or similar combination of features

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

enabling them to create a comparable effect in the target language. In this very essay, Onic suggests some possible ways of searching for solutions that could apply to certain apparently insoluble situations. However, it is crucial to be aware that, apart from the translators ability and skill, a successful result very much depends on the possibilities offered by the target language and culture. Olja Jojic, on writing about Componental Analysis in Translation of Material Culture Terms from English into Serbian, argues that even if we accepted the absurd claim that languages were not a component of culture, they would still reflect certain cultural situations and concept characterizing their very nature. She argues that, with reference to that, perhaps the greatest difficulty translators need to tackle, while dealing with culture-bound texts, is the translations of words referred to as culture-specific or culture-bound. In her view, the problems arising on translating this kind of texts can be seen as a direct consequence of the fact that the SL and TL items rarely have the same meaning in the linguistic sense; but they can function in the same situation. Jojic completes her work with a reference to the so-called cultural-focus on which the success of the translation of culture-bound texts depends. METHODOLOGY The pure library method is employed in this research. Supporting theories, studies and researches published both in books and the internet and that were deemed relevant to the issues raised in this study were accumulated and sorted out to obtain the needed information for this study.

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

DISCUSSION A. Cultural elements elements that have affected the translation of the three selected American Country Songs to Kankanaey: a. Sex as a topic For the Americans, the mention of the word sex in their conversation is not a very sensitive issue, however, if the Kankana-ey term for the word sex is mentioned in conversations among Igorots, it is considered inappropriate. More so if mentioned in a song which is to be heard by most people in the Igorot-dom, it will sound outrageous. In the following first few lines of the song Remember When, when translated, it reflects the cultural difference aforementioned: Remember when, I was young and so were you And time stood still and love was all we knew You were the first, so was I We made love and then you cried Remember when The Kankana-ey translation goes: No nemnemem san damo ay nan abatan ta (If you remember the first time we met) Mumuyang ta ay duwa (We were both young) Yan wat sika di inmuna (And you were the first) Ay naawisan nan mata ya nan rikna (To captivate my eyes and my heart)

From the start, it can be noticed that there was an attempt from the Igorot singer to carry the same thought from the SL(source-language) but advancing to the part where there was the phrase

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

we made love which is a euphemism for the phrase we had sex, the singer-translator opted to substitute the line with some suitable words. Translation is therefore not simply a matter of seeking other words with similar meaning but finding appropriate ways of saying things in another language. (Thriveni,2000). b. Beliefs The Western belief that when you wish upon a (shooting) star, the wish will come true. On the other hand, if an Igorot would wish for something, he will not do it on a wishing star rather, according to his own belief ,e.g. he will butcher a chicken and offer this to the ancestors or Kabunyan along with his prayer that, if Kabunyan or the ancestors will be pleased with his offering, they will grant him what he wished for. Note the following stanza from Someone Elses Star by Bryan Adams: Alone again tonight, without someone to love The stars are shining bright, so one more wish goes up, Oh, I wish I may ,and I wish with all my might For the love Im dreaming of and missing in my life Rosendo Sendong Salvacio, the Igorot artist, translated the lines this way: Waday esay labi ay eyak nan es esa (There was one night when I was alone) Ay manangtangad, sin talaw ed daya (Looking up at the stars in the heaven) Asak iitawen,ay sik-a di esa (then I dreamt that you are one) Talaw sin ed langit ay ek binuybuya (of the stars in the heaven that I have gazed on) It is illustrious in the translation that the belief of wishing upon a star in the SourceLanguage was not carried as this does not exist in the Igorot culture. Instead, the word talaw (star) in the Target Language was used in a different way-a metaphor for the singers loved one.

When Allan Jackson Came to Town

This can be further explained by Vermeers view (1978) that the purpose of the translation should not depend on the source text any more ,but on the necessity and culture of the target language. c. Social Conformity Cultural elements discussed below are similar in the source-language from that of the targetlanguage as reflected on the translation of the You Dont Count The Cost to Adim Kwentaen di Rigat (Julan Pataras). J.B. Casagrande s formula: One does not translate LANGUAGES but CULTURES. This can be deemed as the reason for the local artist to translate every line of the song to the target language with almost the same meaning since family values, patriotism and social acceptability which are mentioned in the song can be considered as universally eminent. YOU DONT COUNT THE COST It happens to a mother; she is giving birth Her heart is filled with joy While her body's filled with hurt She holds the baby close to her despite the pain he caused When it comes to love, you don't count the cost It happens to a soldier, fighting for his home Fear wells up inside him and yet he still goes on Even though he knows he may be the next to fall When it comes to love, you don't count the cost[ Lyp://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/ont_count_th You don't count the heartache You don't count the sacrifice All that counts is what you feel inside It doesn't really matter what is gained or what is lost When it comes to love,you don't count the cost It happens all around us, each and every day Someone's giving all they got for someone else's sake If you ever doubt it ,just think about the cross ADIM KWENTAEN DI RIGAT Napadas en ina,ennan nan anakan Palalo sna ragsak na,uray en narigatan Mansakit di riknana, man-uga pay san unga No panggep si layad,anusam di rigat Napadas di soldado,intakdeg nay ili na Sino man san riknana,nantungpal sin bilin da Ammo na di maamag,biag nay mapasubo Nopanggep si layad, anusam di rigat Adim nemnemendi rigat Adim kuwentaen di sakripisyo Basta naimpuso an di aramid Adim en bilbilangen di enka galasiya en No panggep si layad, anusam di rigat

Maam-amag edwani,innagew isnan ili Waday pudnos mansirbi paras kadwa ay umili No maga di pammati,nemnemem si Jesus No panggep si layad, anusam di rigat

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B. English words that do not have equivalent words in Kankana-ey language as reflected in the three selected American country songs: The following English words from the three selected American country songs are deemed to have no equivalent words in the Kankana-ey language. Hence, the translators have to show creativity in finding substitute words that may still capture and project the idea embodied in the source-language. a. well (v.) rise, form It happens to a soldier fighting for his home Fear wells up inside him Vs. Napadas di soldado, intakdeg nay ili na (It happens to a soldier, standing for his country) Sino man san rikna na.(however he feels inside) b. doubt (v.)- to feel unconvinced c. cross (n)- a long vertical bar intersected at right angles, usually about two-thirds up, by a shorter horizontal bar If you ever doubt it Just think about the cross Vs. No maga di pammati Nemnemem si Jesus d. wishing (v.)- desiring or wanting for something e. guess (v.)- predict or suppose something

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Oh, I guess I must be wishing On someone elses star Vs. Talaw si ek buybuyaen Nantungpal si odom

Nick Ceremellas equation y = z in his theory called the Word Level Equivalence, he stressed that translation is far from just looking words up in a dictionary. Ceremella added that human beings are the only living species who can speak in many different languages to communicate among themselves, but this is, at the same time, a great limitations in many instances such as when there is no direct word equivalence in the target language. Therefore, the equation y =z is an over-simplistic correspondence in translation terms.

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CONCLUSIONS Translation is an intellectual activity that will continue to thrive, deriving inspiration from fiction in the source language and passing on each inspiration, or at least appreciation, to target language readers. The cultural factor in translation is undeniable if not so obvious. Culture finds its expression in the language and through the language. One should be familiar with ones own culture and be aware of the source language culture before attempting to build any bridge between them. While translating, one is likely to come across words that have no equivalent in the target language, therefore, some strategies are needed to handle them as best as possible. One is to substitute these words which the target readers/listeners can associate with the meaning. As Goethe observes: There are two principles of translation. The translator can bring to his fellow countrymen a true and clear picture of the foreign author and foreign circumstances, keeping strictly to the original; but he can also treat the foreign work as a writer treats his material, altering it after his own tastes and convictions, so that it is brought closer to his fellow countrymen, who can then accept it as if it were an original work.

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REFERENCES

Allen, Janet (1978) Studies in Philippine Linguistics: Kankana-ey Adjuncts. Linguistic Society of the Philippines. Batricevic, A. (2008). Culture-Bound Translation and Language in the Global Era. Cambridge Scholars Publishing Casagrande, J.B. (1954). The Ends of Translation IVAL. Cimatu, Frank (2012) When Benguet Music was Downright Vulgar, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Northern Luzon. Jakobson, R. (1966). On Linguistic Aspects of Translation. New York. Komissarov,V.N. (1991). Language and Culture in Translation: Competitors or Collaborators. Erudit Organization Thriveni, C. (2000). Cultural Elements in Translation; The Indian Perspective. http.www.thriveni.com