This article examines the challenges that arise when translating Tamil land-based cultural elements into English. It compares three different English translations of Bharathiar’s poem “Kannamma En Kuladeivam” (by K.S. Subramaniam, P.S. Sundaram, and Thenkasi Thangapandian) and explains the cultural issues found in these translations. The article discusses the meaning changes in culturally rich words like “kuladeivam” (family/clan deity), “midimai” (laziness/poverty), and “aram” (virtue/righteousness), and how Bharathiar’s poetry is structured against the backdrop of Vedantic philosophy. It explores how translators’ choices alterthe meaning of the poem when equivalent English words are unavailable. Posing the question “Who is translation for?”, the article concludes that a single translation can create different understandings for readers from other Indian languages who share Tamil cultural contexts, versus foreign readers with alien cultural backgrounds. The article emphasizes that when translating cultural elements, translators should consider the cultural understanding of target readers and provide appropriate explanations in their translations.
Forschung (Mon,) studied this question.