Übersetzung von geographischen Namen – am Beispiel des Sprachenpaares Deutsch-Ungarisch

Abstract

“Translating Geographical Names (Hungarian-German)”. Translating proper names (nomina propria) is an often debated question in Translation Studies. The translability of names is, by all probability, in close connection with the semantic structure and the invariance of their meaning. The opinions vary from total denial of translability to presentation of differentiated translation methods. The present study deals with the translation of geographic names from Hungarian to German. It shows different strategies from unaltered loanwords to interlingual allonyms, and to real translations. The translation strategies of names in case of Hungarian-German relation is obviously in close connection with the strong linguistic and cultural bonds between the two languages, the familiarity and importance of the denotatums. As it can be seen, the translation of geographical names in in the junction of linguistic, cultural, pragmatics and language policy considerations.