Abstract :
The paper explores the translation of Mongolian shamanic poetry into English. Many scholars, foreign and native alike, consider shamanic poems one of the early sources of Mongolian oral literature. Translating ancient poems presents linguistic and cultural challenges along with issues of varying poetic meters of source language and target language. Therefore, the study attempted to explore what the most frequent translation error types are in published works, and if those translations could convey uniqueness of original poems in lexical and lyrical competences. By analyzing eight published works and comparing the selected three translations of a Mongolian shamanic praise, attempt was done to hypothesize a methodology for translation of Mongolian shamanic poetry. Based on the findings, and in correspondence of the methodology drafted, the author’s translation of the praise of Darhad shamaness Ch.Batbayar of Sharnuud clan is also presented.
