Cultural Sensitivity in Translated Picture Books: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Example

Translated children’s literature has been extensively used in early childhood settings, yet most teachers are seldom aware of the alterations during the translation process. Many alterations happen during translation, which is even more questionable in picture books since images and print text help deliver the meaning. In this study, I examined the alterations in a picture book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle, from its source text (English) to translated text (Turkish), to address the cultural sensitivity and the change of meaning in translation. Employing Klingberg’s adaptation theory and Rosenblatt's transactional theory, I illustrated the strategies the translator used to center the cultural sensitivity of the Turkish audience and how these strategies changed the meaning. I found that intensification, minimizing, and localization of names are used in emphasizing cultural sensitivity, yet these alterations also caused a change of meaning. Keywords: Cultural Sensitivity, Translated Picture Books, Change of Meaning in Picture Book Translation