Oshiwambo Kinship Terms: A Challenge for Translators in Namibia

This paper explores the challenges of translating Oshiwambo kinship terms into English, emphasizing their importance in intercultural communication and family relationships. Kinship terms in Oshiwambo convey cultural significance and are central to social interactions, but differences in their semantics from English create difficulties for translators, often resulting in communication gaps. To address these issues, the study utilises interviews with Oshiwambo students at the University of Namibia and is based on Vermeer’s Skopos Theory, which emphasises considering the translation’s purpose. Nida’s dynamic equivalence complements this approach, advocating for translations that convey the same meaning and effect as the original. The findings show that traditionally, Aawambo rely on formal equivalence in translation. The paper recommends adopting Nida’s dynamic equivalence aligned with Skopos Theory to produce more accurate and culturally appropriate translations of Oshiwambo kinship terms.