The versatility of translation equivalents of the chameleon pronoun on from French into Slovak

Abstract

The French pronoun 'on' embodies a unique grammatical identity, functioning as both a personal pronoun, referring to specific individuals and sometimes an indefinite pronoun, representing people in general, much like a chameleon´s ability to blend into its environment. The French pronoun 'on' adapts its meaning depending on the context, mirroring the versatility of other grammatical persons. In this study, we will describe and analyse how the renowned translator Elena Flašková conveyed the subtle pragmatic and semantic nuances of this chameleon-like pronoun in her translation of Amélie Nothomb's novel Les Catilinaires (1995) into the Slovak version Catilinaria (2005). One can anticipate that the majority of the pragmatic-semantic nuances of "on" will be conveyed in the translation through the pre-existing cultural understanding associated with the Slovak lexemes človek and ľudia (man, people) and, subsequently, through the use of the personal pronouns that 'on' is meant to represent. Our research revealed that the omnipersonal usage of the pronoun, despite its high referential complexity, predominates.