João Vitor de Paula Souza

Queixei-me de baratas

Introduction

Queixei-me de baratas. Analisa 'A quinta história' de Clarice Lispector e traduções. Explora o simbolismo de "baratas" e o impacto de escolhas lexicais na interpretação do conto.

Abstract

O presente trabalho analisa “A quinta história”, de Clarice Lispector, bem como suas traduções para as línguas inglesa e espanhola: “The fifth story” e “La quinta historia”, respectivamente. O objetivo central foi analisar o léxico de maior chavicidade no conto e contrastar tal léxico com duas versões do conto clariceano traduzido no exterior. Para atingir tal objetivo, os procedimentos teórico-metodológicos recobrem os Estudos da Tradução em conexão com a Linguística de Corpus. A partir de dados estatísticos e do estabelecimento da lexia “baratas” como unidade lexical de maior chavicidade (e, analogamente, “cockroaches” e “cucarachas”, nas traduções), apresenta-se análise qualitativa em que se interpreta o uso simbólico da barata, figurada como representante do mal no conto analisado, de modo específico; estendendo, parcialmente, as análises, para a literatura clariceana, de modo geral. Em relação às traduções, os resultados ilustram que as escolhas lexicais dos tradutores podem conduzir a leituras diversas em relação ao texto em português.

Review

The article, "Queixei-me de baratas," presents a compelling analysis of Clarice Lispector's short story "A quinta história" and its English and Spanish translations. The study's core strength lies in its innovative interdisciplinary approach, effectively integrating theoretical frameworks from Translation Studies with the robust methodologies of Corpus Linguistics. By setting out to identify and analyze the lexicon of highest "chavicidade" (keyness) within the original text and subsequently contrasting it with its translated counterparts, the authors establish a clear, well-defined research objective. This methodological clarity promises a rigorous examination of both literary meaning and the intricacies of cross-linguistic textual transfer. The theoretical and methodological framework, drawing on statistical data from corpus linguistics, successfully identifies "baratas" (cockroaches/cucarachas) as the lexical unit of highest keyness across all three texts. This quantitative foundation then underpins a rich qualitative analysis, where the authors interpret the symbolic use of the cockroach as a specific representation of evil within "A quinta história," extending this interpretation to Lispector's broader oeuvre. The comparative analysis of the translations ("The fifth story" and "La quinta historia") is particularly insightful, demonstrating how translators' lexical choices can lead to distinct interpretive pathways, potentially diverging from the nuances embedded in the Portuguese original. This dual approach, moving from robust statistical identification to deep symbolic interpretation, is a significant strength of the work. Overall, this study makes a valuable contribution to both Lispector scholarship and the broader field of Translation Studies. The detailed examination of a single, highly significant lexical item and its symbolic resonance offers a fresh perspective on "A quinta história" and, by extension, Lispector's distinctive literary style. Furthermore, the findings concerning the impact of translational choices on textual interpretation provide crucial insights for translation theory and practice. The paper highlights the profound responsibility translators bear in mediating complex symbolic meanings, underscoring how even seemingly minor lexical decisions can profoundly shape a reader's engagement with a text. This work serves as an excellent model for future research exploring the intersections of literary analysis, corpus linguistics, and translation.

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