The names of the countess. On the retranslation of some Gombrowiczian Anthroponyms

Abstract

This paper examines the portrayal of significant anthroponyms in both the initial Italian translation (1968) and a recent retranslation (2022) of Witold Gombrowicz’s short story titled  “Biesiada u hrabiny Kotłubaj” (literally: “The Banquet at Countess Kotłubaj’s”). Originally written in 1928, the story features proper names that conceal humorous puns, alluding to the characters’ social background or containing polysemic, primarily erotic references. Through a comparative analysis of the two translations, we uncover the changes that have unfolded over half a century in terms of translation strategies, readers’ preferences and competencies, and the role of translated texts within the target culture.