Zuzana Kubusová – La ricezione dei concetti culturali caratteristici nelle traduzioni dei romanzi slovacchi tra i giovani italiani
Zuzana Kubusová
Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Abstract
The Reception of Specific Cultural Concepts in the Context of Translation and Interculturality in Slovak Novels among Young Italian Readers
Slovak as a foreign language to Italian students of translation and interpreting. The aim is to assess how literary texts can be used not only as linguistic material, but also as a tool for developing intercultural awareness and translation competence. The methodological framework combines principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) with intercultural and student-oriented approaches. A questionnaire was administered to students at the University of Bologna (Faculty of Translation and Interpretation, Forlì campus) after working with excerpts from two contemporary novels, Čepiec by Katarína Kucbelová and Tahiti:Utópia by Michal Hvorecký, presented in both the Slovak original and in Italian translation. Results indicate that, despite limited previous exposure to Slovak literature, students expressed strong interest in cultural and historical dimensions of novels. Students valued the preservation of Slovak cultural terms in the original language with explanatory notes, highlighting sensitivity to authenticity. Both novels proved effective in stimulating curiosity, critical reflection, and intercultural awareness, confirming their didactic potential. Overall, the study demonstrates that literary texts, when strategically integrated, can significantly support language acquisition, critical reflection, cultural competence, and the formation of future translators of Slovak literature.
Keywords: Slovak literature, intercultural competence, foreign language teaching, translation studies
