Translation Challenges from German to Yoruba: A Study of Cultural-Bound Expressions

This study investigates the challenges involved in translating culturally bound expressions from German into Yoruba, with a focus on students enrolled in the German language programme at the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria. Translation is a core competency within German language training in Nigerian universities, yet the specific difficulties arising from cultural non-equivalence between German and Yoruba have not been systematically examined. The study employs a text-based qualitative research design, analysing 60 translation exercises produced by third-year students who were asked to render a selection of culturally embedded German phrases and idiomatic expressions into Yoruba. A framework of cultural translation difficulties, including referential gaps, connotative mismatch, and pragmatic inequality, guides the analysis. Findings reveal that students consistently encounter three categories of difficulty: expressions tied to German seasonal customs, terms embedded in social institutions with no Yoruba equivalents, and humour that depends on culturally specific knowledge. Students often resort to descriptive paraphrasing or literal translation as default strategies when cultural equivalents are unavailable. The study recommends the inclusion of comparative cultural studies as a formal component of translation training programmes and the development of bilingual glossaries of culturally embedded German expressions. Keywords: translation challenges, German to Yoruba, cultural-bound expressions, University of Ibadan, translation studies.