Overcoming challenges posed by intertextuality. Translation strategies employed in Polish and German translations of Agatha Christie’s novel titles

The article investigates problems associated with the translation of selected Agatha Christie’s novel titles containing intertextual references to various literary works including but not limited to Shakespeare’s plays (By the Pricking of My Thumbs) and English nursery rhymes (A Pocket Full of Rye). Original English title versions with their respective Polish and German counterparts (with their English back translations) are compared and analysed (Hickory Dickory Dock – Entliczek pentliczek – Die Kleptomanin). Translation challenges involved in rendering titles encompassing intertextual elements are identified and deliberated on in more detail. Strategies employed by translators to render the titles are established (equivalence, literal translation, adaptation). The study shows that the strategy of adaptation is applied when it is not possible to replicate intertextuality in translation. Title versions rendered with the use of adaptation allude to other significant elements in the plot to maintain the title-novel interface.