Kinderboeken heruitgeven: de ophef over de voorgenomen aanpassingen in het werk van Roald Dahl benaderd vanuit een vertaalwetenschappelijk perspectief

Abstract

In February 2023, a controversy emerged over proposed changes to Roald Dahl’s children’s books by the publisher Puffin. The modifications aimed to make the books more inclusive and sensitive to modern readers. Changes included altering character descriptions to avoid potentially offensive terms, adding contextual information to clarify statements, and using gender-neutral language in place of gender-specific terms. The news sparked debates in both the British and Dutch media, with some defending the updates as necessary for contemporary readers while others decried them as censorship and cultural vandalism. As this essay will show, the controversy particularly highlights the ongoing academic discussion surrounding adaptations of children’s literature. While the Roald Dahl controversy has stirred strong emotions in the public sphere, it will be shown how it is, from a translation studies perspective, part of a broader pattern in the process of republishing children’s literature, where adaptations serve various audiences and address evolving societal values. As such, the essay underlines the complex and dynamic nature of children’s literature and the publishing industry today.