Reader intentionality: the case of the American English translation of Manolito Gafotas

This aim of this study is to address a gap in research concerning how lay readers interact with translated children’s literature. The concept of intentionality, understood as the cognitive process by which readers navigate fictional worlds during the reading process, frames the analysis of how our research participants approached the English translation of “Manolito Gafotas”, which was selected as the case study because of its cross-generational appeal and because of the significant differences between the English translation and the original Spanish version.

The findings reveal the case-study specific ways in which our participants interpreted the text and the stances they adopted in relation to the characters, thereby offering an insight into how lay readers approach children’s literature in translation.