Hi Everyone!
So due to all of the weather across the country I am actually stuck back east at the moment! But I thought that we could maybe touch on a sort of different topic today. In one of my other classes, we are reading a book that has been translated from the original french- its actually for Ed DeSantis's class, "A Phenomenology of Love", called "The Erotic Phenomenon". Anyways, while we were discussing the text itself, I noticed a lot of people complaining about the style of writing and how lengthy and complex the sentences were. However, having spoken french for about 10 years now, I recognized the slower and more eloquent style of writing and had no trouble reading it at all. I suppose my question is this, do you think that translating works from one language to another drastically changes the way that the piece is interpreted by the reader? Or does the work usually keep it's tone, as was my experience with "The Erotic Phenomenon"?
Can't wait to see everyone's thoughts!!
-Tara
11 comments:
I think that it depends on the reader to maintain the style of the work in the case of a language translation. Like Tara who understands French and English, she may have an easier time in the translations because it is a translation that she can understand. For most people who may have English as the only language they speak, they will have a hard time interpreting the piece. An example is The Odyssey. I know that many people have a hard time reading it because it is translated from Greek (I am pretty sure it's Greek...) Either way, for someone who may be from Greece, they may have an easier time understanding. Many times, translations can leave out parts that the original language had in the piece because there are no ways to translate it into the different language.
In cases like that, the reader may find the translation to be a little confusing in the sentence structure or wording because the translation isn't accurate to the original piece. I have found that most translations are difficult without having original understanding of the first piece.
This is a very interesting topic. I agree with Candace that a lot of it depends on the reader, and how well he/she understands the language. When I was in high school, my Spanish teacher suggested I read Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (the Spanish version). However, I read very slow in Spanish and figured it would take me twenty years to get it read. So I got the English version for myself and my mom read the Spanish Version, which is the original. My mom absolutely loved the book. I, on the other hand, didn't even finish reading the book.
I didn't think the overall way I interpreted the work was a big difference to the way my mom did, but there are certain things that get confusing, when the book tries to get specific. The tone of the text also changes because its really hard to translate word for word. This problem leads to confusion, misunderstanding, or loss of what the author was trying to portray.
This may also have a lot to do with the person that translates the work, and their interpretation of it. Like directors, they are more specific and do a better job translating the bits and pieces that they, themselves, found more important.
I also agree with Candace in that the interpretation of a piece translated between languages largely depends on the reader. I agree with Perla as well about the tone of the text changing between translations.
My experience with language translations is in Italian, with Dante's Divine Comedy (l'Inferno). I had to read parts of it in Italian, and then later read them in English to see how far off my translations were. Switching between Italian and English was almost like a switching of my normal pattern of thinking. Because Italian uses different sentence structures, it was difficult to get through the reading.
I think that the difference in sentence structure, as well as the difficulty in translating exact words creates a barrier in translating from one language to another. I don't think that the work usually keeps its tone because its almost like being translated twice: one with the actual language translation, and once with the reader's interpretation.
Language translation is very tricky, especially with works that are meant to be tonal and emoitional. I've read several different poets whose works were translated, and the tone of the poem can sound very different depending on the translator. Some translators try harder to stay true to the tone of the original piece whereas others try to be accurate with word to word translations. I remember reading a poem translated into English from Spanish by the author Ursula K. Leguin. She did a wonderful job of translating, but I was too familiar with her own work as an author, so the only voice I heard was hers, not the original writer of the poem.
I've spent a lot of time during the last year translating for Deaf friends, and I've personally found that word to word translations don't mean much in a languge based on movement and visual images. So now I think the success of translations depends on the viewer, the translator and the similarity between the two languages being translated.
This is a really interesting topic! I agree that the who is doing the translating is important. The translator truly has to understand the spirit of the book in order to convey it accurately in another language. I know that with certain expressions for example, a word by word translation is totally out of the question. In Nicaragua(i'm not sure if this same expression is used in other spanish speaking countries as well), for example, they use the expression "Ando con el tigre" as an exaggerated expression of hunger. It can be literally translated to: I walk with the tiger. This probably sounds ridiculous to native english speakers, but if an equivalent american expression like "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse" were to be translated word for word into spanish it would probably sound very strange to a native spanish speaker. The point I'm trying to make is that without careful not only of actual words, but of expressions and overall tone and quality of writing, a lot of the original meaning can be lost in translation.
I think that the language that a work is originally created in says a lot about the work itself. This language could either be what the creator is most comfortable speaking and/or writing in. Or it could possibly be that the language chosen is what they feel will be the most effective. A person who speaks multiple languages has that many different options to try to make their point effective.
I agree with what Candace said. I do agree that the language translation may be a factor in understanding it. But another thing to note about The Odyssey is that it was not originally a written work; it used to be recounted by one person for the public. This is why it often seems as though they are repeating themselves; it was a way of remembering where in the story they were.
So with The Odyssey you not only have the language translation factor, but also the translation between the spoken word and what ended up on paper.
I really wanted to see everyone's thoughts before I responded myself! And I really agree with all of you. I do think that a lot of it completely depends on the reader, and who is actually doing the translating and how much of their own ideas and tone comes across in the translation. I also think that when reading a novel that has been translated, that you have to have a completely different mindset. I mean yes, obviously you should read the piece and see how it affects you and what you think is going on, but I feel like somewhere in the back of your head you have to keep in mind that the way that you are reading this, isn't necessarily the way that the author intended you to read it. Kami's example of the Odyssy is a perfect example in my opinion. Homer's epic's were strictly meant to be told in an oral tradition when they were first "written". I mean you can imagine how completely different hearing someone read/perform The Odyssy would be from say a college class being required to read it. I would think that the emtotions and the suspense would be much greater if there was someone performing it for you in a sense. But as responsible readers, I believe that it is our duty to take works like that, and attempt to discern exactly how the author may have intended his work to be interpretted, and to keep that in mind as we interpret it for ourselves.
I ran across this article that talks about this topic. We've discussed whether language influences how people think in several of my anthropology classes. Though the theory stating that your native language limits what thoughts you can have because you don't necessarily have a word for that idea has been largely discredited, it is still an interesting idea. One thing this article made me remember talking about is how colors are classified in different languages. Though all people can see the multitude of different colors in the world, certain languages have only two words to describe color, dark or light. Others only distinguish between white, black and red. Though there may exist certain barriers like this one involving color, I think the issue has more to do with culture than linguistics.
Here's the article if anybody wan't to check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29language-t.html
I agree with hjm that it depends on both the translator and the viewer/reader as well as the similarities between the two languages. How closely a translation resembles the structure it had in the original language depends a lot on the person translating. A lot of the time there is no way to directly translate from one language to another, which can make the translated work sound odd, but the better translations can manage to retain the content and expression of the original and carry it over into the new language with some sort of grace. The problem is that, unless there are very close similarities between the languages, it is difficult to retain the structure and sound of the original while still making sense in the new language. I would say that greater burden lies with whoever is doing the translating, as the translator is the one who will determine how the new version appears to the new audience.
I think that translating work into a different language, no matter how accurate the translation, will lose some of the original meaning. Every culture has it's own set of values and styles for literature. In many cases historical events are referenced in poems and if a person from a different culture or language is reading the poem, they won't be able to make the connection that the author is making. Even the concept of rhymed poetry is lost when works are translated out of their language. This doesn't only to apply to works in a different language, but also works of a different time period. Reading old english poetry is so hard due to references, different expressions from modern times, and different styles of writing. Once you've gained insight on important historical events and even lead cultural figures it will become easier to read and understand what the poem is trying to relay. Also, there is the problem that some languages don't share similar words and so an attempt to translate a poem will result in something far different and when this happens we have to again ask to what extent do we have the right to alter an original piece. There is a fine line between translating and re-wording.
I can’t recall to memory if I have read a work that has been translated from one language to another. If I have, I wasn’t aware of it, but I can see how changing a work from one language can change either the message or how the reader interprets the medium. The best example I can use is that of Japanese anime. I am learning Japanese and have grown up with that language in my family, so I can understand enough to get me by. In watching an anime program that had yet to be dubbed into English, I found myself laughing. The subtitles at the bottom were not matching what was actually being spoken. I found myself having to explain to my friends what was REALLY being said opposed to what they were reading at the bottom. I believe that when translating something into a different language that you lose the emotion, culture and the creator’s creativity in which the work was created. Yes, the same understanding is there, but elements are left out to make it more concise. In my last honors course, Understanding Others, we had a discussion on how, no matter what, translations will never be perfect, but they will get you from point A to point B.
Overall, I believe that translating a work into a different language does in fact change the message or readers’ interpretations. It does, on the other hand, make the work more available to a wider range of people. With each language you change, you lose things that are unique to that language.
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