Texts In Translation


Translation in literature is the process of translating literary works through a precise way to convey the same message as the original. However translations are difficult as there are certain grammatical differences and syntax in some languages which are different and/or don't necessarily exist in other languages. Therefore translations while precise can also be creative to try and convey a message which is accurate but also meaningful and open to interpretation.

Text C ( What makes a good literary translator?) explored the challenges and advantages associated with translating a literary work through the perspective of professional translators. In the interview, Ted Hodgkinson asked Daniel Hahn; director of the British Centre for Literary Translation and Fahmida Riaz questions about what makes translations unique and what are some difficulties in translating a text. The translators claimed that every word, phrase and even syllable changes in translation. Daniel Hahn claimed that every translation is interpretative and therefore creative because translators have to decide what elements of the original text will be preserved, foreground or sacrificed. This is what people tend to refer to as loss in translation implying that there are aspects of the original language which are not expressed or the literary text does not convey the message with the same impact. As a result the translators pointed out that what is also lost is ambiguity. When translators translate the original text there may be words with various meanings however translators have to select a an English word which only encapsulates one or two meanings.

This idea is further developed when Fahmida talks about a word in Urdu "sharmana" which acts as a way to describe what the girl is feeling when a boy approaches her. This word can not be successfully translated to English because of cultural differences which influence the meaning of language. In this scenario, Fahmida states that it is more beneficial if the translator explains what the character is feeling and what is literary happening to help readers visualise the situation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MLK-Speech

MLK's intended audience through his speech " I have a dream" are the African- American community but more specifically those that are living through oppression, suffering from segregation and discrimination, and whom are living in poverty. MLK tries to persuade the African American Community to continue to fight even if the nation goes into turmoil and to only stop fighting once the black society has gained racial equality and justice. In addition, MLK tries to  spread hope to his fellow African - Americans by intensifying their frustration and anger to provide a sense of empowerment, in the hopes of advocating and creating change in the American Society. MLK often uses metaphors and anaphoras to enrich his persuasion. His expressive choice of phrases such as " chains of discrimination" and "let freedom ring" are examples of rhetorical devices which were used throughout this speech. His style directly correlates to the racial tensions which occurred
Read more
Image
My interests include playing many different sports but my favourite sport is soccer. I love listening to different styles of music especially rap, hip-hop and punk rock.  My hobbies include collecting badges and patches. Language plays an important role in my life because my mother tongue is Tamil and often my parents talk to me in Tamil and since this is my mother tongue I feel that it is important to be able to speak it since it ties me more to my cultural heritage. Its also the easiest way for me to express myself and feelings. I think that it is important to study language because I belief that you should have a better understanding of the language you are speaking and because language is the most common and widespread form of communication and yet I personally don't know much about how important and powerful language can be. I haven't felt excluded due to language barriers because even in Malaysia I was still speaking English with my parents and went to an English me
Read more

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence

This is Water written by David Foster Wallace was a commencement speech which encapsulates and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and understanding various perspectives, particularly in situations that usually induce frustration and anger. He stresses the issue of being self-aware in our surroundings; to take an honest view of the world around us instead of centering and putting ourselves in front of everyone else's emotions and thoughts. The ability to understand and be aware of a person's thoughts and emotions and to control your own expression of emotions is called emotional intelligence. Having a higher emotional intelligence enables you to show more empathy for people in various situations.  Empathy is the ability to understand and share feelings with a person. In the novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God written by Zora Neale Hurston, readers are able to empathize with Nanny's decision in trying to ensure that Janie obtains financial security through marriage.
Read more