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Translation is Treason — 13 Comments

  1. As a non-English person who reads a lot in English these days(years) I have thought of the problem of translating a lot. My work and family commitment and lack of formal training in the area would not allow me to try it myself, but I have tried to translate sentences in my head. And have felt outrage in the way some Georgette Heyer novels were translated to Hungarian. I think the main issue besides learning the information to understand the nuances of meaning in a foreign language is to have good command and good style in your own language. I’m so happy to see your book has such an excellent and dedicated translator and an opportunity to be available in another language! Congratulations!

  2. My BA is in Hebrew Language and Literature. I have lived in two very different Israeli cultures (a kibbutz — a communal farming settlement) and academic (at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. My translation skills are woefully inadequate as modern Hebrew (a) requires knowledge of Biblical Hebrew, even if you don’t think you need it and (b) requires the slang you acquire by growing up in Israel — day to day Hebrew and the Hebrew that comes with military experience. I’m probably missing other nuances, but this is what became clear to me when I tried to make some practical use of what I thought was a pretty good education! To this day I enjoy trying to translate both Hebrew to English and vice versa. I then seek help from Israelis I know. What an education! I still dream in Hebrew and awake hoping I didn’t stick my foot in my mouth. The point is, you have the ability to translate if you have the humility to ask for help! I love my academic education but that was just the beginning. I absolutely applaud your translation skills.

  3. Congratulations! What a delight to meet your translator Teresita! Yes, one of the companies I worked for here in Canada had to use French translators for any published documents/speeches etc. There is difference as well in the Parisian French to French Canadian. Also, my mother-in-law is from Germany and still talks to my husband in German from time to time (I took it in high school and still understand/speak some of it). However, sometimes he has to translate and there are words/slang that you cannot just find the exact same meaning for in English.

    • Just like English isn’t the same between English speaking countries, or even parts of those countries, other languages vary too. I’m from the south and when we say ‘well bless your heart’ not everyone from above the Mason-Dixon gets what that means. I can’t imagine trying to translate that into another language! LOL

  4. Living with a language teacher (Spanish and French), I have learned a lot about how languages work and are very different from each other and English. My daughter says her brain now thinks in all three languages at the same time. Her brain always chooses the shortest word for something no matter the language. This is only when she’s thinking of course, she generally speaks to me in English lol. She agrees translating is hard and she always knows when her students have used an online translator for home work!

  5. Only just found this post. As a former translator and a part-time writing tutor, I find the mechanics of language fascinating. My first trip to Quebec introduced me to the differences between Quebecois and the Parisian French I’d learned in school. As others have mentioned, you have to have a good grounding in your native language before translating either into or from it. And of course everyone who’s ever studied a subsequent language knows how it attunes you to the workings of your native language(s).

    I really enjoyed hearing from Teresita; thank you.

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