I like when Hirano points out, “Translation of literature is far from mechanical, and translating between languages that, like Japanese and English, are very different from each other requires fairly strenuous cultural and mental gymnastics.” I think this description is pretty fun and true.
She also makes a very helpful point when she says, “The first thing I need to know before I even start translating is the intended readership and the purpose of the translation.” For example, academic works and literature require different approaches. The former may prioritize presenting the author’s point more clearly, but for the latter, she wants to preserve the essence of the original, as well as the style and tone of the writer, while at the same time rendering it in a way that is understandable to the reader.
After translating Murakami’s short story, I can relate to her statement that “translating conversations often requires more ingenuity than descriptive passages.” It is so hard to get the dialogue across! She also says, “Probably one of the trickiest problems I face in translation is humor. More often than not, slapstick and situational humor transcend cultural boundaries. Culture-specific jokes and puns, however, usually do not.” This problem is also prominent in Murakami’s case. His writing is humorous, but it is hard to replicate that humor in another language to the same extent. Everything has to be handled through subtle choices.
I really like this article. Even though Hirano writes about many of the challenges she faced while translating The Friends, she ends on a heartwarming moment when her child listens to the whole book and says with satisfaction, in Japanese, “That was a good book, Mom.” I can imagine nothing speaks more strongly to the success of this translation than the translator’s own child, who belongs to both cultures, sharing his love for the book. After all, the rewarding aspects of translation are much greater than its difficulties.
Kerry
No comments:
Post a Comment