Murakami translation

Out of all the readings, the perspective of J. Phillip Gabriel stood out to me. In the interview in the "Found in translation" article, he says, "I try to preserve the basic rhythm of the prose, alternating between long and short sentences. But the sentence structure itself is so different - verbs are at the end of a sentence in Japanese - and when you move the verb to the front, it's like giving away the punch line." This line really resonated with me because it reminded me of something my dad and I discussed when I first tried explaining Japanese grammar to him. I remember him being specifically very confused about this part of Japanese sentence structure and how it felt to him that one would have no idea what the other person is talking about until the very end of the sentence. However, I think in perspective it is a very identifying feature of the Japanese language and because of that, has allowed authors to use it to their advantage. Understandably, it has created issues for translators like Gabriel who have noticed it and try to create a similar effect in English.

Another part of the readings that I enjoyed learning about was the collaborative work that was 1Q84. Wendy Lesser, in "The Mysteries of Translation," acknowledges that she perceived the same work differently depending on the translator and remarked that her understanding and appreciation changed as well. It is understandable that translators will have varying interpretations of the works they are handling which makes the collaboration on 1Q84 so interesting. Although I have not read it myself, I imagine it was quite difficult to find continuity between the sections that each translator handled. Gabriel remarked that he did his own thing and that they relied on the editor for a final say. I wonder if I took part in a project like this, would I want to work actively together with the other translators? Or work independently like Gabriel?

Tori Raiken