ETI 305--Literary Translation IETI 305--Literary Translation I

What is ‘literary translation’?What is ‘literary translation’?

Literary translationLiterary translationThe attempt to render into one language The attempt to render into one language the meaning, feeling and, so far as the meaning, feeling and, so far as possible, style of a piece written in possible, style of a piece written in another language.another language.

““I realize that this can only be an ideal. I realize that this can only be an ideal. Translation, like politics, is an art of the Translation, like politics, is an art of the possible; compromise is inevitable and possible; compromise is inevitable and universal.”universal.”

John BesterJohn Bester

Why do literary translation?Why do literary translation? Lets the translator consistently share in the Lets the translator consistently share in the

creative processcreative process

Allows the translator to be recognized as part of Allows the translator to be recognized as part of the literary worldthe literary world

Offers many intellectual rewards Offers many intellectual rewards

Lets the translator expand the potential Lets the translator expand the potential readership of a literary workreadership of a literary work

Allows the translator gain prestige, helps develop Allows the translator gain prestige, helps develop longlasting relationships, and gives them access longlasting relationships, and gives them access to different worldsto different worlds

Literary translatorsLiterary translators In addition to a thorough mastery of the In addition to a thorough mastery of the

source language, the literary translator source language, the literary translator must possess a profound knowledge of must possess a profound knowledge of the target language.the target language.

The literary translator must command The literary translator must command tone, style, flexibility, inventiveness, tone, style, flexibility, inventiveness, knowledge of the SL culture, ability to knowledge of the SL culture, ability to glean meaning from ambiguity, and ear glean meaning from ambiguity, and ear for sonority and humility.for sonority and humility.

Literary TranslationLiterary Translation It entails an unending skein of choices.It entails an unending skein of choices.

It is marked by a heightened sensitivity to It is marked by a heightened sensitivity to nuance (seemingly straightforward nuance (seemingly straightforward phrases/sentences may be rendered in several phrases/sentences may be rendered in several different ways, each with a subtle shading).different ways, each with a subtle shading).

Such sentences may convey the same Such sentences may convey the same information, but they differ significantly in information, but they differ significantly in aesthetic effect; thus the translator is aesthetic effect; thus the translator is constantly faced with choices to make with constantly faced with choices to make with regards to words, fidelity, emphasis, regards to words, fidelity, emphasis, punctuation, and register.punctuation, and register.

Fire and IceFire and Iceby Robert Frostby Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,Some say the world will end in fire, aaSome say in ice.Some say in ice. bbFrom what I've tasted of desireFrom what I've tasted of desire aaI hold with those who favor fire.I hold with those who favor fire. aaBut if it had to perish twice,But if it had to perish twice, bbI think I know enough of hateI think I know enough of hate ccTo know that for destruction iceTo know that for destruction ice bbIs also greatIs also great ccAnd would suffice.And would suffice. bb

Translation process problems on the Translation process problems on the illocutionary levelillocutionary level

((illocutionaryillocutionary:: relating to or being the communicative effect; e.g., “There is a snake relating to or being the communicative effect; e.g., “There is a snake under you” may have the illocutionary force of a warningunder you” may have the illocutionary force of a warning

AlliterationAlliteration AllusionAllusion Foreign wordsForeign words GenreGenre Grammatical normsGrammatical norms Metaphor Metaphor NamesNames NeologismsNeologisms ParodyParody Poetic dictionPoetic diction PunPun RegisterRegister Rhyme and meterRhyme and meter SyntaxSyntax

AlliterationAlliteration Repetition of the same sound at the beginning Repetition of the same sound at the beginning

of consecutive wordsof consecutive words

““The surrender of her weary ghost to the The surrender of her weary ghost to the keeping of stars and sea was stirring like the keeping of stars and sea was stirring like the sight of a glorious triumph.”sight of a glorious triumph.”

From Joseph Conrad’s “Youth”From Joseph Conrad’s “Youth”

““Surely no spirit or sense of a soul that was soft Surely no spirit or sense of a soul that was soft to the spirit and soul of our sensesto the spirit and soul of our sensesSweetens the stress of surprising suspicion that Sweetens the stress of surprising suspicion that sobs in the semblance of sound and a sigh...”sobs in the semblance of sound and a sigh...”

Charles Swinburne’s Charles Swinburne’s “Nephelidia”“Nephelidia”

AllusionAllusion An implied or indirect referenceAn implied or indirect reference

Writers often allude to well-known Writers often allude to well-known texts/people in their works to give a texts/people in their works to give a sharper edge to the point they are making.sharper edge to the point they are making.

Four types of allusions are likely to occur Four types of allusions are likely to occur regularly in literature written in English: regularly in literature written in English: biblical, classical, cultural, and literarybiblical, classical, cultural, and literary

AllusionsAllusions BiblicalBiblical::

““Decency forbade that he should take the Decency forbade that he should take the door off its rickety hinges, door off its rickety hinges, like Samson at like Samson at the gates of Gazathe gates of Gaza.”.”

ClassicalClassical::

““Of those pedestrian Of those pedestrian PaphiansPaphians who who aboundabound

In decent London when the daylight is In decent London when the daylight is o’er.”o’er.”

AllusionsAllusionsCultural:Cultural:““Sexual intercourse beganSexual intercourse beganIn nineteen sixty-threeIn nineteen sixty-three(Which was rather late for me)—(Which was rather late for me)—Between the end of the Between the end of the ChatterleyChatterley ban banAnd the And the BeatlesBeatles’ first LP.”’ first LP.”

Literary:Literary:Their jealousy (if they are ever jealous)Their jealousy (if they are ever jealous)Is of a fair complexion altogether,Is of a fair complexion altogether,Not like that sooty devil of Not like that sooty devil of Othello’sOthello’sWhich smothers women in a bed of featherWhich smothers women in a bed of feather

Foreign wordsForeign words

““The calm Madonna o’er your headThe calm Madonna o’er your head

Smiles, Smiles, col bambinocol bambino, on the bed, on the bed

Where but your chaste ears I must Where but your chaste ears I must sparespare

Where, as we said, Where, as we said, vous faites votre vous faites votre affaireaffaire.”.”

GenreGenre

Many non-Western genres (except Many non-Western genres (except haiku) have found it hard to be haiku) have found it hard to be accepted in Western literature accepted in Western literature because there is no obvious Western because there is no obvious Western analog for them (e.g., the Arabic analog for them (e.g., the Arabic qasidah or Chinese rhyme-prose)qasidah or Chinese rhyme-prose)

Grammatical NormsGrammatical Norms

Writers sometimes deviate from the Writers sometimes deviate from the accepted grammatical usage of their accepted grammatical usage of their time for different reasons.time for different reasons.

““Says gorging Jim to guzzling JackySays gorging Jim to guzzling Jacky

We have no wittles, so we must eat We have no wittles, so we must eat wewe.”.”

MetaphorMetaphor

““...the animal within me licking the ...the animal within me licking the chops of memory.”chops of memory.”

““She was drowning in money.”She was drowning in money.”

““A smile coyly bridged the crack in A smile coyly bridged the crack in the door.”the door.”

Names/Culture-specific Names/Culture-specific wordswords

Rüya, Galip, Celal from Pamuk’s Rüya, Galip, Celal from Pamuk’s Kara Kara KitapKitap

Dolmuş, rakı, muhtar, töreDolmuş, rakı, muhtar, töre

NeologismsNeologisms

Sometimes writers invent new words Sometimes writers invent new words to strengthen the illocutionary power to strengthen the illocutionary power of their texts.of their texts.

““MoreunderMoreunder, which is to subtract, not , which is to subtract, not add...”add...”

““A sharp A sharp fragillycutfragillycut nose” nose”

ParodyParody

Parody: A literary or musical work in Parody: A literary or musical work in which the style of an author is closely which the style of an author is closely imitated for comic effect or ridicule)imitated for comic effect or ridicule)

Translation of parody requires Translation of parody requires alertness to the work(s) parodied, alertness to the work(s) parodied, probably the most difficult for probably the most difficult for translators.translators.

Poetic DictionPoetic Diction A style of writing that exhibits a fairly A style of writing that exhibits a fairly

dense concentration of illocutionary dense concentration of illocutionary power in relatively few words, stanzas, or power in relatively few words, stanzas, or paragraphs:paragraphs:

““Morning dawned at last, slowly, with Morning dawned at last, slowly, with a a pale yellow dome of light rising pale yellow dome of light rising silently silently above the bluffs, which stand above the bluffs, which stand like a like a huge storm-devastated castle, huge storm-devastated castle, just east just east of the city.”of the city.”

PunPun

A play on two of the meanings a A play on two of the meanings a word can haveword can have

““Belacqua cut the surgeon.”Belacqua cut the surgeon.”

cut: ignore, give the cold shoulder tocut: ignore, give the cold shoulder to

RegisterRegister

If you are introduced to the queen of If you are introduced to the queen of England, what do you say:England, what do you say:

““Hi, Queen”Hi, Queen”

oror ““Your Majesty”Your Majesty”

Rhyme and MeterRhyme and Meter Rhyme: identical stressed vowels and the Rhyme: identical stressed vowels and the

consonants succeeding them at the end of consonants succeeding them at the end of a worda word

Meter: systematically arranged and Meter: systematically arranged and measured rhythm in versemeasured rhythm in verse

Both rhyme and meter are very difficult to Both rhyme and meter are very difficult to translate, especially into languages with a translate, especially into languages with a different vowel and consonant distribution.different vowel and consonant distribution.

SyntaxSyntax

Most stringent and least flexible of all Most stringent and least flexible of all the constraints translators must work the constraints translators must work under since it regulates the order of under since it regulates the order of the words to be translated.the words to be translated.

Few liberties can be taken with the Few liberties can be taken with the word order before the text becomes word order before the text becomes unintelligible.unintelligible.

Sources Sources

Landers, Clifford (2001) Landers, Clifford (2001) Literary Literary Translation: A Practical GuideTranslation: A Practical Guide. UK: . UK: Cromwell Press Ltd.Cromwell Press Ltd.

Lefevere, André (1992) Lefevere, André (1992) Translating Translating Literature: Practice and Theory in a Literature: Practice and Theory in a Comparative Literature ContextComparative Literature Context. New . New York: MLA of America.York: MLA of America.