SEELANGS Digest - 12 Sep 2013 to 13 Sep 2013 (#2013-378)

[Sasha Spektor]

And my sentiments exactly.  What I also can't quite comprehend is how
gamely everyone ganged up on Subhash for making an obvious and not too
complicated a point.  Has the art of translation fallen in such disrepute
that everyone needs to defend it no matter what the other side says?
Robert, as far as I understand, you are SEELANGS' favorite translator
(including yours truly), why would you feel so attacked by a statement that
seems quite reasonable?  Does it wound your translator's sensibility so
much to read that no translation is ever perfect?  Gandlevsky once said
that a translation is like a black and white photograph of the color
original.  Is that so inaccurate?  Does that mean that we should stop
translating?  And the others?  So happy to chime in!  Where's the buzz
police when you need it?

Yours truly,
Sasha Spektor




On Sat, Sep 14, 2013 at 1:37 AM, Sasha Spektor <xrenovo at gmail.com> wrote:

> I couldn't agree with Subhash more.
>
>
> On Sat, Sep 14, 2013 at 1:23 AM, <subhash.jaireth at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Robert,
>>
>> I think your anger at my comment is misdirected. Here is my complete post
>> again:
>>
>> I like Marshak's translation. It is simple, has pace and most importantly
>> it raises expectation, wanting me to read more. Irina Gurova's seems more
>> accurate but complicated. For me it doesn't work as an 'opening sentence'.
>> But translation as we all know is never going to be perfect. It is like
>> pouring water from one cup to another and of different sizes: leading
>> either to spills or to under-fill. Or it is like an act of making love in
>> which only one of the parties feels consummated.
>>
>> I am merely stating that the art of translation is hard and to look for
>> perfect translation or to judge one translation against another isn't quite
>> right. They serve different and valuable purpose. That's all.
>> Translation however imperfect still provides a door to enter to another
>> world.
>>
>>
>> Subhash
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>
>

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