3 ms·

While others have already written great replies arguing for untranslatability, I'll add my own views as well (as a trilingual, non-native English speaker). I t

by aiilns 6y ago

While others have already written great replies arguing for untranslatability, I'll add my own views as well (as a trilingual, non-native English speaker). I think what's immediately wrong in your argument is equating untranslatability with exact one-word equivalent. Then instead of arguing against untranslatability, you argue that translation isn't just equating word for word. I agree with that. Most everyone I think agrees with that. What's missing from that view is that different cultures mean different ways of viewing and experiencing the world, which necessitates different ways of expressing oneself, that is, different words and expressions. Words and expressions carrying a "cultural weight" so to speak, containing deep meaningful connections with its people and their history. A talented person with excellent knowledge of two languages and great skill using at least one of them (being themselves an author, or a poet) can translate great works from the other language. And yet the resulting work may not be able to convey every nuance of the original. Try it if you speak another language and read both the translated version and the original of a great work of literature and you'll see what I mean.

lhorie 6y ago
> Try it if you speak another language and read both the translated version and the original of a great work of literature and you'll see what I mean. Agreed. There's an even simpler way to experience this: jokes and puns. Often times, they are untranslatable because their literal meaning is nonsensical and all of its expressiveness comes from timing/context, play on words and/or a local cultural references. By the time you've explained a joke, it has already lost its effect. There's a curious story among diplomatic translators where in a live diplomatic meeting, one of the parties blurted out a joke and the interpreter, attempting to accurately set the mood, translated it as "X just blurted out an untranslatable joke, please laugh heartily"!

by aiilns 6y ago

lhorie 6y ago

> Try it if you speak another language and read both the translated version and the original of a great work of literature and you'll see what I mean. Agreed. There's an even simpler way to experience this: jokes and puns. Often times, they are untranslatable because their literal meaning is nonsensical and all of its expressiveness comes from timing/context, play on words and/or a local cultural references. By the time you've explained a joke, it has already lost its effect. There's a curious story among diplomatic translators where in a live diplomatic meeting, one of the parties blurted out a joke and the interpreter, attempting to accurately set the mood, translated it as "X just blurted out an untranslatable joke, please laugh heartily"!