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I do not see the point of reading translated literature, let alone translated poetry. It's like trying to appreciate an IOCCC submission by looking at a Java po
by knolax 5y ago
I do not see the point of reading translated literature, let alone translated poetry. It's like trying to appreciate an IOCCC submission by looking at a Java port that does the same thing. The beauty of it tied up in the specifics that you can't replicate 100%. Even if the translation is good, it ends up just being a different piece of work altogether.
- jeffwass 5y agoI disagree. For example, I think the world is much better off with translations of 100 Years of Solitude and The Odyssey than without them. I know I’m glad to have read these English translations. And of course a good translator puts their own stroke of literary creativity into their translation. I agree with you that for a full appreciation of the author’s artistry, it’s best to read the original in its native language. But that’s not always accessible. Eg, I wouldn’t even be able to begin reading the original Beowulf despite being a native English speaker. Even something more recent like Canterbury Tales is slow-going due to the archaic spellings.