Readings 2/4 - Kelly Haddad

 Raw and Cooked, etc.

These articles begin with questions that I have asked myself since the beginning of this course. After translating from Latin and Japanese, both languages that I have no experience with, I wondered how someone could ever produce a true translation without the contextual and cultural knowledge that comes with speaking the original language. Most refer to an awkwardness in certain parts of the translation that may have been avoided if the translator had been a Korean speaker. I was reminded while reading these of the very first reading from this class, where the author stated that not only is it important to translate in a grammatically correct way, but also in a culturally appropriate one. Some translations may be perfectly accurate, but still sound off due to cultural normals in each respective language. Additionally, it feels dangerous to take such large creative liberties, despite the good intentions of the translator. There is always a line in terms of how far we can bend something before it stops being true to itself, and it is critical to find that line in translation. Personally I believe that a translation would be much more accurate if done by someone who has this background. 

Feminist translation

This article offered a thorough analysis of the deviations from the original translation that make this version a "feminist" one. Clearly, the translator deliberately rearranged parts of the story to shape it into one with a more politically modern perspective, and from what that article suggests, it was effective. Smith was intentional with all her deviations, and accepted the risks of "infidelity" to the original text to make a statement through her work. I think creative projects like these have their place in the field of translation, if nothing else as a cautionary tale of deviation from the source text; I admire Smith's efforts to use this medium as a way to share feminist ideas, and even though I believe that other, truer, translations of the work are still critical to having a complete view of The Vegetarian's, this one makes for an interesting discussion of fidelity in translation. 

Petrarch

Reading these prefaces/reflections by the author has been essential to grasping the essence of the translation. It helped me understand any liberties they took, and the thought process behind their decisions, which gave me a more complete understanding of the original work. This, of course, is the goal of translation. It also gave cultural context for both the original work and translation, which as we know from that first article, is crucial. Each translator had their own quirks and trademarks, but explaining them does justice to the original.