The Art of Losing - Clare Cavanaugh
I really like Cavanaugh's thesis (and the Wordsworth quote) that translation is gain as much as it is loss.
I’m a little confused how Bishop's villanelle acts as a connection point in this essay between the loss in translation to loss in life. “One Art” doesn't end with the idea that something is gained amidst all this loss. Arguably the world gained a poem, which is part of what Cavanaugh I think is saying.
The ending about her son is sweet (though again a strange metaphor). In trying to make a poem "ours" in translation we are almost forgetting the original, leaving the world where it exists behind, and then we run back into it.
Wisława Szymborska’s Translators Talk About the Poet
Piotr Kamiński saying that the poem leaked 'through a tiny hole' is such a good and relatable way to describe the process. Funny that France 'doesn't care about poetry.' I guess most countries don't. I wonder which country cares the most? If Szymborska is more popular in Italy, does that extend to poetry in general?
Metaphors, women and translation - Pilar Godayol
This article analyzes and groups sexual metaphors for translation. Godayol is a sharp, clear, and to the point writer; I like her style. I still don't care much about gendered metaphors. I guess it's good that someone is fighting the good fight in this realm of theory? But ultimately how much time can we spend thinking about metaphors?
Carol Maier's "Buddhist between" as a state the translator must live in and accept that death is part of life is interesting. Maybe that's also what Cavanaugh was getting at with One Art and translation: loss is part of creation and death is part of life.
Ok the Athena/Medusa comparison is interesting too. As I read this I wish I was translating and not spending any more time on theory. I think I’m just burnt out on this stuff.
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