The Value of Texts in Translation

Personally, I believe that the value of translated texts stems from their exploration of a different type of story. In the article Why Won't English Speakers Read Books in Translation, author Hephzibah Anderson states that "Literature...offers a crucial window into the lives of others, promoting empathy and understanding". This sentiment is echoed multiple times, including in our group's Found in Translation reading. Thus, it is not the language of the novel but rather its content and structure that enables literature to achieve its purpose. It should also be noted, however, that the original language of a text has the ability to reveal the writer’s intentions. For example, Things Fall Apart is a response to the colonial narrative, and to establish this Chinua Achebe uses the medium of the English novel. In The Thief and The Dogs, however, Naguib Mahfouz writes in Arabic for the Egyptian people.  

When discussing language, many often say they think differently in different tongues. This is unsurprising, since language and culture are intricately linked. Writing in an author's native language may give them access to their context's "attitudes and values" (taken from the learning outcomes), which they may not be able to express as easily or accurately in a foreign language. It is these sentiments and the structure which a work was written in (for example, Mahfouz's 'stream of consciousness' technique in The Thief and The Dogs) that are the only truly translatable elements of a novel. The actual diction and word choice of the translated work is, I believe, secondary. 

In our group discussions, the fact that many metaphors, puns, or even literary devices could not be accurately translated kept cropping up. A good example is from the article Lost in Translation, where we learn of the backlash that translator Feng Tang experienced when giving the translated poems of Rabindranath Tagore a more overtly sexual meaning. We thus see that one of the greatest parts of literature - its openness to interpretation - may also be its downfall. Abstract language and poetry may result in problematic and contested translations. The emphasis on meaning is much easier to convey when the meaning is direct, and centered more on story and content.

Our discussion of the challenges of translation has led to its benefits as well. Just like we studied in the unit of Things Fall Apart, translated works offer a better balance of stories, providing a better understanding of the world around us. Translations prevent language from being a barrier to harmony, and allow us to broaden our terrain – just like Amara Lakhous’ comparison of himself as a smuggler bringing ideas to new shores. The intrepid translator braves the perilous waters of language to transport stories to a people, stories which could not have been written in English. I’ll close with an implication of Lakhous’ metaphor: the waters of language may be segregated into different oceans, but in the end all humans need language to survive.