I just read it - thanks for pointing it out. I don't think I can agree with the critique, though.
RugbyPlayingAshaman Send a noteboard - 04/03/2010 03:30:36 PM
I read the article and some of the responses, including a response from both the author and the co-author explaining some of their choices, and I am rather unconvinced this can be said to be a 'bad' translation. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the nature of language itself is taken for granted to such an extent because of it's subjectivity multiplying the difficulty a translator has when rendering one language into another.
'Honto', in Japanese for example, means 'truth' in english. But, as any knowledge of synonyms could convey, you can translate this also as 'honesty', 'really', and etc. In the legal field, paragraphs upon paragraphs are spent defining what the understanding of a particular word will mean for the purposes of an agreement or interpretation; philosophy and other areas of literature are often much less specific, so I can't really blame any one translator for this.
'Honto', in Japanese for example, means 'truth' in english. But, as any knowledge of synonyms could convey, you can translate this also as 'honesty', 'really', and etc. In the legal field, paragraphs upon paragraphs are spent defining what the understanding of a particular word will mean for the purposes of an agreement or interpretation; philosophy and other areas of literature are often much less specific, so I can't really blame any one translator for this.
"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."
This message last edited by RugbyPlayingAshaman on 04/03/2010 at 04:06:28 PM
/Review: Another bad English translation of The Second Sex
02/03/2010 01:41:11 PM
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Yikes. One does wonder why they couldn't afford a more experienced translator.
02/03/2010 03:42:57 PM
- 484 Views
Re: The Second Sex is such tedious language wrapped around some rather interesting ideas.
03/03/2010 12:07:43 PM
- 504 Views
Sounds like that might be the translator's fault. Read it in French? *NM*
03/03/2010 12:27:03 PM
- 204 Views
I have the translation by H.M. Parshley and it's great.
03/03/2010 02:56:24 PM
- 474 Views
Re: I have the translation by H.M. Parshley and it's great.
03/03/2010 03:43:34 PM
- 449 Views
Re: I have the translation by H.M. Parshley and it's great.
04/03/2010 11:12:09 AM
- 494 Views
Re: I have the translation by H.M. Parshley and it's great.
04/03/2010 12:36:11 PM
- 504 Views
I just read it - thanks for pointing it out. I don't think I can agree with the critique, though.
04/03/2010 03:30:36 PM
- 556 Views