9/21 Reading - Ulises B

 In "Eight Ways to Say You," I learned more of what it means to be a translator. "Wheras in English we stress clarity, in Japanese subtlety is preferred." This much I agree with, and Cathy Hirano argues that it is difficult to translate the differences in writing styles. The most important lesson Hirano gave was that there is a clear line between translating and rewriting the original text. I often thought that some things could be changed when translating, and yes, there can be some minor changes, but keeping to the original text is extremely important. Hirano states that if you want to change something, you need the author's permission. But what if the author is dead? I'm not sure, but Edward Seidensticker stated that Japanese critics will always go after translators for the smallest things, such as not mentioning the same number of proper nouns, which seems absurd. The quality of a translation should not be based off of whether a translator included the same number of proper nouns. I really loved Hirano's statements "author comes first," "author is always right," and "it is dangerous to assume that I understand." It makes me try to understand where translators are coming from, and what their purpose in translating a text is. A translator should never overshadow the author, and as Seidensticker stated, being told that a translator's work is better than the original is NOT a compliment. I never thought of the troubles of translating a joke until I saw Hirano's explanation of a scene in The Friends. Few Americans would know who Tokugawa Ieyasu is, so it makes sense to change the character to Buddha. I really found Seidensticker's comment on editors to be humorous. Editors are a nagging presence he says, because they "won't let you be faithful." I'd like to see more examples of how editors prevent translators from being faithful. I also enjoyed Seidensticker's analogy to the $1 dollar bill. People wouldn't prettify George Washington, they would keep the same warts he has on the original, or else the counterfeit wouldn't be acceptable. Therefore, translators should make sure to include the details, but not prettify the text.