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In an original text, when the grammar and syntax seems cumbersome and/or awkward, why is it that some translators chose to simplify them, to the risk of altering the poem so much it loses its original logical/cognitive arc?
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Mike Young said…
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7:57 PM
François Luong said…
Hey Mike,

It's not so much that the translation is bad, really, but rather it looks and unravels very differently from the original.
8:32 PM
Elisa said…
I would think that even if a translation reads as a fine poem in and of itself, if it loses the logic and sense of the original, it's not a good translation. Maybe a good trans-translation.
8:26 AM
Sasha said…
are you venting?
4:46 PM
François Luong said…
no, just making observations.
5:00 PM
Amish Trivedi said…
I don't know. It seems like, despite whatever the original is attempting to do (I assume it is 'cumbersome and/or awkward' for a reason...), people want to be able to understand what's going on. People are always doing what they feel is right in the belief that they are making it ACCESSIBLE for everyone.

PS Am I a comment killer? People seem to ignore a post after I have commented on it. On several blogs.

I'm sorry for possibly having killed this discussion...
4:22 PM
François Luong said…
Yes, I think you've killed it, Amish.
5:14 PM
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