Well, what does this mean "Lost in Translation"? What are the points I want to discuss with this? And how do I feel about translations in general? These are the questions I want to battle today and maybe we can find some answers to them.
The definition of the Oxford Dictionary has these two explanations which will fit the topic of today.
- The process of translating words or text from one language into another.
- The conversion of something from one form or medium into another.
What does it tell us? A translation is a form of conversion, no matter if it's from one language to another or from a form of medium into another one. Which means it's a process of change. It's definitely changing something into something else.
"Lost in Translation"
Why did I choose this as the headline? Because I actually think that you can get lost while reading or watching something translated. Not only can oneself get lost, but also meaning and words can get lost while translating. I just thought that this headline tells right away what I think about translations.
I don't want to say that translations are bad, it's just ever since I started to read books by English speaking authors in their original form I realised how much change there can be. I have read a few books in English and German and I noticed some minor but also some major changes in meaning or phrasing, which sometimes can change the character of a person or transports the meaning in a whole different way.
I'd never say translations are a bad thing, because that's just not true. Translations are really important for a lot of reasons. First off a lot of us wouldn't be able to learn something new, through translations we can discover new books, new movies, new cultures and a lot of different things. Second, translations are important to get things well known all over the world. We couldn't discuss different topics without it. We couldn't even be learning new languages, because we need someone to teach us through translations. Translations are a good thing for an overall understanding.
But I'd like to put my finger onto the detailed meanings of words, transportation of meaning and the writing style of an author. You'll never know what the meaning behind something is as long as the author doesn't say it clearly. Sure in every book lies it's own interpretation range, but you might be able to grab it much easier when you read a book in the original language. One can even judge the writing style much better and can discuss the issues and point out what you liked about it.
You can't really do that with a translation of a book, because there is always the translator between the two versions. The translator has it's own wording, it's own interpretation and own writing style. All of this influences a story and the meaning behind it. It could be that a translation can transport a whole different meaning, because the translator interpreted it in a absolute different way. Not saying that it's always like that or that this is the majority. But I just think that one can judge a book or story better if one reads the original. I also think that it's a whole different feeling and experience to read in the language the book got written in. I'd like to say that you can grasp the story much better.
So while translations are important to learn new things or to read a lot of books, especially if you can't speak a certain language, I think they also can get quite confusing. I'd like to read books written in English in the same language, but if there is a movie adaptation I often only get to see the German translation. This sometimes really is confusing, because sometimes names or certain things get changed. Not only do they change settings or whatever in adaptation and tent to leave certain things out, but when you watch a dubbed version it means they take the terms from the translated books. Watching the "City of Bones" movie and the "Divergent" movie was really confusing for me, because they changed so many terms while translating and I only ever read the English books. Getting into these were really hard for me and I even went to the book store and checked if they really translated the terms like this (which they did).
For everything "Harry Potter" I hadn't had any difficulties with the translation, but that could be because I read the first four books in both languages and the rest just in English. The same counts for "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit", which are all books I read in both languages. But I also think that these books have a translation which is really close to the original.
I know that translating isn't an easy task and that nowadays translators have to rush through this, to get things published as fast as possible, but sometimes I get the feeling that it get's too rushed and that there is not enough thought behind a translation. I know that there are a lot of things to consider while translating and that translators have to fit it in for the certain language something get's translated to, but I just have the feeling that some things aren't quite right after translation. I don't know how to explain it. I just wish translations were more close to the original.
Which is the reason why I like to read in the original language as long as I'm able to understand it. There are a lot of things, like manga which I have to read in translated form because my Japanese isn't good enough for it. So, I still read translations but I really prefer the original.
Do you have the same feeling about this or a total different one? Let me know what you think of it.
So while translations are important to learn new things or to read a lot of books, especially if you can't speak a certain language, I think they also can get quite confusing. I'd like to read books written in English in the same language, but if there is a movie adaptation I often only get to see the German translation. This sometimes really is confusing, because sometimes names or certain things get changed. Not only do they change settings or whatever in adaptation and tent to leave certain things out, but when you watch a dubbed version it means they take the terms from the translated books. Watching the "City of Bones" movie and the "Divergent" movie was really confusing for me, because they changed so many terms while translating and I only ever read the English books. Getting into these were really hard for me and I even went to the book store and checked if they really translated the terms like this (which they did).
For everything "Harry Potter" I hadn't had any difficulties with the translation, but that could be because I read the first four books in both languages and the rest just in English. The same counts for "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit", which are all books I read in both languages. But I also think that these books have a translation which is really close to the original.
I know that translating isn't an easy task and that nowadays translators have to rush through this, to get things published as fast as possible, but sometimes I get the feeling that it get's too rushed and that there is not enough thought behind a translation. I know that there are a lot of things to consider while translating and that translators have to fit it in for the certain language something get's translated to, but I just have the feeling that some things aren't quite right after translation. I don't know how to explain it. I just wish translations were more close to the original.
Which is the reason why I like to read in the original language as long as I'm able to understand it. There are a lot of things, like manga which I have to read in translated form because my Japanese isn't good enough for it. So, I still read translations but I really prefer the original.
Do you have the same feeling about this or a total different one? Let me know what you think of it.
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