Well done. Poetry translations need to be done by poets. It's not just about the words. There are many poets - and novelists - I know only in translation, being well, not monolingual, but like many Canadians my French is functional, not fluent - and I appreciate translators that strive for the deeper meanings and subtleties.
Thank you. Even poetry that isn’t structured by meter or rhyme follows some rules of fluidity of language that a literal translation won’t give. But how you can translate a sonnet with no regard for either beats me. What’s the point? An online translator will translate the words. A poet translator ought to turn the words into a poem, as the original poet intended, and it will mean adapting the ‘words’ to make them fit the form. Translation is a skill that has to be learned, and not all translators are also poets.
This is fascinating, Jane. I have worked with a translator for a few years, as her assistant. We translate poems from Romanian to English and English to Romanian. Sometimes I get frustrated because I want to make the poem better, go with the essence instead of being so literal. But she will not cross that line. I don't blame her, but I figure this is an issue for most translators, i.e. poets who are translating poems.
I’ve worked for years as a translator though never literary. But any translation that is going to read naturally has to be an adaptation. Poetry even more so. A poet translating poetry will surely try to produce a poem, not a clunking literal translation that loses all the rhythm and rhyme if there is any. So you need to understand the mood and atmosphere of the poem, as you say, then be a good enough poet to render the same thing in another language. It’s hard to do, a labour of love. I wouldn’t be able to do it for many poems.
Well done. Poetry translations need to be done by poets. It's not just about the words. There are many poets - and novelists - I know only in translation, being well, not monolingual, but like many Canadians my French is functional, not fluent - and I appreciate translators that strive for the deeper meanings and subtleties.
Thank you. Even poetry that isn’t structured by meter or rhyme follows some rules of fluidity of language that a literal translation won’t give. But how you can translate a sonnet with no regard for either beats me. What’s the point? An online translator will translate the words. A poet translator ought to turn the words into a poem, as the original poet intended, and it will mean adapting the ‘words’ to make them fit the form. Translation is a skill that has to be learned, and not all translators are also poets.
Definitely not!
This is fascinating, Jane. I have worked with a translator for a few years, as her assistant. We translate poems from Romanian to English and English to Romanian. Sometimes I get frustrated because I want to make the poem better, go with the essence instead of being so literal. But she will not cross that line. I don't blame her, but I figure this is an issue for most translators, i.e. poets who are translating poems.
I’ve worked for years as a translator though never literary. But any translation that is going to read naturally has to be an adaptation. Poetry even more so. A poet translating poetry will surely try to produce a poem, not a clunking literal translation that loses all the rhythm and rhyme if there is any. So you need to understand the mood and atmosphere of the poem, as you say, then be a good enough poet to render the same thing in another language. It’s hard to do, a labour of love. I wouldn’t be able to do it for many poems.
I don't know enough French to know the originals, but I'm impressed!
Thank you! It’s a style of poetry I enjoy, and the translation bit isn’t a problem.
You're welcome. I'm still impressed. xx
xx
I wish I had enough of any langauage to be able to do this!!! x
I like language. Wish I knew more of them!
Bravo! Thanks for sharing these, Jane.
I enjoyed working them through. Thanks, Debbie xx