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Translation in practice
The term ‘translation’ cannot be translated in one word as it
unfolds a number of suggestions. When we use this term in field of
literature, it becomes as complicated as life itself.
What is translation? Let us discuss it in detail.
1. Is it replacing one language with another?
2. Is it taking out a piece of literature from one place to another?
3. Is it taking out a piece of literature from one set of readers to
another set of readers?
4. Is it taking out a culture to an alien culture?
5. Is it taking out the fauna or flora of one place to an alien
place?
6. Is it taking out the political, emotional and social issues to a
new set up?
JAMBEYANG
7. Is it broadening the boundaries of a writer and his writings?
8- Is it expansion of physical boundaries?
The list of questions never ends. In actual fact, the term
translation includes all these meanings and even something more than
these questions. It is a saying in literature that a writer writes
for his/her pleasure or satisfaction. But, in reality readers are
always there in the subconscious mind of a writer at the time of
creation. So while creating he uses a language for particular set of
readers with a particular language. The fauna, flora and physical
aspects are always present in the semi-subconscious mind during
creation. In the same way readers who have the same wavelength with
the writer may read his writing with ease. That is why in most
writings communication between writer and reader is almost total.
This communication breaks down with a new set of readers as when a
reader has to read a new writer belonging to an alien language and
an alien place, he has to be a little careful. Please note that I am
talking about literary writings, not about popular writings. Popular
writings have different intentions and the thrilling story behind
them do not give place to reader to think more.
Let us start with poetry translation. When a poet writes, he/she
mostly uses the language of the heart, words are mostly in his/her
control, and feelings will take the main place, but for translator
the same poem cannot be that easy, as he has to search for words and
have control over the feelings. Moreover poems do not reveal their
complete meaning. More than 50% of the meaning is interiorized in
rhythm, tune and sometimes in words themselves. Now the translator
has to catch or imagine the interiorized meaning and search similar
vocabulary in the target language and produce his version. Thus the
translator’s work becomes three-fold. First of all he has to read
the poem as a reader, then as a poet and at last as a translator. As
a reader he can enjoy the beauty and rhythm, thus can break only the
outer covering. Than he has to enter into the skin of the poet, has
to imagine the feelings of the poet at the time of creation. This is
not an easy job; every translator cannot get success in it. Very few
translators can actually get at the original meaning. Reaching at
the original meaning is possible only if one likes the poem as well
as the poet. Here the translator has to develop an inner passion for
target poetry. Now, the translator has to get similar words in his
target language, which can reveal the same inner meaning. This is
really a tough job as sometimes he has to coin new words. This whole
process needs almost 4 to 5 drafts. Still there are so many things
to be cared fur. When the translator is the poet himself/herself,
he/she has to be careful. The translator should adopt the style of
the original poet. I feel that poetry and other writings also have
gender. When a male translator translate female writers poem, his
writing gender should change. Same way when a female translator
translates a male poet, her writing gender should be carefully
changed. The most complicated thing is to keep intact the style of
the original poet. Every poet develops his/her own style. For
example, as a translator I feel my translations of Balamaniyamaa
should be different from my translations of Ayyappa Paniker.. More-
over, when a reader reads Ayyapa’s translations, they should feel
that these are Ayyapa’s poems, not Rati Saxena’s. Because a poet
speaks in his poetry there will be so many words and actions and
idioms in poetry, which are not possible in the target language. The
poet has to face the challenge to find out similar expressions in
the target language.
The situation in prose or story is a little different. The story
line helps the translator to keep control over the text, but here
also he has to be careful about a number of factors. Most of the
story lines closely follow a particular time and space. Other
factors like fauna, flora, and geographical features as well as the
names of animals, birds, food items and dresses etc follow time and
space . Now the translator has two options – either he is
translating everything into the target language or he is maintaining
an original touch. Both ways are difficult: if he changes everything
like names of birds, animals, and food habits etc. the reader will
not able to get real picture of the original work. There is no doubt
that readability in this type of translations will be as good as in
the source language, but other factors of translation will be
missing. When we translate a piece of literature, our am is not
related to literature only. By translation we open a new vision to
the reader of an unknown area. It means when we are translating a
Chinese story into Hindi (an Indian Language), we are taking our
readers to that part of China, making them friendly to Chinese
customs, idioms, dress and food habit.. A number are things should
be kept in the original form. The readability of this type of
translation will be less compared to the original work, as a Hindi
reader has to pass through the process of understanding while
reading whereas it will be easy for a reader of the original
language who is familiar with culture, social, and geographical
aspects, In this case the reading of translation becomes a little
difficult compared to the reading of the original work. Learning and
enjoying, both activities, take place at the same time. That is why
here the work of translator’s increases. He has to be extra careful
to maintain the readability of the text as in the original. Now, I
will explain my point with an example: The traditional marriage
system of South India, especially Kerala, is different from that of
North India. Along with this the social structure of marriage is
also quite different. Kerala’s matrilineal society has so many
customs, which are unbelievable for the people of the northern
region. A reader completely unfamiliar to these customs may
find little difficulty and may lose grip over the story line. For
example, Thakazhi’z Kayar is not easy for a Hindi reader, as it is
about a time when Kerala customs were quite rigid and the
responsibility of ammavan (maternal uncle is not understandable for
a reader from northern India. More over the marriage system of
Kerala like “kalyanam” putavadanam, etc are quite strange for
readers of the northern region. Thakazhi’s Kayar talks about the
time when relations between brother and sister were stronger than
relation between husband and wife. In this case the translator has a
challenge-whether he has to translate the customs also to the
readers if target language or he has to explain the custom of source
language. Either way may not be interesting. If he changes the
customs, then he is not honest to the original
work. And describing every custom prevents the reader from achieving
full involvement in the text. The translator has to do two things at
a time. First, he has to invite the reader to the physical area of
source literature and then at the same time take the source
literature to the readers of the target language. If he translates
the marriage system into the culture of the target language, the
importance of the original writing will be lost. So the translator’s
job is to take the story to the target readers and at same time
invite the readers to the physical area of the source literature.
This double duty is not easy for a translator. Thus the translation
of prose is also challenging for the translator.
The main challenge comes when the translator has to handle the
interiorized meaning of the text. A good translator finds out the
way to come out of this challenge also.
By Dr Rati Saxena
An article on poetry by Suma V.S
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