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Originally Posted by astra
Do you realise how well one must learn a foreign language in order to enjoy reading a fiction book (understanding all the subtlities and nacities of the language/text/novel)?
I am not sure you do.
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I think I do, at least partially.
I read frenquently in english and in italian (including essays).
You don't need to know a language as well for other forms of culture, such as subtitled movies and songs, for instance. These are the main providers of foreign culture, these days.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparrow
Ah I see, personally I think the opposite is true; and cultural differences will erode with globalisation anyway - but time will tell.
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I know that we tend more towards a global culture than separate ones, and this can be a good thing. But it mustn't come too fast, or it will exacerbate tensions instead of calm them.
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Originally Posted by Sweetpea
Some books lose something in the translation. Try to read Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide in any other language than English...
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I've enjoyed the french translation, and I've heard several times that it was a good one, but I definitely plan on reading them in english as well some day.
I recently read (in italian) an essay from Umberto Eco about his experiences in translation, and it was a very interesting read.
If I can, I tend to read books in their original language if I feel that the translation might have lessened the quality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astra
I definitely agree with you but can you imagine of how good your English must be in order to understand the book better than a professional translator can do it? Can you imagine the amount of time one must contribute/invest to achieve this level?
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I have to say it depends greatly on the translator. There are lots of books where an expression had been litterally translated, completely losing its original meaning.
Here is an example :
the original text was speaking about scientists taking "training courses" in order to increase their knowledge in their field of study.
The translated text was "courses de trains", which means "train races".
A good translator not only has a good formal knowledge of a language but also a good knowledge of the culture of the author.
This allows him to understand expressions and references and to try to adapt them to his intended audience.