Re: Paying for stuff (kind of OT)

From: necoandjeff (spam_at_schrepfer.com)
Date: 07/10/04 

Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 22:05:58 GMT

"Ross Klatte" <klatteross@aol.commmm> wrote in message
news:20040710143530.19227.00001739@mb-m06.aol.com...

> >I think it is fairly obvious that you are vastly underestimating the
breadth
> >and history of the world's literature. French, Spanish, Chinese,
English,
> >and Japanese do not a world make.
>
> I think he is also underestimating the depth of any given language.
> Although I have read a lot of stuff in English, there are still many
> occasions when I am pleasantly surprised by the language and how
> people use it. Recently, a former ariline stewardess wrote, "Because
> of an extreme allergy to passengers, we don't serve peanuts." This is
> subtle stuff which I would not expect a non-native speaker to pick
> up on. I am always suspicious when a person says he prefers to
> read "X" in its original language. The basic overall impact of a work
> of literature can be felt best when it is translated into your own native
> language. Reading the orginal can add to your enjoyment, of course.
> In addition, there is an enjoyment present in simply being able to
> read the original text which is not present when reading a translation;
> you need to distinguish the pleasure provided by the work from the
pleasure
> provided by the knowledge of your ability.

I have to believe that someone making these kinds of statements has no
actual experience reading literature in a foreign language, which is made
all the more mysterious because I don't that is the case...

> I simply cannot believe that any student of a foreign language can ever
acquire
> such a feel for nuance that the original text is "better." For one thing,
> that position fairly ridicules the translator's work. Unless you get
> down to the molecular level--such as the correct English word for
"sa"--then
> a good translator can render almost everything correctly.

I have to believe that someone making these kinds of statements has no
experience becoming proficient in a foreign language, which is made all the
more mysterious because I don't that is the case...

Jeff