Poetry Translation Principles and Strategies PDF

Poetry Translation: Principles and Strategies *Notes on translating poetry  Poetry has been defined in many ways: by the Random House Unabridged Dictionary as ‘the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts...

Poetry Translation: Principles and Strategies *Notes on translating poetry  Poetry has been defined in many ways: by the Random House Unabridged Dictionary as ‘the art of rhythmical composition, written or spoken, for exciting pleasure by beautiful, imaginative, or elevated thoughts’; as ‘memorable speech’; as ‘what is lost in translation’.  The soul of poetry lies in the use of language in a figurative, metaphorical mode of expression that transcends traditional semantic limitations of language.  Clement Wood, editor of The Complete Rhyming Dictionary, has stated flatly, ‘Poetry cannot be translated; it can only be recreated in the new language.’ EXERCISE  Translate two lines from Keats’s ‘Ode to a Nightingale’: «Charmed magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.»  According to Wood, ‘[t]hese two lines cannot be said differently in English without wrecking the magic.’  Wood argues that «Translate it [the poem] with absolute fidelity into another language, and the poetry is dead. It must be recreated by a poet of like emotional power in the other language, if it is to survive as poetry.’  An issue that must be considered before beginning to translate poetry is:  What does the target audience regard as a ‘poem’? Must it be rhymed?  What metrical pattern best conveys the feel of the original and can an English perceptual equivalent be found?  English-speaking readers usually consider iambic pentameter as the most ‘poetic’ versification (e.g. Shakespeare, among others), but unrhymed iambic pentameter, known as blank verse, is an acceptable alternative for many. EXERCISE  Comment on the following quotation by Jorge Iglesias: ‘A translator isn’t more important than the poem he’s translating.’ *To rhyme or not to rhyme?  «How critical is rhyme to poetry?»  Time was, the unquestioned rule was ‘translate prose as prose, verse as verse.’  Recently no one has seriously proposed rendering a prose work into verse, but over the centuries many have felt that only a translation in verse can do justice to a poetic work. It should be noted that ‘verse’ is not synonymous with rhyme (e.g. classical Greek and Roman poetry was unrhymed).  «Must one be a poet to do poetic translation?»  No, though that the translator must possess a poetic sensitivity, even if he or she has never written a line of original poetry.  A poetic sensitivity encompasses, but is not limited to, an appreciation for nuance, sonority, metaphor and simile, allusion; the ability to read between and above the lines; flexibility; and ultimately, humility.  Do you agree with the following statement? Why? Why not?  «Anyone who can’t read an English-language poem with feeling and more than surface comprehension is an unlikely candidate for poetic translation.» (Landers 99)  Any translation should – make that must – be read aloud for sonority.  Sound is paramount to poets, and more than one translator has been told by the SL poet, ‘When it’s impossible to preserve both meaning and sound, go with the sound.’  Although not all poems (both translations and originals) that sound good are good, it’s a pretty safe bet that a translation that sounds bad is, well, bad.  As with any other translation, if you can get the author’s style and meaning, by all means do so. This is especially vital in poetry, where ambiguity is often a conscious objective.  In any language, poetry is probably the most extreme instance of linguistic concision. Every syllable counts.  To effect a metrical translation it is frequently necessary to add feet to make the line come out right.  Successful poetic translators are able to preserve meter, rhyme, and meaning. *Five Tips on Translating Poetry  Translating poetry is serious business and not to be taken lightly. Your job as a translator is not only to pass the meaning of the poem into another language but to respect and honor its spirit.  There are some rules to respect when you translate a poem:  1. Stay Close to the Poem. Read the poem again and again. By doing this, you will be able to feel the rhythm of the poem. You will recognize the pace, the pauses, the beats, the swirls of energy. Write the poem and stick it where you can see and read it. This will familiarize you with the poem's grammatical structure: where the adjectives are, where there is a break in tenses.  2. Know the poet. If you are lucky enough to pick a living poet to translate, write to him or her. Get to know the person; ask him or her questions about the poem. What was the poet thinking when writing the poem? What does the poet think the poem means? Is there any imagery or language that is repeated? Is there anything symbolic from his or her life? What does the poet think of poetry? The more you know about the poet and his or her life, the better able you are to understand the nuances of the poem.  If, however, you choose a poet who has passed on, your job is a little harder. Try and find out as much as you can about the poet's life. Check the web and university libraries. Be familiar with the poet and you will get a sense for the poem.  3. Go for Grace. When you translate a poem, your job is to stay as close to the meaning as possible. That said, you also have artistic license to use (not abuse) the meaning to make a clear and graceful translation. Translating slag is an excellent example of when to use artistic license. Some slang has absolutely no meaning in another language. In fact, a direct translation would make the poem fail. In that case, turn the meaning of the slang into its equivalent.  4. Be Wary/Cautious. This tip is for those of you who think translating takes a few minutes tops. There are some great computer programs that are designed for translation. There are also some excellent dictionaries and phrase books. But do not rely on them to give you the end-all-be-all translation. You can use these computer programs and dictionary translations as a guide. They may help get to the bones of the poem but your job is to put heart and live language on those bones.  5. Take a Deep Breath. When you finish a translation, sit tight for a few days, maybe even a week, before you go over it. Then come back and see where the gaps and the mistakes are.  Translating a poem is a lot like writing a poem yourself. You have to know what you want to say. You have to feel what you want to say. You have to be focused.  Putting poems into another language is one of the best ways to share culture, honor poets, and remind us that we can transcend geography. EXERCISE 1  Translate an English poem of your choice into Turkish, keeping in mind the 5 tips for translating poetry. EXERCISE 2  Translate a Turkish poem of your choice into English, keeping in mind the 5 tips for translating poetry. EXERCISE 3  Read «She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways» by William Wordsworth (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45549/she-dwelt-among-the- untrodden-ways), then read the Turkish translation and decide if the translator is able to preserve structure, style, rhythm, rhyme, and meaning (https://www.antoloji.com/ceviri-siir-william-wordsworth-o- gecilmemis-yollardan-gecti-siiri/) EXERCISE 4  Read «Mavi Gözlü Dev» by Nâzım Hikmet, then read the Turkish translation and decide if the translator is able to preserve structure, style, rhythm, rhyme, and meaning (https://lyricstranslate.com/en/mavi-goezlue-dev-blue-eyed-giant.html)