Copeland - Kenny

 

Copeland’s mention of translating the author’s voice more so than the text itself was quite 

interesting to me, and although we have encountered this before in class I hadn’t quite thought 

of it like that until reading this text. But now that I have, the importance of translating voice is 

quite apparent. For example, translating the newspaper or magazine article to have the same 

voice or tone that they do in the original text, to keep the mood similar when reading. Or using 

particular kinds of language to make the business contract sound like a business contract when

 reading it. Initially I had thought it was a relatively straightforward process, as one might think 

translating an author’s text , the vocabulary they use and such, should naturally also translate 

their voice. But because Japanese and English are such different languages it is not always 

that easy. Like translating the words kogai, kanzashi, and kushi. 

Sievers’s translation, Flowers in Salt, was also quite an interesting bit to read. I agreed that the 

image of flowers in salt was more powerful than flowers hidden behind a fence, which reminded 

me of the Manji translation. I had previously thought that the accuracy to the text was important, 

that keeping the religious symbol was something you had to do. But this example has given me 

a bit more perspective on how translators can change the image the original text has and keep, 

or in this case possibly improve, the meaning.