Relinquishing and Reviving The Text / Originally by: Khaled Aljbely / Al-Doha Magazine August 2016
Relinquishing and Reviving The Text.
Originally by: Khaled Aljbely.
When I look at my career in translation which amounts to more than 50 books and plenty of short stories, I see it was a hard and entertaining journey at the same time. Since I chose to study the English language and its literature in Aleppo University, my only concern was to become a translator, because my passion with language and translation was possessing me, and I wished to be enabled to translate some of the works I loved. Indeed, I worked after my graduation at the "International Agricultural Research Center" that its basic location is at Aleppo, the city I grew and studied in. And I practiced this job with both its facets (written and instant translation), meanwhile I was translating some stories and literary works side by side with my work in some other scientific and artistic sectors.
My urge to translate a wholesome literary work emerged when I translated "Animal Farm" by the British author George Orwell which I got possession of from my father's library, may Allah be merciful to him. The translation received the approval / acknowledgement of a number of professors whom I then showed the translation, which encouraged me to continue the literary translation. What impulses me to translate a work is that it is fascinating - catchy - and carries new ideas and that it forms a useful addition to myself and the reader. And I don't show a huge interest in famous western writers, but constantly seek good and distinguished works, thus I translated works of writers never much before heard of by the Arabic reader, such as the British author of Indian origin Hanif Kureishi "Intimacy" and the American Negro author and poet Asha Bandele "The Prisoner's Wife" and the Iranian author Nahal Tajadod "Rumi: The Fire of Love", and the Turkish author Elif Safak "The Bastard of Istanbul and The Forty Rules of Love" and others.
And from my long experience in translation in various fields and subjects, I can say that the literary translation remains the most difficult and entertaining of all, because it is characterized with innovation, and holds structures and patterns and numerous linguistic and intellectual compositions. And it isn't sufficient that the literary translator excels in both the languages he translates from and to, but he has to be well -acknowledged and well-educated considering the cultures of both the languages and their phrases, and to be a verocious reader, especially in the literature of his native tongue (here Arabic) and to be qualified with a high - elevated - literary taste. And for the literary translator to be able to create an identical text to the original text but with a new language, he has to have the talent of the original author. And I see that the Arabic language is a beautiful one rich with its syllables and flexible and capable of transferring the other cultures.
The translator is a second writer creating a new text in new language and culture, despite his total adherence to the original author's text, and his commitment to all its content of ideas, implications and styles, which makes his work laborious and wearisome, and almost impossible in some cases. The ejection of the text from its linguistic system and converting it to a second linguistic system completely different in the aura, culture and concepts is an incredibly difficult and crafty matter. It is the relinquishing of the authentic text and then reviving it in a language and culture completely unlike to the original text. And if the translator was able to produce an identical translation to the authentic text regarding the meaning, the style and the structure, and he has succeeded in transferring the ideas expressed by the real author, then the translator would have accomplished - achieved - a fantastic work.
And when I say that the translator is a "second writer" I don't mean that he invents a different text that has nothing to do with the original, but he has to blend with the original text so that he is enabled to convey the ideas of the original author and his culture and style precisely, but in a new language completely different in structures and context. And it must be distinguished here between faithfulness in translation and literal translation, because faithfulness in translation requires the transference of text regarding the spirit and meaning faithfully and in a complete way, to the level that the reader of the original text and the reader of the translated text feel they befront a one text but in two different languages, and they find the same pleasure - joy - and are overwhelmed by the same feelings.
And the translator must be equipped with all his literary and linguistic tools, because, like the author, he is more of a painter or a sculputerer, he chooses the terms and phrases with extreme accuracy, and he has to go along with / accompany the modern styles and terms, and to leave as possible the concavity - complication - in language, so that the reader doesn't detest - abhor - the translated text.
And finally, the difficulty of translation is unknown unless to those who have practiced it and unfolded its depths / fields, and may Allah be at the aid of the translator.
Originally by: Khaled Aljbely.
When I look at my career in translation which amounts to more than 50 books and plenty of short stories, I see it was a hard and entertaining journey at the same time. Since I chose to study the English language and its literature in Aleppo University, my only concern was to become a translator, because my passion with language and translation was possessing me, and I wished to be enabled to translate some of the works I loved. Indeed, I worked after my graduation at the "International Agricultural Research Center" that its basic location is at Aleppo, the city I grew and studied in. And I practiced this job with both its facets (written and instant translation), meanwhile I was translating some stories and literary works side by side with my work in some other scientific and artistic sectors.
My urge to translate a wholesome literary work emerged when I translated "Animal Farm" by the British author George Orwell which I got possession of from my father's library, may Allah be merciful to him. The translation received the approval / acknowledgement of a number of professors whom I then showed the translation, which encouraged me to continue the literary translation. What impulses me to translate a work is that it is fascinating - catchy - and carries new ideas and that it forms a useful addition to myself and the reader. And I don't show a huge interest in famous western writers, but constantly seek good and distinguished works, thus I translated works of writers never much before heard of by the Arabic reader, such as the British author of Indian origin Hanif Kureishi "Intimacy" and the American Negro author and poet Asha Bandele "The Prisoner's Wife" and the Iranian author Nahal Tajadod "Rumi: The Fire of Love", and the Turkish author Elif Safak "The Bastard of Istanbul and The Forty Rules of Love" and others.
And from my long experience in translation in various fields and subjects, I can say that the literary translation remains the most difficult and entertaining of all, because it is characterized with innovation, and holds structures and patterns and numerous linguistic and intellectual compositions. And it isn't sufficient that the literary translator excels in both the languages he translates from and to, but he has to be well -acknowledged and well-educated considering the cultures of both the languages and their phrases, and to be a verocious reader, especially in the literature of his native tongue (here Arabic) and to be qualified with a high - elevated - literary taste. And for the literary translator to be able to create an identical text to the original text but with a new language, he has to have the talent of the original author. And I see that the Arabic language is a beautiful one rich with its syllables and flexible and capable of transferring the other cultures.
The translator is a second writer creating a new text in new language and culture, despite his total adherence to the original author's text, and his commitment to all its content of ideas, implications and styles, which makes his work laborious and wearisome, and almost impossible in some cases. The ejection of the text from its linguistic system and converting it to a second linguistic system completely different in the aura, culture and concepts is an incredibly difficult and crafty matter. It is the relinquishing of the authentic text and then reviving it in a language and culture completely unlike to the original text. And if the translator was able to produce an identical translation to the authentic text regarding the meaning, the style and the structure, and he has succeeded in transferring the ideas expressed by the real author, then the translator would have accomplished - achieved - a fantastic work.
And when I say that the translator is a "second writer" I don't mean that he invents a different text that has nothing to do with the original, but he has to blend with the original text so that he is enabled to convey the ideas of the original author and his culture and style precisely, but in a new language completely different in structures and context. And it must be distinguished here between faithfulness in translation and literal translation, because faithfulness in translation requires the transference of text regarding the spirit and meaning faithfully and in a complete way, to the level that the reader of the original text and the reader of the translated text feel they befront a one text but in two different languages, and they find the same pleasure - joy - and are overwhelmed by the same feelings.
And the translator must be equipped with all his literary and linguistic tools, because, like the author, he is more of a painter or a sculputerer, he chooses the terms and phrases with extreme accuracy, and he has to go along with / accompany the modern styles and terms, and to leave as possible the concavity - complication - in language, so that the reader doesn't detest - abhor - the translated text.
And finally, the difficulty of translation is unknown unless to those who have practiced it and unfolded its depths / fields, and may Allah be at the aid of the translator.
*practise
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