Preference: Target languages and Bilingual Translation

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Iversen
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Re: Preference: Target languages and Bilingual Translation

Postby Iversen » Sun May 08, 2022 8:22 am

luke wrote:The translation I'm coming up with for "Iversen" is, "I am the Rosetta Stone". :)

Please bury that stone again - unless you refer to the original object before it got screaming yellow

Le Baron wrote:It seems to me now I've never actually deliberately read a novel by using any translation. The reason, when I think about it, is that translation re-writes the structure so that even though I recognise events and characters, I don't really recognise word or sentence translations.

I am also wary of reading texts in translation, but it seems to me that literary works are harder hit than non fiction because the translators try to write something that is as artsy as the originals. The texts I use for my bilingual printouts are always non-fictional, and they are short because I use them for intensive study (or afterwards: for repetition). OK, you miss a lot of linguistic finesse by sticking to non-fiction, like for instance readymade formulations for casual small talk. On the other hand articles about popular science or tourism don't have to be simplistic in any way, they are just not as chatty. Anyway, once you are at a level where you can read a language comfortably it would be silly to read a mere translation instead.
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Re: Preference: Target languages and Bilingual Translation

Postby Le Baron » Sun May 08, 2022 10:59 am

Iversen wrote:OK, you miss a lot of linguistic finesse by sticking to non-fiction, like for instance readymade formulations for casual small talk. On the other hand articles about popular science or tourism don't have to be simplistic in any way, they are just not as chatty.

I'd consider this a benefit really. Cutting away the inessential until I need them later. When I'm learning I don't really need to sound like Oscar Wilde, only to get all (most!) of the functional language in place. I've taken to reading plays for dialogue, cutting down all the descriptive prose to a minimum. It has the benefit of an interesting narrative, but just delivery of pure dialogue.

Now that I think about it this might even be a better candidate for checking a bilingual translation. Certainly easier to follow.
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Re: Preference: Target languages and Bilingual Translation

Postby DaveAgain » Sun May 08, 2022 11:19 am

Le Baron wrote: I've taken to reading plays for dialogue, cutting down all the descriptive prose to a minimum. It has the benefit of an interesting narrative, but just delivery of pure dialogue.
I remember the stage directions being a little obstacle course of unknown words for furniture and knick-knacks in some plays. :-)
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Re: Preference: Target languages and Bilingual Translation

Postby luke » Sun May 08, 2022 3:23 pm

Iversen wrote:
luke wrote:The translation I'm coming up with for "Iversen" is, "I am the Rosetta Stone". :)
Please bury that stone again - unless you refer to the original object before it got screaming yellow

That's why I was careful to include a link to the Spanish Wikipedia article on the real stone - which by the way has the coveted "outstanding article" designation - and not the screaming yellow abomination.
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