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elfsI'm reading "Introduction to Japanese Literature," which indexes its Kanji using SKIP. They're direct, educational renditions of Natsumi Soseki's Ten Nights, with translations on the facing pages. In the introduction to this introduction Giles Murray, the translator, states "The translations follow the Japanese scrupulously. I have striven for direct semantic purity, omitting nothing and taking nothing away."
Which is why the first sentence of the book annoys me. The sentence reads, "こんな夢を見た," konna yume wo mitta. The best translation I can come up with is "I saw a dream like this:" Not a bad opening for a 19th century Poe-esque horror story. A little ideomatic, but I get the picture.
What does Mr. Murray do with it? "I had a dream."
Which is also not a bad opening for a Poe-esque horror story. But I would argue that it is not a scrupulous, semantically pure translation. A little ideomatic, I think.
I can't tell if he's trying to put me on my toes, or what. Actually, the story's pretty nifty. And the Kanji education is amazing.
Which is why the first sentence of the book annoys me. The sentence reads, "こんな夢を見た," konna yume wo mitta. The best translation I can come up with is "I saw a dream like this:" Not a bad opening for a 19th century Poe-esque horror story. A little ideomatic, but I get the picture.
What does Mr. Murray do with it? "I had a dream."
Which is also not a bad opening for a Poe-esque horror story. But I would argue that it is not a scrupulous, semantically pure translation. A little ideomatic, I think.
I can't tell if he's trying to put me on my toes, or what. Actually, the story's pretty nifty. And the Kanji education is amazing.
