Comments on Readings - Rachel Nozaki

 The Mysteries of Translation

I thought it was interesting how Lesser mentioned that although a translator doesn't want their voice to overpower that of the source author, it is undeniable that their own sensibility enters into the work they're given. Because everyone has their own writing style, I think that is what makes translating extremely challenging but also exciting to explore how to effectively convey the original story's emotions and feelings while creating a smooth flow in the translated language. 

Found in Translation

This interview was really insightful to get the behind-the-scenes for the translation process alongside the author. As Rubin and Gabriel mentioned, Murakami is heavily involved in the translation process, making me wonder what the dynamic is and how the conversations are like when deciding effective wording. I liked how Rubin explained that although there is never a guarantee that you are getting an unalloyed original, if the translation evokes strong emotions, it is likely that the original text conveys similar themes and tone. As a bilingual person, I often feel like the inherent nature of Japanese versus English bring very different tones to the story so I think it is extremely challenging for translators to develop ways to maintain the sense and feel of the original text.

How Haruki Murakami's "1Q84" was Translated into English

I never had a clear understanding of how long it takes to translate a book so it was interesting to read how Gabriel's goal is to translate 4 pages a day, 20 pages a week, and 80 pages a month. Especially for a long piece like 1Q84, the process seems extremely detailed and in need of many rounds of revisions. Towards the end of the article, it mentioned how there is a stereotype that Japanese is more imprecise and vague compared to English, and I did not know that it was a common perception of the language. Gabriel firmly said that it was a misconception, which I agree with because I've never felt as though Japanese lacks any details to communication. I also agree with Gabriel that because the sentence structure in Japanese is flipped from English, it becomes challenging to convey the right emotions and maintain a rhythm to the sentences if the verb comes at the beginning.

Fans Around the World Reading Haruki Murakami in Parallel Worlds

As mentioned in the other articles, the difference in language naturally can change the tone or seriousness of the text, which can cause the disparities in how readers perceive the work. I especially thought it was interesting how the book cover designs were emphasized as a factor that paved way to Haruki Murakami's international success. Often when I look for books to pick up at the bookstore, the covers play a large role when scanning shelves full of books. I think the visual continuity of his pieces make his work more distinct and noticeable, which I believe does play a key role in collecting people's attention.