I love this, thank you for the book ideas! Have not read either Idra Novey or Katie Kitamura, I just got both. I’ve struggled with translation—I’m kind of a terrible translator. The only way for me to “understand” Japanese is to not think too hard, and that doesn’t work for translation, since I’m willfully skipping all the words and structures I don’t have an English equivalent for. But I’ve never considered myself bilingual, because my Japanese isn’t fluent. It makes me sad and frustrated to think about how poor my Japanese is, and yet I’m in that weird place where I’m better than most people who try to learn it from scratch. And many people who speak English as a second language are okay with having an accent or not having perfect grammar, but I can’t seem to forgive myself for those crimes in my Japanese.
I recently started a translation project and was frustrated within the first chapter! I thought it would “help” me to dive deep into Japanese on a line-by-line level, looking everything up in a dictionary and hiring a tutor to walk me through grammar I don’t know. I’m still not sure if I’m making my insecurity better or worse! Maybe reading fiction that delves into translators and translation will help clarify things?
Oh, I don't think you should feel frustrated!! But maybe that's why my son gave up... too much expectation from others because of his Japanese heritage... I wonder. For me, I had such low expectations for myself--and I was always more interested in reading, which is quiet and not easy for others to judge. I just finished this bizarre book about a woman who sets a goal of three languages, six months each
It was like eat, pray, love in the sense that she had no connection to these languages and cultures and just set out to try. It made me realize how motivation and connection are such a part of this. I think my son --and you too-- will always have strong motivation (even if he doesn't do anything) since it is his heritage.
As for translation, I think of it more like an exercise for the brain since it is more demanding than reading, for example, since you have to become very close to a text and all the nuances to be able to translate it. It is inherently frustrating... I used to feel my stomach burning doing it professionally. These days, I love working on poetry--especially short poetry!! :)
On Monday, I am posting at 3 Quarks Daily about poetry translation, I will put a link on the substack in case you have time.
Anyway I LOVED both of those novels. I hope to someday study writing with katie Kitamura. She is fabulous. And the novel by Idra Novey is one of the best I have read in awhile. I am now reading The Translator by Nina Schuler, which is about Japanese. So far, it is less interesting, but I still recommend it too!
Please post the link when your poetry piece comes out! I read your review of the book about learning those random languages, and I agree with you, how WEIRD to embark on that project. it felt like...privilege? My struggles with Japanese and being understood and also included, are real. Her struggles seem optional? I guess I haven't read the book, I shouldn't be unfair!
Does Katie Kitamura teach writing formally anywhere? Would love to know! As always, really enjoying your thoughts on all of this!
I submitted an application to study with Kitamura at the Lighthouse Conference/Masterclass.... I have no idea if I will be accepted. I really want to study with her. She will also be at a different conference after that but now I can't remember what it was. I will tell you if I come across it again. The Lighthouse conference is in Denver in June. I want to read her more recent novel too. I will post a link to the essay on monday! Thank you... here are some translation from 2019 of Takamura Kotaro xoxo https://exchanges.uiowa.edu/issues/spring-2019/a-selection-from-takamura-kotaros-chieko-poems/
Oh my goodness. These are...beautiful. And I'm not usually a poetry person. The imagery is just so lovely. Your translator's note confirmed what surprised me so much--these are from over a hundred years ago, I wouldn't have expected such openly "romantic" writing! Thank you so much for this, I'm looking at it line by line. So wonderful!
Thank you so much!! One of my best friend's is named after Chieko because her parents hoped her future husband would love he like Kotaro loved his wife!! I love the poems.
Maybe the only "bad" thing about reading these is I start wondering where I went wrong! LOL! You'd think these poems were written by a woman because they sound like a fantasy that doesn't really exist, like most romance novels! When I watch romantic Korean dramas, half the time I'm giggling because I've never ever met a man who behaved like that or talked like that...but OMG maybe I've just led my life in the shadows!
Very interesting theme. Racking my brain. Is there anyone writer who pretends to be the translator of a fiction novel - but in fact is the author under a pseudonym? Don't know really. Think I have to do it myself.
Not books, but a couple of movies come to mind. Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, in which Audrey is a UN translator, and The Interpreter with Nicole Kidman. In the former, the role is only incidental to the storyline.
The very fresh Netflix wartime drama has a lead who’s a hotel worker pressed into service as an interpreter for the invading German forces, who faces an awful moral dilemma. The movie tells the story of the battle from the military and civilian perspectives, and is worth a watch.
I love this, thank you for the book ideas! Have not read either Idra Novey or Katie Kitamura, I just got both. I’ve struggled with translation—I’m kind of a terrible translator. The only way for me to “understand” Japanese is to not think too hard, and that doesn’t work for translation, since I’m willfully skipping all the words and structures I don’t have an English equivalent for. But I’ve never considered myself bilingual, because my Japanese isn’t fluent. It makes me sad and frustrated to think about how poor my Japanese is, and yet I’m in that weird place where I’m better than most people who try to learn it from scratch. And many people who speak English as a second language are okay with having an accent or not having perfect grammar, but I can’t seem to forgive myself for those crimes in my Japanese.
I recently started a translation project and was frustrated within the first chapter! I thought it would “help” me to dive deep into Japanese on a line-by-line level, looking everything up in a dictionary and hiring a tutor to walk me through grammar I don’t know. I’m still not sure if I’m making my insecurity better or worse! Maybe reading fiction that delves into translators and translation will help clarify things?
Oh, I don't think you should feel frustrated!! But maybe that's why my son gave up... too much expectation from others because of his Japanese heritage... I wonder. For me, I had such low expectations for myself--and I was always more interested in reading, which is quiet and not easy for others to judge. I just finished this bizarre book about a woman who sets a goal of three languages, six months each
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5258905094
It was like eat, pray, love in the sense that she had no connection to these languages and cultures and just set out to try. It made me realize how motivation and connection are such a part of this. I think my son --and you too-- will always have strong motivation (even if he doesn't do anything) since it is his heritage.
As for translation, I think of it more like an exercise for the brain since it is more demanding than reading, for example, since you have to become very close to a text and all the nuances to be able to translate it. It is inherently frustrating... I used to feel my stomach burning doing it professionally. These days, I love working on poetry--especially short poetry!! :)
On Monday, I am posting at 3 Quarks Daily about poetry translation, I will put a link on the substack in case you have time.
Anyway I LOVED both of those novels. I hope to someday study writing with katie Kitamura. She is fabulous. And the novel by Idra Novey is one of the best I have read in awhile. I am now reading The Translator by Nina Schuler, which is about Japanese. So far, it is less interesting, but I still recommend it too!
Please post the link when your poetry piece comes out! I read your review of the book about learning those random languages, and I agree with you, how WEIRD to embark on that project. it felt like...privilege? My struggles with Japanese and being understood and also included, are real. Her struggles seem optional? I guess I haven't read the book, I shouldn't be unfair!
Does Katie Kitamura teach writing formally anywhere? Would love to know! As always, really enjoying your thoughts on all of this!
I submitted an application to study with Kitamura at the Lighthouse Conference/Masterclass.... I have no idea if I will be accepted. I really want to study with her. She will also be at a different conference after that but now I can't remember what it was. I will tell you if I come across it again. The Lighthouse conference is in Denver in June. I want to read her more recent novel too. I will post a link to the essay on monday! Thank you... here are some translation from 2019 of Takamura Kotaro xoxo https://exchanges.uiowa.edu/issues/spring-2019/a-selection-from-takamura-kotaros-chieko-poems/
Oh my goodness. These are...beautiful. And I'm not usually a poetry person. The imagery is just so lovely. Your translator's note confirmed what surprised me so much--these are from over a hundred years ago, I wouldn't have expected such openly "romantic" writing! Thank you so much for this, I'm looking at it line by line. So wonderful!
Thank you so much!! One of my best friend's is named after Chieko because her parents hoped her future husband would love he like Kotaro loved his wife!! I love the poems.
Maybe the only "bad" thing about reading these is I start wondering where I went wrong! LOL! You'd think these poems were written by a woman because they sound like a fantasy that doesn't really exist, like most romance novels! When I watch romantic Korean dramas, half the time I'm giggling because I've never ever met a man who behaved like that or talked like that...but OMG maybe I've just led my life in the shadows!
Fascinating novel! Thanks for this!
Very interesting theme. Racking my brain. Is there anyone writer who pretends to be the translator of a fiction novel - but in fact is the author under a pseudonym? Don't know really. Think I have to do it myself.
You must do it!! It sounds fantastic and there is so much that could be explored... translation, creation, transcription, selfhood etc etc!
Not books, but a couple of movies come to mind. Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, in which Audrey is a UN translator, and The Interpreter with Nicole Kidman. In the former, the role is only incidental to the storyline.
Did you like the interpreter? I remember I wanted to see it when it came out. I might have seen the charade but will watch again! Thank you!
Yes, I liked it.
The very fresh Netflix wartime drama has a lead who’s a hotel worker pressed into service as an interpreter for the invading German forces, who faces an awful moral dilemma. The movie tells the story of the battle from the military and civilian perspectives, and is worth a watch.