Quotes About Translation

In our tongue we would say alfär.

from Diana to Deborah, 8 May 1998) Talking of language difficulty Tony Lambton says Selwyn Lloyd introduced him to Khrushchev saying 'He's the best shot in England,' and the translator said 'Lord Lambton is to be shot tomorrow.' Khrushchev thought it quite normal but patted him on the shoulder kindly.

Language is too grand for these chaps; let's give them dialects!

In short, hysteria is a type of language in which communication is effected by means of pictures (or iconic signs), instead of by means of words (or conventional signs). Hysterical language thus resembles other picture languages, such as charades. Those who want to deal with so-called hysterical patients must therefore learn not how to diagnose or treat them, but how to understand their special idiom and how to translate it into ordinary language.

Fine," Vanto said. The musculature of his throat relaxes partially, but not fully. "Personally, I'd be a lot more concerned about him, but that's up to you. But I'm still the bottom man on the roster. Why do you even care about me?" "You are my translator. You hold my words in your hand, and their meanings. A misjudged translation will confuse or anger. A deliberate error could lead to death.

So; in the beginning was the Word, but ten nanoseconds later there was a twelve-volume dictionary, and ten nanoseconds after that a Library of Congress, with 90 per cent of the books in foreign languages. It's probably not possible after such a lapse of time to find out what the original Word was. Given the consequences, however, it could well have been oops.

Geshe Thupten Jinpa, who has been the Dalai Lama's chief English translator for more than twenty years, shared an insight with us recently about the nature of creativity. Jinpa pointed out that there's no word in the Tibetan language for "creativity" or "being creative." The closest translation is "natural." In other words, if you want to be more creative, you just have to be more natural.

Claude and Marcel LeFever were speaking in French. This simultaneous English translation is being beamed to the reader via literary satellite.)

anyone with a secretary knows that what Catullus really wrote was already corrupt by the time it was copied twice...

When I write, I don't translate for white readers.... Dostoevski wrote for a Russian audience, but we're able to read him. If I'm specific, and I don't overexplain, then anyone can overhear me.

El nombre Elías significa: «Jehová es mi Dios».

Phryne spent a blameless evening reading The Winter's Tale with Ruth, who was still convinced that Shakespeare could bear translation. 'Why does he take so long to say anything?' 'The Elizabethan stage had no scenes and only hand-props. His actors had to create the scene, as well as the action. Look how cleverly he has leafed the innocent conversation of the Queen and Polixenes with the King's own jealous thoughts. It works very well onstage, I promise. We

Bocker", flüsterte Mia mir zu. "Wie bitte?" flüsterte ich zurück. "Biest in Ocker ist einfach zu lang.Nennen wir sie Bocker.

You could, if so inclined, read more Greek texts in the original Greek than the most prestigious Greek nobleman of classical times.

The French translation of 'a black hole has no hair' is so obscene that French publishers resisted it vigorously, to no avail.

See? You're the crazy one, you redheaded freak. I've been attempting to translate the phrase into Latin. If I ever succeed, I shall make it my personal motto.

He consequently long declined any proposal to have it translated.

refused to translate it.33

When some years ago, knowing ten words of English and using them all wrong, I applied for a translator's job, my would-be employer (or would-be-not-employer) softly remarked: 'I am afraid your English is somewhat unorthodox.' This translated into any continental language would mean: EMPLOYER (to the commissionaire): 'Jean, kick this gentleman down the steps!

I love the song 'El Rey.' And for years, I never knew what the song was totally about. It was something new for me. I'd never sung a song in Spanish before. Then I got the translation and saw what a really cool song it was.

Laughing at the universe liberated my life. I escape its weight by laughing. I refuse any intellectual translations of this laughter, since my slavery would commrnce from that point on.

But, for my own part, it was Greek to me.

The art of translation lies less in knowing the other language than in knowing your own.

England and America are two countries separated by the same language.