The stories in the collection are authored by Gulzar, and that's what tempted me to add it to my 2014 book list. I had not read anything by him but I had seen his stories (Hu Tu Tu, Maachis) played out on the big screen. His storytelling had stood out in those films and I expected his stories to overawe me as well. But, I did not take into account that it is the good stuff that is often lost in translation.
Four years ago I completed my Diploma in Spanish and I take on Spanish to English translation assignments once in a while. They are mostly financial and legal documents or corporate brochures. Sometimes when I am stuck, Google translation or a similar tool comes in handy. But, it is dry, mechanical content, a one plus one equals two kind of translation. It does not that require expression.
To simply translate words good knowledge of the target language (English in my case) can suffice, especially when the purpose of the translated content is to simply pass information. But, the purpose of translating prose is not just to tell the story to the reader. The purpose is to create the same images like the original, to evoke all the emotions as the original and to engage the reader as wholly as the original. And that is not the job of a translator, it is the task for a storyteller who can also translate. Only someone who can articulate himself with ease in both languages can do justice to the expression of the writer.
To simply translate words good knowledge of the target language (English in my case) can suffice, especially when the purpose of the translated content is to simply pass information. But, the purpose of translating prose is not just to tell the story to the reader. The purpose is to create the same images like the original, to evoke all the emotions as the original and to engage the reader as wholly as the original. And that is not the job of a translator, it is the task for a storyteller who can also translate. Only someone who can articulate himself with ease in both languages can do justice to the expression of the writer.
Half A Rupee Stories fail in translation.
The narrative reads awkward and the dialogue jars. What should have been a quick, smooth read was tedious. I was tempted, often, to give up but I turned to the next one hoping that would be the one that would break through the translation barrier and sparkle in all its glory. The very-ordinary translation spoiled the reading experience and none of the stories stuck. I found myself attempting to translate back to how I imagined Gulzar would have written it. Not an easy task for someone for whom the first best thing about college was 'choose French, dump Hindi'. I finished the book only because I hate unfinished books on my bookshelf, sitting there, mocking me. Silly me! Better use of time would have been to watch Maachis again.
That's one reason I am scared to pick up a Manto!
ReplyDelete