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Perfect translation is possible?

PUBLIC_FLAG_#{@journal.pf_int} RSS feed of Naoto's latest journal entries Jul 03rd 2009 11:57
Do you know famous writer of Japan Literature, Natsume Souseki?
He is great writer.
His the most famous work is "吾輩は猫である".
This work is translated into English, "I'm a cat". But when I see this translation, I thought that perfect translation is unpossible.

The word, "吾輩" surely means I. But "吾輩" feel strict in some way.
But the title in English, "I am a cat". It is cute, isn't it?
Japanese have some ways of indicating "I".
But the each of these have a different nuance.

And my teacher of Aplied English said, "Strictly speaking, If translate "さようなら" into English, translation is "If it should be so" "
Real mean of "さようなら" is "I don't want to leave you, but you must go? If it should be so, there is no help."

I have no confidence of my English of accuracy...
Jul 03rd 2009 12:16 debberry
  • English
  • Korean, French

  • Perfect translation is possible?
  • Perfect translation is it possible? or Is perfect translation possible?
Comment  
  • Do you know famous writer of Japan Literature, Natsume Souseki?
  • Do you know the famous writer of Japanese literature, Natsume Souseki?
Comment  
  • He is great writer.
  • He is a great writer.
Comment  
  • His the most famous work is "吾輩は猫である".
  • His the most famous work is "吾輩は猫である".
Comment  
  • This work is translated into English, "I'm a cat".
  • This work was translated into English- "I'm a cat".
Comment  
  • But when I see this translation, I thought that perfect translation is unpossible.
  • But when I saw the translation, I thought that perfect translation is not possible. However, when I saw the translation, I felt that it was not possible to translate it perfectly.
Comment  
  • The word, "吾輩" surely means I.
  • Yes, the word, "吾輩" surely means " I ".
Comment  
  • But "吾輩" feel strict in some way.
  • But "吾輩" connotes the idea of strict in some ways.
Comment  
  • But the title in English, "I am a cat".
  • Hence the title in English, "I am a cat", does not give the impression of strict or seriousness.
Comment  
  • It is cute, isn't it?
  • Instead it sounds It is cute, does not it?
Comment  
  • Japanese have some ways of indicating "I".
  • Japanese have some several/different ways of indicating "I".
Comment  
  • But the each of these have a different nuance.
  • But the And each of these have a different nuance.
Comment  
  • And my teacher of Aplied English said, "Strictly speaking, If translate "さようなら" into English, translation is "If it should be so" "
  • And My teacher of Applied English said, "Strictly speaking, if we were to translate "さようなら" into English, thetranslation should be "If it should be so" "
Comment  
  • Real mean of "さようなら" is "I don't want to leave you, but you must go?
  • Real meaning of "さようなら" is "I don't want to leave you, but you must go.
Comment  
  • If should be so, there is no help."
  • If should be so, there is no help." A bit confused how this links to the above sentence. Are you saying that " If should be so" doesn't help or?
Comment  
  • I have no confidence of my English of accuracy...
  • I have no confidence of the accuracy of my English. of accuracy...
Comment  

con⋅note
  
–verb (used with object)
1.to signify or suggest (certain meanings, ideas, etc.) in addition to the explicit or primary meaning: The word “fireplace” often connotes hospitality, warm comfort, etc.


Hi there,
your English is good, just need to remember not to leave out the articles and to 'check' the tenses.

I have heard of this book but I have yet to read it. What is it about?
Jul 03rd 2009 12:22 Nekesu
  • English
  • Japanese, Korean

  • Do you know famous writer of Japan Literature, Natsume Souseki?
  • Do you know famous writer of Japanese Literature, Natsume Souseki?
Comment  
  • He is great writer.
  • He is a great writer.
Comment  
  • His the most famous work is "吾輩は猫である".
  • His the most famous work is "吾輩は猫である".
Comment  
  • This work is translated into English, "I'm a cat".
  • This work is translated into English, the title is "I'm a cat".
Comment  
  • But when I see this translation, I thought that perfect translation is unpossible.
  • But when I saw this translation, I thought that perfect translation was impossible.
Comment  
  • But "吾輩" feel strict in some way.
  • But "吾輩" feels strict in some way.
Comment  
  • Japanese have some ways of indicating "I".
  • The Japanese language has more than one way of expressing the word "I."
Comment  
  • But the each of these have a different nuance.
  • But the each of these has a different nuance.
Comment  
  • And my teacher of Aplied English said, "Strictly speaking, If translate "さようなら" into English, translation is "If it should be so" "
  • And my teacher of Applied English said, "Strictly speaking, If you translate "さようなら" into English, the meaning would be "If it should be so"
Comment  
  • Real mean of "さようなら" is "I don't want to leave you, but you must go?
  • The real mean of "さようなら" is "I don't want to leave you, but you must go?
Comment  
  • I have no confidence of my English of accuracy...
  • I have no confidence In the accuracy of my English.
Comment  
There doesn't seem to be any other way of translating 吾輩, since English just uses "I" to refer to oneself usually. But since 吾輩 has a bit of an arrogant tone maybe it can be translated as "I, the most supreme being in the universe, am a cat." 「俺、宇宙で一番最高の存在者は猫である。」Or something like that...Referring to oneself in the third person also shows arrogance.
Naoto
  • Japanese
  • English, Mandarin

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