English Lang Lit Translation and Foreign Texts

It is highly important to understand languages and the influence they have in our texts and perception of culture via literature from them. After reading and discussing in groups articles focused on translation in literature from different cultures, many of the sources presented a positive response or call for more translations and the importance they have for not only the reader but the origin of the text. I support the many of these concepts as I they are following the ideology of globalization through means of communication to better comprehend the culture of its origin.

This is highly important, although it brings into question the authenticity of a translation how it compares to the original text, this is exempt in the case of an author directly translating unless the language doesn’t provide an expression for the author’s intent. This is where compromise or an external source for translation adjusts the text and for some literary scholars or purists this taints the authenticity.

In Many Regards the true meaning of a text is subject to bias and individual perception, this is why translators walk a fine line when translating. It can be a catch 22 as they will never satisfy all audiences, as everyone has their own tastes and opinions. Meaning there will always be ones whom disagree with the translator’s interpretation however unless this is a majority it should be ignored as translator should have a margin of adjustment from direct literal translation in order to better represent the piece in question.

One aspect of translated texts which should never be over looked is the context in which the author wrote, including their history, life, relations, personality, home, country and events which took place during the time of the text writing. This is highly important as it gives the best insight into the text and give better comprehension for the origins of specific characters or events within the text. Without an understanding of the context of which the piece was created with no amount of translation would anyone be capable of understanding the intention of the author which is a key attribute of reading a text.

David Wallace and Alice Munro

David foster Wallace suffered throughout his life primarily mentally, he was quite depressed however unlike most he was educated enough to experience the full Enlighted view of the travesty and hardship of this world. The sheer brutal and intense again bestowed upon use by our failures and decisions as a human race, but with this educated mind he not only experienced it but he was able to look past it, to the true source of contention. He believed that the issue doesn’t lie within or surroundings but within us as individuals, the perspective is our issue, and as he states with this education he is able to actively changed his view on life. Altering his attitude by giving more leeway for forgiveness and understanding, allowing the possibility for less selfishness and being more embracing to those who were originally the bane to one’s existence. This mindset and perspective adjustment is very symbiotic and deductively relevant to many of Alice Munro’s short stories.

In nearly all of Alice Munro’s short stories there is a quality of development or mental grow in the main protagonists often by the end of the story displaying their change in their characteristics. In Alice Munro’s short story Family Furnishing, the main protagonist carries and initial upbeat and positive attitude towards her nuclear family, and as it slowly degradants so does her appreciation and care for her family to the point of her “Abandonment” of her mother. She then leaves to college where she cuts off most ties with relatives besides her father and even loathes meeting with one of her most beloved family members. She became more infatuated with writing and her appreciation from her peers.

“The cries of the crowd came to me like big heartbeats, full of sorrows.” – Alice Munro, Family furnishing, pg. 117

Alice Munro display how the protagonist was empowered by her education offered the choice of perspective and direction in the world, giving her the possibility of choice. Munro often gives the development of her protagonists through education primarily formal such as Royal Beating and Boys and Girls the adjustment of self can either be one of more embracing and sympathetic of former ideologies or struggles of the female gender or one opposing to the past pushing it away and even going as far to abandon their family.

David foster Wallace and Alice Munro both appear to agree on the power of education and its influence on one’s everyday life and how with it the perspective and attitude of the individual is drastically adjusted. We should look to both of their works as not the bible and definitely not as trash or boring stories, we should look upon them for the insight being offered to us by people of higher education who have experienced the trial and tribulations of adulthood. One tradition I do agree on is to respect one’s elders and learn from them, whether it be from their mistakes or their wise decisions.

What do you think, is Empathy and emotional knowledge a whole loud of ****? Or do you think it serves a purpose?

Do you think that only through education one can actively pull back he clouded veil which is our outlook on life?

Answer these questions below \/

Language of African literature

In what ways does this text influence your understanding of Achebe’s use of language and stylistic choices in Things Fall Apart?

In the excerpt from Ngugi's essay he presents us with the great importance of language and the role it plays in our community and the cohesive nature it plays in society. He recollects his childhood and the "norm" for Africans, and how the language was ingrained into their communities and the massive role it played in the day to day of the individuals. He proceeds to depict the gradual colonization of education by the English through western influences and control, He describes how he loses his mother tongue because of the disruption of his life by losing the use of it in his formal education.

In regards to the development in my interpretation of Things Fall Apart I believe that  have gathered another great resource in the comprehension on the reasons for loss of self and community in Okonkwo and other Igbo. Knowing how a member of a colonized community viewed the change and how the responded to it is allowing me to use assumptions through deductive reasoning seeing a event and formulating the theory that the western culture systematically destroyed the communities of Nigeria and northern Africa through the degradation of the communities using the English language.

In conclusion I now understand to the extent of which the communities of the Igbo culture was affected and thus  forever tainted by the English language.

IOC

https://youtu.be/LP1uLOhBQQA

Characterization of Coriolanus Act 1

We are presented with a particularly hated man, one of such bitterness that all the citizens of the city he had saved twice before hate him and see him as a larger enemy than their adversaries from Corioles. Often speaking of him with distaste, "He's a very dog to the common man" (Coriolanus Act 1, Scene 1, line 27), this anger stems primarily from his lack of empathy for others he views as below him. This might seem as if he is quite cocky and arrogant, these traits are more misinterpreted by the citizens or common men of Rome. For Martius is later developed as a noble warrior who pushes himself to his lists for his country and those he lack any respect for him or other higher class members of society. We are more informed of his strength and drive as a leader when in scene 3 his wife and mother are sewing and speaking about Martius, his mother Volumniais is very compassionate about her son even saying how if she was Martius wife that she would never mind how often he is gone to fight. This is later explained to be a key aspect of Martius' personality, he always looks for the greater good a his country and puts his own life on the line for pride and honor of himself and his nation.

During his countless battles Martius has demonstrated great power and nobility, as previously mentioned he fights to the bitter end, even when in the face of death against his greatest rival and enemy Tullus. Tulles during their fight was accompanied by Volsces, very dishonorable during a duel which even Tulles commented on, despite this unfair advantage of two on one Martius prevailed. He stood victorious with injuries all across his body, however he still acts as a great leader, with nobility and modesty asking not to be congratulated yet and rewarded for their victory, telling to spare a mans life who he they had captured. This wise, noble and modest nature is very commonly seen in many of the demigods or myths of ancient Greece and Rome. One of the Demi Gods that could be mostly related to Coriolanus is Hercules the Demi God of immense strength and the son of Zeus.

Some qualities shared between the two individuals are their modesty never accepting great riches without reason, never flaunting their inhuman strength on frivolous acts. This immense strength is another trait they share, constantly proving themselves more powerful than nearly every opposing force, from what we know Hercules and Coriolanus alike have not lost any battle that relies on strength as a determining factor for victory. Finally they are both meant to be more than just human, they are supposed to be perceived as a stage above the common man, in Hercules' case he is half God, and Coriolanus is of noble decent however he shows power equitable to a Demi God. This is intentionally done by Shakespeare to show how in many ways Coriolanus is meant to be similar to a Demi God in nature, this also explains why he tends to look down upon most other people in his life. It also creates a link between Roman mythology and story telling of Shakespeare's time, both are well known by the members of society in the 17th century.

Vernacular analyses of text

The quote I will be using in the aid of my analyses is from Bell hook, ". An unbroken connection exists between the broken English of the displaced, enslaved African and the diverse black vernacular speech black folks use today. In both cases, the rupture of standard English enabled and enables rebellion and resistance. By transforming the oppressor’s language, making a culture of resistance, black people created an intimate speech that could say far more than was permissible within the boundaries of standard English."

English endangered language Podcast

Link to podcast: https://youtu.be/0cj_1FvirRo


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