Saturday,
September 09, 2006
"Traduttore,
Traditore" - - "The Translator is a Traitor"
The ANNOTICO
Report
..... is an Italian phrase . It means "the translator is a
traitor," and comes from the study of literature. It means that when
considering literature, you should always judge it in its original language,
and not on a translation, because no translation is perfect at capturing all
the nuances and subtleties and meanings that the author placed in the original
work, (presumably) in his native tongue.
The phrase itself
is a fine example. In Italian, the similarities of the two words forms a sort
of wordplay, strongly suggests a relationship between them, and even hints at
the interchangeability of the two terms and concepts.
In Italian "Traduttore, traditore" is
majestic in the meaning it conveys, and the fact that it in itself is an
example of how similar sounding words can mean something entirely different,
and sabotage you.
In English, amusingly enough the expression comes
across as a piece of cheesy dialogue from a bad war or spy movie.
But there are a
few lessons to be Learned.
1. Study Italian,
so you can enjoy the literature in the melodious, mellifluous Italian
style, rather than the rather guttural English style.
2. But for those
who Can Not Study Italian, we must TRANSLATE FAR MORE
books from Italian to English!!!! Better less than
Beautiful Italian, than No ITALIAN IN ANY FORM at All
!!!!
3. If you become
an Immigrant to any Country, Learn the Language, or else you are at the mercy
of traitors!!!!!
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