Found in Translation: In Praise of a Plural World
Ratings1
Average rating4
Could translation be a key issue of our time? Whether it is international relations, travel and tourism, or just making sense of one’s neighbours, translating between cultures is something that is happening all the time. But how well do we really understand each other, and what can go wrong? Linda Jaivin is a leading translator of Chinese, who has been thinking about the topic of translation for most of her life. With insight and wit, she illuminates this topic in its many dimensions. This is a free-ranging essay about culture, difference, (mis)understanding and their many and unpredictable consequences, which examines China and the West with special reference to Australia. While considering international relations through a cultural prism, Jaivin offers delightful insights into the work of the translator, and a perceptive assessment of different worldviews and the degree to which they can be bridged.
Tags
Series
Featured Series
23 primary books#52 in Quarterly Essay
Quarterly Essay is a 23-book series with 23 released primary works first released in 2002 with contributions by Amanda Lohrey, Flannery Tim, and Germaine Greer.
Reviews
Popular Reviews
Reviews with the most likes.
Lawrence Summers, the former president of Harvard University argued that liberal arts did not need to include the study of foreign language. He basically argued that English was a universal language and along with machine translations it meant that citizens of the USA had no need to learn other languages other than English. This reminded me of a question that I read on the internet where an American had asked why the British spoke English when it was an American language and Britain was part of Europe. Why indeed LOL and I wonder how the good Mr Summers would have answered that question.
Though now nearly 9 years old I have found these essays by Linda Jaivin, Australian author, translator, essayist, novelist and specialist writer on China very informative and still relevant. Ultimately, this is a defence of the humanities via translation and gives very good reasons why they are as relevant to the future as they were in the past.
Some of my GR friends have written some fine reviews of this Quarterly Essay and I recommend them to anyone that reads this one.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/942381330
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/771656762
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/820846778
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/970579061