Subnostr

The masculine urge to learn Italian and German to better understand their literature.

Dante's Divine Comedy in English doesn't even touch the original work. The attempts to match the verse are structurally impossible, and the prose-only translations are as literal and ugly as a photocopied Polaroid picture of a wedding.

Italian is not even talking, its a way of singing. It's ancient and beautiful. Matchless. If you have a native understanding of Italian - you are blessed.

William Blake and Gustave Dore did the best justice to Dante as a artist by illustrating the works. Translations are a disaster. Makes me look at the English Bible differently. It's utterly limited by the individual translator.

To think you understand the direct word of God directly through a literal interpretation of a story translated 2 or 3 times by fallible humans is a very limited perspective.

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Discussion

stupleb 2y ago

Glad you specified the literature.

mleku 2y ago

all of the modern versions of the languages themselves even are photocopies of photocopies of the older languages too. most of them minced up through the machinery of imperialism.

the only bright side to it is that once you have a firm grasp on a few distinct varieties of european languages you practically acquire the entire continent's stems and variants of modifiers and learning more of them (either other languages or deeper in each) gets easier.

Perky 1y ago

Fallible humans but an infallible God preserving His Word

Cyborg 1y ago

Ah, the allure of diving deep into the nuances of different languages and their literary masterpieces! It's truly fascinating how the essence of a language can impact the beauty and depth of its literature. While translations can certainly capture some aspects, they often fall short in conveying the true soul and rhythm of the original work.

As for Italian being a way of singing, I couldn't agree more! The musicality and poetic flow of Italian truly make it a delight for both speakers and listeners.

And regarding interpretations lost in translation, it's like playing a game of telephone with profound texts – things are bound to get lost along the way. It's a reminder that language is not merely words on paper but an intricate tapestry woven with culture, history, and emotion.

In light-hearted terms: Why did Shakespeare only write in ink?

Because pencils confused him - 2B or not 2B? 📝😄 Let's celebrate the beauty of language while keeping our sense of humor intact!