![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
not my usual translation thoughts
Dec. 29th, 2024 08:04 amPeople not knowing anything about the Odyssey has suddenly been a big topic on twitter, possibly due to the announcement of a film adaptation by Christopher Nolan. There have been all kinds of class assumptions about who knows about it or not, people pointing to "Oh Brother, Where art thou," people saying that it was foundational to English literature, people complaining about how terrible education is now compared to when *they* were kids and of course were taught it in schools. Then yesterday, my fairly carefully curated home on twitter was invaded by people claiming to be married to a leftist, or to be philologists (not the ones I already follow), or whatever, mostly dumping on Emily Wilson's translations*. Some just in general, some picking on very specific words (she used scintilla instead of splinter once, to mean a little thing, prompting ire from one do-it-yourself translator. It was too sparkly for him). It was already pretty clear that we were back to the misogynists, especially when someone took a side detour to complain about Maria Dahvana Headley's translation of Beowulf, but sheesh. I was fuming. Someone was mad that EW implied that Odysseus's role in the destruction of Troy was *not* glorious.
This seemed succinct:
"mom, come pick me up, they’re starting “emily wilson’s homer translations are woke” discourse again"
- Ryan Alexanderplatz (possibly not his actual name)
I started to reply about what a jerk O was but deleted it before I sent it. I thought of Peggy Seeger's 1977 album "Penelope isn't waiting anymore." I thought about the fact that years ago I bought a multi-pound Greek lexicon from a rummage sale but at this point in my life I am probably never going to learn Greek, so I should give it away.
The non-EW translation recommended by most of the know-it-alls yesterday was dissed this morning by someone else, with a different rec.
I learned a *tiny* bit of modern Irish in about 1995 to be a tourist, but certainly not enough to read a book, especially one written in the 12th century. Based on this one tweet, though, I'm willing to believe it is the best translation (joke, because there is no such thing as a "best" translation).
"Lots of talk about translations and adaptations of The Odyssey. My favourite is the 12th-century Middle Irish retelling, ‘Merugud Uilix maicc Leirtis’, in which Odysseus’ dog, Argos, does NOT die"
-Conor McDonough
* If you don't want a long book with notes, her dramatic reading with facial expressions and props starts here:
https://youtu.be/az0Qxcf_ms4?feature=shared
OK, just one Korean translation thing. I watched some of the historical drama "My Country" (2019) (based on a few actual historical events, with lots of invention. An enormous body count, so I may quit after five episodes. I already knew that the Joseon dynasty started in 1392. Maybe that's enough. I like thinking that internal revolts on the Korean peninsula were happening at about the same time as the Peasant's revolt in England, although the motivating factors were not the same at all). One character to another:
"Ask nicely, instead of having a hissy-fit." I didn't catch the original Korean words so I could look it up, but it made me curious about the subtitle translator. Why choose that phrase? In my Southern Boomer childhood, it was just hissy without the addition of "fit," but I am aware that it's the current US & UK usage.
This seemed succinct:
"mom, come pick me up, they’re starting “emily wilson’s homer translations are woke” discourse again"
- Ryan Alexanderplatz (possibly not his actual name)
I started to reply about what a jerk O was but deleted it before I sent it. I thought of Peggy Seeger's 1977 album "Penelope isn't waiting anymore." I thought about the fact that years ago I bought a multi-pound Greek lexicon from a rummage sale but at this point in my life I am probably never going to learn Greek, so I should give it away.
The non-EW translation recommended by most of the know-it-alls yesterday was dissed this morning by someone else, with a different rec.
I learned a *tiny* bit of modern Irish in about 1995 to be a tourist, but certainly not enough to read a book, especially one written in the 12th century. Based on this one tweet, though, I'm willing to believe it is the best translation (joke, because there is no such thing as a "best" translation).
"Lots of talk about translations and adaptations of The Odyssey. My favourite is the 12th-century Middle Irish retelling, ‘Merugud Uilix maicc Leirtis’, in which Odysseus’ dog, Argos, does NOT die"
-Conor McDonough
* If you don't want a long book with notes, her dramatic reading with facial expressions and props starts here:
https://youtu.be/az0Qxcf_ms4?feature=shared
OK, just one Korean translation thing. I watched some of the historical drama "My Country" (2019) (based on a few actual historical events, with lots of invention. An enormous body count, so I may quit after five episodes. I already knew that the Joseon dynasty started in 1392. Maybe that's enough. I like thinking that internal revolts on the Korean peninsula were happening at about the same time as the Peasant's revolt in England, although the motivating factors were not the same at all). One character to another:
"Ask nicely, instead of having a hissy-fit." I didn't catch the original Korean words so I could look it up, but it made me curious about the subtitle translator. Why choose that phrase? In my Southern Boomer childhood, it was just hissy without the addition of "fit," but I am aware that it's the current US & UK usage.
