Flavours of Translation
Ever seen a chef passionate of the food he cooks? Well of course he is. Same is the passion of an avid translator. Before you think I have gone cuckoo with this myriad comparison, hear me out.
Everyone can learn to cook, but not everyone has got that “taste in his hands”. As much as I may hate it, I am not a better cook than my sister. Even if the ingredients are the same. No matter how meticulously you follow the recipe, there will be certain difference in the flavor of the food. So even if you and I were to translate the same document, there is bound to be uniqueness in each outcome.
So what is that secret ingredient which gives it the unique flavor after translation. Why is that some translations are so blatantly obvious that they are translated that you can even identify from which language it is, if you know the original language while others are so well translated, it seems like the original matter itself?
Your mother might not tell you her secret ingredient is her passion. Her love for you that knows when to tweak the recipe just to make that special meal l’il sweet, l’il spicy or l’il salty. Something that will make you lap up her cheese burgers faster than any McBurger. That same passion should flow in your translations.
A word to word translation to any language is equivalent to preparing a cake with all the flour down, then only sugar, then the eggs all in fixed layers. Its the way you mix it after adding all these that brings the essence and yumminess. Don’t start smacking your lips, I am still talking about translations. 
You may get the gist by the word to word translation but the essence of the language is in its flow and constructions of sentences. Even a sentence may be grammatically correct but to replicate the exact meaning from one language to another, mix the words again.
After all the final touch to any recipe is what is always left to users discretion. That is “salt to taste”. So are you free to translate it as per your discretion to give it that unique language flavour.
I couldn’t agree more. This is an excellent comparison.
I would also like to add a comment about different tastes.
As some people pull faces at an epicurean dinner, some lecturers or reviewers tend to do so at an unusual translation as well.
As a comfort to me and others alike, if somebody doesn’t like one’s inventiveness it doesn’t mean it’s bad, maybe the person just happens to have a different taste.
Well said ! I always said translation is an art
I think that u are right.And I think that transaltion isn’t an easy work and need hard work.
“Her love for you that knows when to tweak the recipe just to make that special meal ..”
I fully agree (being a great cook and a good translator myself). I never follow recipes, just look at them as a sort of directive to build on.
My philosophy in translation is not one heartily accepted by the standard school. In my opinion, words are something you must play with, reshape and remould, like plasticine. And you must have a great command of your language – like your mum’s command of all the spices in her kitchen – to be able to do that. And no fear about spoiling the broth!
Great posting. Keep it up.
Great post! I fully agree. I always say that to be a good cook you need to have this kind of intuition about what will work. And what Sam Berner said about having a command of your kitchen.
I’m not a good cook; I need to have a step-by-step recipe guide, and even after I follow all the steps, the end result is simply not the same!
It’s the same with translation; you need this kind of intuition, this natural ability to read something in one language and naturally let the text flow in another. There are no recipes for this. And getting a degree in translation is no guarantee you will be successful. The university or college will provide the steps, tips, rules, etc….but if you don’t have this natural ability, the end result will not be exactly the same.
Hi, nice post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for sharing. I’ll certainly be coming back to your blog.
The article is usefull for me. I’ll be coming back to your blog.
Speaking of translating correctly, this article is translated really clumsily an awkwardly. Even the use of “taste in his hands” makes no sense when translated.
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