Argument198 【0906G ANap Hand 作文互改小组】第6次作业

comb300UID: 2443633

198There is a general idea that a translation always fails to preserve some of the qualities that distinguish the original work—i.e., that 'something always gets lost in translation.' Writers, critics, and the general reading public unthinkingly accept this cliché. But this belief is unwarranted: translators are sometimes distinguished authors themselves, and some authors may even translate their own works. As the translator pointed out in the preface to an English version of Dante's works, the violin and the piano make different sounds, but they can play what is recognizably the same piece of music.

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The author criticizes the idea that the translated literary work is unable to perserve some factors of the original ones and lays his conclusion based on the analysis of authors and supports by an example. The argument lacks of proven evidences, further researches are needed to make the argument sound.

Firstly, the author describes that translators are just as good as authors or even better which explains that the translated work should perfectly deliver the authors ideas. However, the facts are never that simple. Distinguished authors are not always good at translation; they have different focus on the same issue. Translation needs the translator has a deep knowledge of the author's area of specialty. If it is a story or poem, the translator needs to understand the culture barrier between nations and try to solve the difficulties of understanding by the recreation. If it is a scientific theory, the precise words should be chosen to deliver the idea. The translated works are different along with the translator's understanding of that area and their knowledge of the culture.

Moreover, It is not always about the author's ability of translation, the gaps between characters and cultures are difficult to fulfill sometime even impossible. Language is a reflection of culture. Different culture has its own history, particular environments. Hence, there are always some words and some thoughts are unique in one culture and it is not that easy for the translator to deliver the idea to the people who understanding nothing about it. Translated works are regenerated arts which are created by translators. Alternative strategies are applied by the translators to transfer the knowledge to people at certain region. They try their best to choose common words and change metaphors to make public understand the literature easily. However, languages are the creation of many generations, sometimes it is just unable to translate perfectly, and that is where something is lost in the translation.

Finally, the author's example could not support his theory. I agree with the idea in the preface. But that could not prove the author's theory. Language is not the music instrument. Following the same staff, violin and piano could play same music. However, there is not any 'staff' for language. Each language is independent to the others; there is not any guideline for them which is why the translation is difficult. The author fails to recognize that and applies the example to support the idea and make the argument unreliable.

To sum up, the author fails to describe many important factors of translation and hastily conclude the argument which makes the article invalid. To make the argument sound, further research and investigation are needed.

roinyouUID: 2447501

写得不错的，:handshake
不过Demo版主说的，还是有些道理的，在论证的时候不要只是however, therefore，呵呵
还有你的preserve拼写错误:)