Translating Poetry and Its Impact on Culture

‫ا‬ ‫وأ ه‬ ‫ا‬

Translating Poetry and Its Impact on The
Culture of The Community
By: http://sbanjar.kau.edu.sa/
Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar http://wwwdrshadiabanjar.blogspot.com

2nd Semi-Symposium in The Department of English
King Abdulaziz University – Al-Faisaliah
Linguistic and Literary Societal Role
Sunday 19th Muharram, 14332
26th December, 2010
12/23/2010 Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar 1

In this study, the researcher will argue that translating poetry
seems to be directly or indirectly connected with art and culture.
Three different translations of Lewis Carroll's ‘Jabberwocky’ , the
well formed nonsense poem in terms of grammar and syntax ,
conducted by three different translators, and three others by
different translation software are introduced. By comparing the
different output with the original input, it is concluded that
poetic translation depends on transferring the form and the
spirit of the origin in order to have the optimal effect as in a
painting. Thus the translator is a mediator transferring culture,
and the translation may represent a double-edged weapon. On
one hand, it may play a gulf-bridging role in cultural mediation;
on the other, it can be used as a means intended for ripping the
culture of a community to pieces.


‫ا را‬
‫ا‬ ‫را ي ل ن‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ُا‬ ‫َ‬ ‫ه ا را‬
‫م‬ ‫ه اا‬ ‫.و‬ ‫َ وا‬ ‫أو‬
‫ة ه اء ذات‬
‫ِ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫وآ "، وه‬ ‫آ رول "‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ت‬
‫ِ ِ‬ ‫ا ا ِ وا ،‬ ‫ء‬
‫ِ . و ُ َ رَ‬
‫َ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ا ِ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫تأ ىأ‬ ‫إ‬
‫َِ ُ‬ ‫ِا‬ ‫أن ا‬
‫ّ‬ ‫،‬ ‫ا‬ ‫تا‬ ‫ا‬
‫ا .‬ ‫آ ه ا ل ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ثا‬ ‫آ‬ ‫وا وح‬ ‫ا‬
‫ذا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا تو‬ ‫دور ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وه ا‬
‫ف‬ ‫مآ‬ ‫؛و‬ ‫ا ةا‬ ‫دورا‬
‫ً‬ ‫،‬
‫أ ى.‬

‫0102/32/21‬ ‫‪Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar‬‬ ‫3‬

Walter Benjamin thinks that translation with no doubt breaks the
limits of language and literary traditions and this is a very good
thing for a language and literature and what really makes it
interesting and worth the effort.


Holmes stated that translation of verse is seen
as a spectrum of different forms of meta-
literature, from interpretative works in prose to
a poem inspired by the original which is called ‘
metapoem’. This metapoem is both translation
i. e. meta- literature and primary literature as
it is poetry in itself.
The verse of this METAPOEM has five forms:
1.A mimetic,
2.Analogical,
3.Derivative,
4.Organic, or
5.Extraneous.

Translating poetry as a form and a spirit:
A poem, a certain number of words in a certain order on the
page, is a form, where all relation to what is other and finite -to
what is true- has been suspended. […] The poem is a means, a
spiritual statement, which is not, however, an end.
(Bonnefoy, 1992: 187-188)


And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: And burbled as it came!
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe. One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
"Beware the Jabberwock, my son! He left it dead, and with its head
.
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! He went galumphing back.
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!“ "And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
He took his vorpal sword in hand: O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
Long time the manxome foe he sought – He chortled in his joy.
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought `Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


JABBERWOCKY

'Twas (noun/adjective), and the (adjective) And as in (adverb) thought he stood,
The (noun “a” again), with eyes of flame,
( plural noun)
Came (adverb) through the (adjective) wood,
Did (verb) and (verb) in the (noun: place); And (verb past-tense) as it came!
All (adjective) were the (( plural noun),
And the (adjective) (( plural noun)(verb). One, two! One, two! And through and through
The (adjective “a” again) blade went (loud sound)!
“Beware the (noun “a”), my son! He left it dead, and with its head
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! He went (adverb) back.
Beware the (noun), and shun
The (adjective) (noun)!” “And hast thou slain the (noun “a” again)?
Come to my arms, my (adjective)
boy! O (adjective) day! (interjection)! (different
He took his (adjective “a”) sword in hand: interjection)!”
Long time the (adjective) foe he sought-- He (verb past tense) in his joy.
So rested he by the (noun),
And stood awhile in thought.
Poetry – Lap book,
Language Arts Unit for
Grades 3-6 by Leslie
Cardwell (repeating the first stanza here)

Theme
“Jabberwocky” has a very an old vital theme. This
theme is the heroic quest, in which a (usually) young
male will strike through for parts unknown, run into
some horrifying beast, and either triumph over this
force of dark- ness or be consumed by it.


Style
The poem is a ballad. The ballad-stanza is usually four
lines rhymed abcb, in which the lines have a syllable
pattern of 8, 6, 8, 6. We can realize how the third,
fifth, and sixth stanzas of the poem follow this rhyme
scheme.


‫وآ‬
‫آ ن وا ً،‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وآ ه ا ل أ‬ ‫،و‬ ‫'ا ا‬
‫،‬ ‫ن‬ ‫وك،‬ ‫وب؛‬ ‫رو‬ ‫ا‬
‫لا‬ ‫و ءو‬ ‫،‬ ‫رو‬ ‫و‬
‫ءت!‬ ‫و ر آ أ‬ ‫م.‬ ‫را‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وأوو‬

‫ل‬ ‫لو‬ ‫!و‬
‫وا ، ا ! وا ، ا‬ ‫!‬ ‫وك، ا‬ ‫" ار‬
‫!‬ ‫تا‬ ‫ة ‪ vorpal‬ذه ا‬ ‫!‬ ‫ا‬
‫،و ر‬ ‫در ا‬ ‫ب، و ى‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ار ا‬
‫ة أ ى.‬ ‫ذه‬ ‫“!‬ ‫و س‬

‫وك؟‬ ‫وأ‬ ‫:‬ ‫ر ل‬ ‫وأ ط‬
‫!‬ ‫إ ذرا ، ا‬ ‫—‬ ‫ا و وا‬ ‫و‬
‫!آ "!‬ ‫ا س ا م! آ‬ ‫م،‬ ‫ة‬ ‫أ‬
‫ا ح.‬ ‫ر‬ ‫وأ ف‬ ‫.‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬

‫،و‬ ‫'ا ا‬
‫وب؛‬ ‫رو‬ ‫ا‬
‫،‬ ‫رو‬ ‫و‬
‫‪Microsoft translator‬‬ ‫م.‬ ‫را‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وأوو‬

‫ووآ‬
‫ٌ‬
‫ق‬ ‫ه وا ٌ‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ات ا‬ ‫ا اء، وا ُ‬ ‫آنو‬
‫ا ه‬ ‫ووك‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ءو‬ ‫ا ؛‬ ‫ُو ُ‬
‫ا‬ ‫ُ ل‬ ‫ة‬ ‫آ‬ ‫وات‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ا‬
‫ُأ ء و‬ ‫و‬ ‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫آ‬ ‫اء ا أ‬ ‫ز ا‬ ‫وا‬

‫وا ، إ ن! وا ، إ ن! وه ا وه ا‬ ‫ُ ّ‬ ‫ووك(‬ ‫ا ر و ش( ا‬
‫!‬ ‫ً‬ ‫و ً‬ ‫ُ ا وا ا رم‬ ‫ا‬ ‫د!‬ ‫ا‬ ‫،ا‬ ‫ا ا ي‬
‫ً،و أ‬ ‫آ‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ا ُ‬ ‫ا را‬
‫ا‬
‫ً‬ ‫د و ه ا‬
‫ً‬ ‫ّف‬ ‫ذا ا ا‬ ‫ّا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬

‫ووك؟‬ ‫وه أ َ ذ َ ا‬ ‫رم‬ ‫ا وا ّ ا‬ ‫أ‬
‫إ ذرا َ إ ا اه‬ ‫ذ ا آ ا‬ ‫وه‬ ‫أ ٍ‬
‫وا‬ ‫م ا ُ ! وا‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫ةا‬ ‫اح‬
‫َ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬
‫ً‬ ‫ُ هً‬ ‫وو‬

‫ا‬ ‫ات ا‬ ‫ا اء، وا ُ‬ ‫آنو‬
‫:‪Translated by‬‬ ‫ا ؛‬ ‫ُو ُ‬
‫‪Nada Al-Rifa‬‬ ‫ة‬ ‫آ‬ ‫وات‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ا‬
‫ر‬ ‫و‬ ‫آ‬ ‫اء ا أ‬ ‫ز ا‬ ‫وا‬


‫و‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫اذل ا ا‬
‫!‬ ‫َق‬
‫و‬ ‫ءا‬ ‫رُ‬ ‫ر‬
‫ٌ‬ ‫ُ ٌُ‬
‫!‬ ‫ا ب‬ ‫و ُاُ ِ‬

‫ا‬ ‫ب‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا رر ا‬
‫ِ َِ‬
‫ُ ً!‬ ‫أ‬ ‫!‬ ‫و ّ ا َُ‬
‫ا‬ ‫أ ِ‬ ‫وا ر ُ َ ا ُ ُ ِ‬
‫ُ ِ ا ُ و ً.‬
‫ً‬ ‫َا ُ‬ ‫وا‬

‫و !‬ ‫ا‬ ‫َا‬ ‫ُّ‬
‫!‬ ‫يا‬ ‫و‬
‫ُ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ُ‬
‫ا‬ ‫ٌ‬
‫م‬ ‫آ ه‬ ‫ّ ِا َ ِ‬
‫اذل ا ا‬ ‫ً.‬ ‫ً ُ‬
‫ا.‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫أ‬
‫رُ‬ ‫ر‬
‫‪Wael Al-Mahdi‬‬ ‫ُ ٌُ‬
‫وا ا ي )0102(‬
‫و ُاُ ِ‬

‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫د‬
‫ر‬ ‫ا خ وا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا رض و‬ ‫ّ‬
‫م خ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬ ‫و‬ ‫ا‬ ‫آ‬ ‫را‬ ‫وا‬
‫وه‬ ‫ا دا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وا‬

‫وا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ا خ‬ ‫و ي‬ ‫ا‬
‫ك‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا ا و ا‬
‫و ر ا اس‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا‬
‫ص‬ ‫وراح‬ ‫ا‬ ‫و ا‬

‫ا خ‬ ‫ود‬ ‫أ‬
‫م‬ ‫له‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وآ ن ور‬
‫ى‬ ‫ما‬ ‫وا‬
‫آ آنا‬ ‫وا‬
‫د ا‬ ‫و‬
‫‪Dr. Shadia Yousef Banjar‬‬ ‫ا‬ ‫ا رض و‬ ‫ّ‬
‫)9002(‬ ‫آ اا‬ ‫را‬ ‫وا‬
‫ا دا‬ ‫ا‬ ‫وا‬

Holmes has remarked that a verse
translation .can never be more than a single
interpretation out of many of
the original whose image darkly mirrors.
(1968:30)


Conclusion
In translating poetry , the translator transfers forms and spirit
of the original work. The translator of verse is a receiver
and producer of texts. He selects words and order at every
turn from among the many options which are available; the
preferred options will tend to correspond to standard poetic
tradition of the target language, and/or textual criteria of the
source language. No one can predict the regularities or
irregularities of translational behavior, and the ingenuity of
translators. Systematic behaviors which break the limits of
language and literary traditions may affect the society as
language is a power and when the language is weakened,
the society will be weakened too.

References
ALKALAY-GUT, Karen, “Carroll’s JABBERWOCKY,” in The Explicator, Vol. 6, No. 1, Fall,
1987, pp. 27–31.
BONNEFOY, Yves (1989): “Translating Poetry” in Biguenet & Schulte (eds.)
(1992): pp. 186-192.Ciardi, John, ed., How Does a Poem Mean?, Houghton Mifflin, 1960.
HOLMES, James S. (1968): .Forms of Verse Translation and Translation of Verse Form., in
James S. Holmes (1994): Translated!: Papers on Literary Translation and Translation
Studies, second edition, Amsterdam/Atlanta, Rodopi.


Translating Poetry and Its Impact on Culture

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