The Obscurity That Comes With Translation

The Original: Als Gregor Samsa eines Morgens aus unruhigen Träumen erwachte, fand er sich in seinem Bett zu einem ungeheuren Ungeziefer verwandelt.

#1: As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.

Diction: This is the only translation that uses the word “insect” rather than “bug” or “vermin”. They are all actually different things, even though they may seem to be the same. Specifically, insects usually have the capability of flying, while bugs do not. It’s a small change, but it can give a wrongful indication of what was truly meant to be implied.

Syntax: The ordering is very concise, as it flows coherently and chronologically. It gives the indication that once Samsa awoke from his dreams, he immediately became aware of who he’d become.

Imagery/Details: Some details are present, including adjectives like “uneasy” and “gigantic”, which help the audience better depict the eerie circumstance.

Structure: There are some unnecessary information that is added. For example, adding “in his bed” isn’t really needed; its addition might be present to enhance the audience’s perception of the imaginative situation.

#2: Gregory Samsa woke from uneasy dreams one morning to find himself changed into a giant bug.

Diction: This particular translation is the only one that uses the word “changed” rather than “transformed”. It’s roughly the same meaning, but it may imply that Samsa just flipped a switch to become a bug, instead of developing into one overnight.

Syntax: Placing the idea that Samsa woke from “uneasy dreams” - even before mentioning “one morning” – could imply that his uneasy dreams were a prelude to the uneasy reality he is about to embark upon.

Imagery/Details: There is a lack of details that are utilized to aid with imagery. The sentence is essentially absent of adjectives or adverbs.

Structure: The sentence is very straight and to the point, as it is a narrative driven by cause and effect. Because Samsa woke up, he found his body changed to that of a bug. This aids clarity, but could be distant from the intended meaning of correct translation because of its simplicity.

#3: When Gregor Samsa awoke from troubled dreams one morning he found he had been 

transformed in his bed into an enormous bug.

Diction: This translation is the only one to use the word “troubled” as a description for the type of dreams Samsa is having. The word could suggest that Samsa is having an internal conflict that is represented by his dreams.

Syntax: Starting the sentence off with a dependent clause highlights the important information (that Samsa had been transformed into a bug) and suppress the incidental information.

Imagery/Details: There are a few descriptive words present that could help with imagining the situation told. The “enormous bug” could really put a creepy image in some peoples’ minds.

Structure: Adding “in his bed” after “transformed” makes the sentence more incoherent and a little harder to follow. Taking it out or placing it elsewhere would enhance the sentence’s clarity.

#4: One morning, upon awakening from agitated dreams, Gregor Samsa found himself, in his bed, transformed into a monstrous vermin.

Diction: The transformation is referred to that of a “monstrous vermin”, which seems to be a very negative connation. Just referring to Samsa as a bug or insect would be a lot less unpleasant or cruel sounding.

Syntax: Placing “one morning” at the beginning of the sentence give an indication that Samsa lives day-to-day or in the moment, and that this morning, this is what had happened.

Imagery/Details: There are a variety of descriptive words used that help present imaginative images in the minds of the audience. Words such as “agitated” and “monstrous” draw the audience to visualize scary or uneasy ideas or predicaments.

Structure: There are a lot of interruptions, separated by commas, present in this translation. The interruptions are really just added material that are not needed. They could imply that the transformation was an interruption in itself from Samsa’s normal morning routine.

 

How does the word choice, syntax, punctuation, and imagery shift in each affect meaning? Is one more effective than another? Why? What does this exercise bring up about the difficulty of reading translated texts? How do different translations effect the tone of the sentence?

Word choice affects meaning in the sense that words literally define a sentence. The word/words one chooses to use, as opposed to another that could easily be substituted, determines how audiences visually perceive a passage. Syntax affects meaning because the order in which words are presented greatly influences how a sentence can come across. The order of words in a sentence could signify importance (as depicted by the author), which could in turn come in conflict with the reader’s opinion and generate incoherency within the audiences’ minds. Punctuation can moreover determine the mood of a sentence. Whether there are commas, exclamation marks, question marks, etc., punctuation can make a sentence seem suspenseful, exhilarating, or inquisitive, respectively. To conclude, imagery can ultimately control how the audience mentally perceives what the author presents. It is a vital piece of literature in that it can accurately influence how connected an audience is with the imaginative scenario they’re presented.

I feel as though word choice is the most effective or influential literary aspect that can affect how a passage is interpreted. When translating a passage from one language to another, different words can be swapped for one another with the misconception that they hold the same meaning. Though the general definition of the words may be similar, even the slightest difference in definition can change how the sentence is read or understood. Connotation can truly influence the feelings one associates with a word, ultimately affecting how an entire passage can be perceived.

This exercise shows how easily language can be altered when translated from various languages. Some terms may not have exactly one meaning in one language, while in another language, maybe there is only one term to describe a specific word or phrase. When multiple words are available for exploitation, there’s always the risk that the translation will result in a different meaning than if other terms are used. Thus, one sentence could have a completely altered tone from another, affecting the mood the text presents to the audience. This can cause incoherency or misinterpretations amongst various translations, as audiences might be exposed to wrongful textual meaning, and therefore could possibly make false inferences on the text.